On staying ever vigilant
From The Journal News: What do you do if you see a bag left unattended, or something else that just looks odd, looks off? After multiple bombs were found – in Seaside Park, N.J., Chelsea in Manhattan and outside an Elizabeth, N.J., train station – law enforcement again reminds people to report suspicious activity.
What does that mean? According to the Department of Homeland Security, focus on the activity or behavior that’s odd – an open door in a facility that’s usually locked up tight; a vehicle where it’s not supposed to be; luggage or a package left unattended; a person whose behavior is unusually focused on security or other aspects of a building or space. Remember that concerns are raised by someone’s behavior, not appearance, dress, race.
If you see something, what next? Call local law enforcement – or 911 in an emergency. Look for law enforcement and report what you see. If you are confused by what you see, and don’t know what it means, call and explain. Local authorities can judge for themselves.
Bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami was tracked to Linden, N.J., after a bar owner who had been viewing news reports saw him sleeping in the bar’s doorway. The bar’s owner reported Rahami’s presence to police.
Federal, state and city public safety officials said they were not now actively seeking more people in the current terror probe. But that doesn’t mean we must stop being vigilant. The 36,000 members of the NYPD and all law enforcement professionals in and around New York City needed the help of the public.
The 2010 discovery of a bomb in Times Square reminds us that we are experts in our neighborhoods and daily environment, and our observations can make a difference. In that case, street vendors, including Navy vet Duane Jackson of Buchanan, just knew something wasn’t right about a vehicle parked in a no-parking zone. As he approached it, he saw smoke and alerted a police officer, averting a potential disaster.
In Chelsea, a bomb blast injured 29 people; all have been released from the hospital. Earlier that day, a pipe bomb erupted near a Seaside Park charity race; miraculously, no one was hurt. Later that night, a bomb went off outside the NJ Transit station in Elizabeth, and again no one was injured. When Rahami was spotted in Linden, the suspect began shooting, police said. Two Linden police officers were shot, but expected to make full recoveries. The suspect was also shot.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said that his office and his New Jersey counterparts will “take a lot of care and a lot of time” to bring accurate charges that can be thoroughly prosecuted.
The specific definition of terrorism includes using violence and intimidation for political gain. Even though the particular motivation behind the attacks remains unclear, officials say these attacks are terrorism.
New Yorkers know what they feel: We are terrorized, we are scared. But we are not intimidated.
As brand-new NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said recently: “We always have to be in a state of alert.” We all have a role in keeping everyone safe, including ourselves and our loved ones.