Ports of Indiana Security Briefing

Security has always been a priority for the Ports of Indiana, but never more so than after September 11, 2001. New security measures have been implemented throughout our nation, including the ports and waterways.

All three of Indiana's public ports have implemented enhanced security measures. The ports also continue to partner with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Natural Resources to restrict non-commercial vessels from entering port waters.

Security at the Ports of Indiana is directed by the organization's Security Manager Warren Fasone, Executive Director Rich Cooper and the Port Directors at each port. The Ports of Indiana also partner with local police and sheriff departments to maximize safety and security at each port.

Listed below are some of the additional security initiatives undertaken by the Ports of Indiana:

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded the Ports of Indiana with two port security grants in 2003 to fund security assessments and enhancements at the state's three public ports. The Ports of Indiana was awarded $133,760 in December and $68,800 in June. The Ports of Indiana was one of the only ports on the Great Lakes or Inland Waterway System to submit applications in all three rounds of federal security grants.

The Ports of Indiana recently completed an internal vulnerability assessment of its three ports. This involved intensive surveys of tenant companies as well as meeting with U.S. Coast Guard representatives and local law enforcement officials to identify the ports' most critical security issues. The staff is now addressing those issues and updating its Emergency Response Procedures.

On Aug. 28, 2002, the Ports of Indiana launched a new Port Watch program. This is a cooperative effort among all tenant companies at the ports to register the more than 2,500 employees within Indiana's ports system to be the "eyes and ears" of the Ports of Indiana and the community. Experience tells us that there is no replacement for alert citizens in helping to identify potential criminal elements. Participants are asked to monitor activities within the ports and be prepared to report any suspicious incidents or security risks they encounter to the proper authorities. All members of Port Watch will carry identification cards that list emergency contact numbers including the toll-free number to the National Response Center's Terrorist Incident Reporting System.

Executive Director Rich Cooper has been appointed to the Lieutenant Governor's Heavy Industry & Utility Security Taskforce, where he also serves as chairman of the taskforce's Transportation Subcommittee. The taskforce was created to address the real threats on Indiana heavy industry and utilities and to provide recommendations concerning security and emergency preparedness to Indiana's Counter-Terrorism and Security Council (C-TASC). C-TASC was created by Governor O'Bannon in October of 2001 to coordinate the state's public safety effort to detect and prevent terrorist attacks that might occur in Indiana.

The Ports of Indiana regularly partners with local emergency response, police and fire departments to provide training for counter-terrorism activities, diving teams, search-and-rescue squads, as well as fire fighting aboard ships. It just so happened that on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Ports of Indiana staff was meeting with port tenants to discuss security issues, and on Sept. 12 Burns Harbor hosted a previously-scheduled SWAT team training exercise dealing with counter-terrorism and potential hostage situations at the port.