DHS LAUNCHES “SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING” CAMPAIGN IN DC

Earlier this week, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet

Napolitano announced a series of initiatives to support state and local law enforcement

and community groups across the country in identifying and mitigating threats to their

communities and expanded DHS’ “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign to

the Washington, DC, area in conjunction with National Night Out, an annual anticrime

campaign involving citizens, police and neighborhood groups.

“Homeland security begins with hometown security, and our efforts to confront

threats in our communities are most effective when they are led by local law enforcement

and involve strong collaboration with the communities and citizens they serve,” said

Secretary Napolitano.

Secretary Napolitano was joined at the event by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes

Norton, Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia Police Chief

Cathy Lanier, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Police Chief Michael

Taborn, and Homeland Security Advisory Council Chairman Judge William Webster.

The new measures are based on recommendations made by the Homeland Security

Advisory Council’s (HSAC) “Countering Violent Extremism” Working Group—

comprised of chiefs of police, sheriffs, community leaders and homeland security

experts—on ways DHS can better support community-based efforts to combat violent

extremism in the United States.

The “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats and


emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the proper transportation

and law enforcement authorities. In the Washington, DC, area, the campaign will

involved the Metropolitan Police Department’s long-standing participation in the

Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative, leveraging best practices

from the law enforcement community while engaging the public in identifying and

reporting suspicious activity.

In the coming months, DHS will continue to expand the campaign nationally with

public education materials, advertisements and other outreach tools to engage travelers,

businesses, community organizations and public and private sector employees to remain

vigilant and play an active role in keeping the country safe.