Security Briefs - March 25 - March 31
The Latest Headlines:
- Supreme Court Issues Ruling in Favor of Border Agents
- Arizona Completes Security Improvements at Border
- Three Virginia Ports Add Surveillance System
- Ohio Highway Sniper Investigation Cost $3 Million
- Homeland Security Places Hiring Freeze on Two Bureaus
- Congressman Says Many Airports Want New Screeners
- Arizona Completes Security Improvements at Border
Supreme Court Issues Ruling in Favor of Border Agents
The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave government agents broader authority to search cars' gas tanks in their battle against smuggling at the nation's borders, news services reported.The court was unanimous in giving officers permission to randomly search gas tanks, despite the absence of specific indication that a particular car is suspect, the Associated Press said.
Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote for in the decision that people crossing the border have less expectation of privacy than elsewhere, and searching the inner reaches of a car is not the same thing as a strip search or other intrusive search of the driver.
Arizona Completes Security Improvements at Border
Arizona has completed $11 million worth of security improvements to the Mariposa Port of Entry, the state's busiest commercial port, located in the city of Nogales, the Associated Press reported.The improvements included a large-scale truck bay called the Arizona Motor Carrier Inspection Station. The station uses tools such as weigh-in motion scale to reduce the waiting time at the border crossing while increasing security, AP said.
Each year, an estimated 250,000 trucks are screened at the Mariposa point, which is considered the eighth-busiest commercial port along the Southwest border.
However, the region's share of commercial truck traffic dropped to 8% in 2000 from 11% in 1994, compared to the rest of the border, AP said. Transport Topics
Three Virginia Ports Add Surveillance System
The Virginia Port Authority is outfitting the three Hampton Roads marine cargo centers with a closed-circuit surveillance system to detect suspicious activity, the Associated Press reported.Eighty-one cameras, which can shift to track movement, have been installed and cover the entire perimeter of the terminals. There are 39 cameras at Norfolk International Terminals, 26 at Portsmouth Marine Terminal and 16 at Newport News Marine Terminal.
The Transportation Security Administration gave the Virginia Port Authority $3.28 million for the new systems, AP said. The camera network uses wireless microwave transmitters or wires to send the images back to port police stations. Transport Topics
Ohio Highway Sniper Investigation Cost $3 Million
The investigation into the highway sniper attacks around Columbus, Ohio, cost more than $3 million in overtime pay, aircraft surveillance and security equipment, the Columbus Dispatch reported.City, state and federal agencies spent about $750,000 each month during the four-month investigation that led to the arrest of Charles McCoy Jr.
McCoy is suspected in two dozen shootings at vehicles, schools and homes along a stretch of Interstate 270 around Columbus. One person was killed in the shootings.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported spending more than $880,000, the article said. Transport Topics
Homeland Security Places Hiring Freeze on Two Bureaus
The Homeland Security Department said Friday it was putting a hold on new hires at two bureaus while it analyzes whether they're spending more than their budgets allow, the Associated Press reported.udget analysts are reviewing the payroll systems at the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AP said. They are trying to determine the accuracy of initial projections for their spending for the whole year.
The hold on hiring does not affect the Transportation Security Administration, AP said. Transport Topics
Congressman Says Many Airports Want New Screeners
Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) said 25% of the nation's commercial airports no longer want government employees screening passengers and baggage, preferring private companies working under federal supervision, the Associated Press reported.Because trucks are used to transfer cargo to and from airports, changes in aviation security could affect how trucking does business.
Mica, which is chairman of the House aviation subcommittee, said airport directors are upset with the Transportation Security Administration's inability to adjust staffing to meet demand
He also said some large airports, such as those in Orlando, and Los Angeles, have only 80% of the screeners they need, while some small airports have far too many, according to AP. Transport Topics
