Visclosky Delivers Money to Fight Terrorism and Gangs

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Pete Visclosky announced that three Congressional Earmarks totaling $1.3 million will be delivered to Northwest Indiana to fight terrorism and gang violence in our communities.

Visclosky secured the funding in HR 2673, The Omnibus Appropriations Bill for 2004.  The monies will be administrated by the Department of Justice.  The three departments receiving these Congressional funds will use them to purchase equipment necessary to improve communications between First Responders at the local, state and national levels. This will help to protect law enforcement and citizens during emergencies and terrorist attacks in Lake and Porter Counties and the entire region.  In addition, the City of Gary will purchase surveillance equipment to help law enforcement more efficiently monitor gang activity.

Visclosky said, “If there is one thing we have learned during our war against terror it is that communication is essential.  Without adequate communication systems we leave ourselves completely vulnerable to any emergency situation. Whether funding our First Responders or National Guard Helicopters at the Gary Airport, I am doing everything I can to keep the people of Northwest Indiana safe.”

The three earmarks are divided between the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, The Gary Police Department and The Porter County Sheriff’s Department.

Visclosky has secured $300,000 for the Lake County Sheriff’s Department to aid in the construction of a central command center to be used in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack.  The Lake County Sheriff’s Department has been designated by the Department of Homeland Security to act as the lead if the region were to be the target of a terrorist attack.

Visclosky said, “The Lake County Sheriff’s office is an instrumental part of not only local safety but regional security as well.  This designation is important and I will continue to work hard to help them be prepared for any disaster or attack.”

The department will control the Emergency Command Center and will facilitate its use by First Responders and follow up teams in times of crisis. The command center will serve as a base of operations for disaster and terror relief for all of Northwest Indiana.

Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez said, “We are thrilled that Congressman Visclosky is in such a unique position on the Appropriations Committee to help us protect the region with these earmarks.  We look forward to working with First Responders at the state and federal levels to continue our vigilance against terrorism in our communities.”
 
Visclosky also secured $700,000 for the Gary Police Department to fund a variety of projects to further aid upgraded communications in the fight against gangs and the threat of terrorism.

The upgrades funded include a communications system accessible to First Responders on the local, state and federal level.  This kind of communication system works with other First Responders to give the Gary Police and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) comprehensive communication with HIDTA officers and detailed reports regarding homeland security in the event of at terrorist attack. This type of immediate communication allows police officers in Gary to fight crime on our streets and be on the lookout for threats of terrorism.

In addition Visclosky secured funding for Gary to buy surveillance equipment including pole cameras and video downlink which will allow the department to better monitor and manage emergency situations with real time data from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).  These cameras with streaming video allow one police dispatcher to be protecting dozens of street corners simultaneously.   

In conjunction with these new monitoring devices a Shot Spotter System will be incorporated allow the police department to track the sounds of gunshots using a triangulation formula to deploy officers to the scene more rapidly.  This technology is at the forefront of crime fighting and further protects our police officers in dangerous situations.

Deployment aids were not enough, so Visclosky’s funding is also marked to supply officers with Mobile Data Terminals to ensure that they have the best information possible when they arrive at the scene of an emergency.  These data terminals allow a dispatched officer to receive constant updates of volatile situations.  Gang violence is unpredictable and this technology allows officers to have access to the information being generated by the pole cameras and Shot Spotter data in real time.  Visclosky’s funding will give our police officers eyes in the sky to keep them safe.

Gary Police Chief Garnett Watson added, “This funding was so critical to helping Gary Police officers fight crime.  Congressman Visclosky has given our department the opportunity to move into the 21st Century and give the people of Gary the first class law enforcement they deserve.”

Visclosky replied, “I was more than happy to work with Chief Watson.  This earmark brought money to Gary to fight violence in all forms, from gangs to terrorists.”  

To further assist region wide communications readiness, Visclosky also designated $300,000 for the Porter County Sheriff’s department to upgrade Emergency Management, Highway, Fire Department, EMS and police communications.  Prior to Visclosky’s funding parts of the communication network for Porter County emergency responses were three decades old.  The network relied on vacuum tube equipment, a technology which has been completely replaced because of its high maintenance needs and unreliability.

Visclosky said, “Communication between First Responders is vital.  We cannot allow our police officers, fire fighters and emergency medical personnel to work with ancient equipment.  We depend on them to help keep us safe and they must be able to depend on us to give them the best possible equipment.”

Radio is an essential communication tool for law enforcement and emergency response teams.  Unfortunately the radio communications system that linked Porter County Emergency Management, County Highway and EMS were facing serious risk of failure.  Failure of such a critical communication component places First Responders in situations that can be avoided and puts them and the citizens they are protecting in grave danger.

Cellular technology is a second critical communication tool utilized by the Porter County Sheriff’s office.  However, the department was using cellular phone technology that will soon be left unsupported by cellular phone companies.  It was necessary to upgrade this technology now, before the current system was abandoned and officers were left without a means of communicating with each other.

Sheriff David Reynolds was ecstatic about the funding saying, “Porter County emergency services were in a desperate situation that put us in a constant state of communications emergency.   Congressman Visclosky recognized a problem that our county was not fiscally able to correct.  Pete understood that something had to be done immediately and he acted to help us in the nick of time.”