A Visit From Law Enforcement
A Visit From Law Enforcement
NYS Division of Homeland Security Comes to Ellicottville
Photo / Evan Evans, ellicottvilleNOW
Security is always (or at least it should be) a top concern for most of us. We think about home security, business security, how to keep those pesky kids off our front lawn legally… you get the point. But have you really put some thought into the concept of Homeland Security?
It’s okay if you haven’t. I mean, that type of thing seems very distant from our little part of the world. But it’s always good to be able to recognize the signs of dangerous activities before they actually become an issue. How do you do that, you ask? Well, luckily New York State has its own Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) to help with that.
The NYS Divisions of Homeland Security and the Public Safety Unit (OCT PSU) work closely with the NYS Police Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit (CTIU) to reach out to area businesses to inform them on how to spot the signs (such as making suspicious purchases in large amounts) of possible domestic terrorism.
Earlier this week, in an event organized with the assistance of the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce, members of the DHSES Office of Counter-Terrorism visited Ellicottville, NY with the goal of meeting local business owners and staff, getting acquainted with them and providing them with information and materials to help their employees and themselves feel more empowered and confident with assisting to keep their community safe.
Chamber Executive Assistant Barb Pump took the group around Washington Street and the intersecting streets, where they were able to meet our local business owners and share their wealth of information. ellicottvilleNOW’s own Evan Evans was fortunate enough to meet Homeland Security Program Analyst, Jennifer E. Ball and an Investigator from the Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit, Heather L. Knolhoff during their visit.
They left their business cards around town for anyone interested, and they left with their motto fresh in our minds. “If you SEE something, SAY something.” You can report any suspicious activities to the New York State Terrorism Tips hotline at 1-866-SAFE-NYS (1-866-723-3697) or get the “SEE SEND” app in the Google or Apple stores. (All calls are toll free and remain confidential.)