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CNN Live Today

Unprecedented Security Highlights Fourth of July Festivities

Aired July 04, 2002 - 14:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Fourth of July celebrations are underway across America amid unprecedented security. And nowhere is security tighter than in the nation's capital. CNN security analyst Mike Brooks joins us from the D.C. police command center with a look at the security measures in place.

Hi, Mike.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Hi, Fredricka, thank you. I'm here at the D.C. police department headquarters at the joint operations command center, which is the nerve center of all law enforcement and governmental operations here in the District of Columbia. There are number of different agencies that are involved in making this fourth a save fourth of July here in Washington, D.C.

We're pleased to be joined by Chief Charles Ramsey of the metropolitan police department. Chief, thanks for joining us.

CHIEF CHARLES RAMSEY, D.C. METRO POLICE: Thank you for having me.

BROOKS: So, how are things going so far?

RAMSEY: So far, so good. I mean, the parade has been going along very, very smoothly. People starting to kind of trickle in. But because of the heat, it may be a while before the real crowds build up.

BROOKS: How would you compare the security preparations and what's going on this on this year, post-9/11, as compared to fourth of Julys in the past?

RAMSEY: Well, a lot more extensive. For example, here in the Metropolitan police department we changed days off so everybody is working today, even though we're kind of able to keep them at eight- hour shifts. The fact that the whole department is working is a huge change.

The park police has asked for a lot of assistance down on the Mall. In years past maybe a couple hundred officers. Now more than 1,000 we've given them. We've got extra coverage out in our neighborhoods. And even our harbor branch now is working with the Coast Guard. And we've got a little buffer zone set up there along the waterways. So it is different. BROOKS: Yes, about a 150-foot buffer zone off the D.C. shoreline between the 14th Street bridge and Memorial bridge. What -- how many different agencies are involved right now in keeping things secure here?

RAMSEY: Well, there is a good half-dozen or a dozen agencies. The U.S. park police is the lead agency. And they've gotten assistance from the Maryland state police. Certainly our agency, the U.S. capital police, Montgomery County, Fairfax.

So we've got a lot of agencies that are working together for this particular event, which isn't all that unusual for us in this region. Whenever there is a major event, we all do come together and handle it. But there is heightened security, without question, this time around.

BROOKS: Just like during the inaugural, I know there were law enforcement officers from D.C., Maryland, Virginia, all worked together. And it sounds like they're doing the same thing here.

This command center, which is a state-of-the-art center here in Washington, D.C., can you tell us a little bit about this?

RAMSEY: Well, this is really the nerve center. Whenever there's a major event that takes place, all the local and federal agencies come here, have representatives here. We're able to really coordinate our response to whatever might be taking place.

For example, if along the Mall we see an area where we may need to beef up our presence, we know how many people to send, where to send them, and so forth. It really is invaluable, in terms of assisting us manage large crowds during these kinds of events.

BROOKS: I see you have both law enforcement and military here also. The Coast Guard and the military just from Washington, all playing a role?

RAMSEY: Well, again, I mean, the Washington region is unique, as you well know. So we do work extensively, not only with the federal law enforcement agencies, but also military and others, to safely handle these kinds of events. Washington, D.C. is our nation's capital. We have to go to extraordinary lengths to keep it safe.

BROOKS: Absolutely. I see the cameras. Can you tell us about the camera system and how it works in D.C., and how the police department and other agencies use the cameras to their advantage during an event like this?

RAMSEY: We have cameras at different points in the city. Most of them we have mounted to look at areas that we think are terrorist targets. Potentially also areas where the parade is taking place. Also along the Mall and so forth.

We have a dozen cameras that belong to us. But we're able to tap into other feeds that exist in the area. So it gives a pretty good view of what's taking place. Other agencies are able to see what's going on. They can certainly control their own assets.

We have connectivity to the FBI, the Secret Service, Metro Transit, Capital Police Command Center. So all of the different command centers are really linked.

BROOKS: I see. Now, are there pre-staged assets, law enforcement assets, should something -- let's say, God forbid, a chemical, biological, or radiological incident happen? How would that work and how would the agencies work together?

RAMSEY: Well, we do have people positioned in order to be able to respond to something like that. I can't go into a lot of detail. Most of that falls outside of the local police agencies' responsibility. But we do have people that are well-equipped and able to respond very, very quickly, should something happen.

But we don't anticipate anything like that. This is going to be a great fourth of July. Our biggest enemy is going to be heat, not terrorists.

BROOKS: I think you're right. And as Ari Fleischer, the presidential press secretary said yesterday, come on down, have a good time, and leave the worrying to the police.

RAMSEY: That's right.

BROOKS: Chief Charles Ramsey, thank you very much for joining us. Good luck for the rest of the day.

RAMSEY: Thank you, good to see you.

BROOKS: Thank you -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Mike Brooks and Chief Ramsey, thank you very much, from Washington.

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