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American Morning

How Are Cities Reacting to Terror Alerts?

Aired May 21, 2003 - 08:08   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The question again today, how are cities reacting at the local level to all the terror alerts that went out yesterday and what is the response so far?
We're going to check in on three different locations right now. First, to Los Angeles.

L.A. Police Chief Bill Bratton is our guest in L.A.

Chief, thanks for your time today.

WILLIAM BRATTON, CHIEF, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: Good morning. Good to be with you.

HEMMER: Spokane, Washington, R. Gil Kerlikowske. He's the chief of police in Seattle. And here in New York, John Timoney, the chief of police in Miami, Florida.

Good morning, Chief.

Nice to see you, as well.

JOHN TIMONEY, CHIEF, MIAMI POLICE: Thank you.

Good morning.

HEMMER: Chief Bratton, if we were in L.A. today, what would we notice about a difference in your security?

BRATTON: Well, unless you were at the airport, you really wouldn't notice any change. We have put in additional inspection spots at the airport. Down at our port -- 40 percent of the goods that come into the United States come in through Long Beach and Los Angeles Harbors.

Other than that, the increased patrols that we have around the 605 sites that we deem as sensitive sites, you would not really notice those patrols.

HEMMER: Well, that's interesting in L.A.

What about Miami, Chief?

The difference there?

TIMONEY: Well, there's some difference. There are some locations that at this time yesterday weren't being covered and now are being covered 24 hours a day, seven days a week until we assess it, usually about three or four days from now. And so there certain locations that will have full time coverage. There are others that will get like an hourly visit from a patrol officer or a sergeant and then there are others that just get the special attention.

HEMMER: Can the White House not afford to put this out?

TIMONEY: No, I think they have to. They're getting a certain amount of intelligence...

HEMMER: At all costs? Despite the criticism and despite the fact that there is nothing that's been specific?

TIMONEY: You know, they're damned if they do, damned if they don't.

HEMMER: Yes.

TIMONEY: If they don't do it, and, god forbid, something happens, why do you do it? When they do it, you know, Mr. Ridge comes under criticism and I think unfairly. I think they need to and there's nothing wrong every once in a while with jacking it up and bringing it down. It reminds us that it's a constant threat out there.

HEMMER: Yes, Chief Kerlikowske, if we were in Seattle today, what's the difference there?

R. GIL KERLIKOWSKE, CHIEF, SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT: Well, like Chief Bratton said, you probably would not see much difference. Our officers go and check some critical infrastructure and power grids, gas lines, the bridges -- we're quite dependent on the bridges over I- 5 and others -- those kinds of things. And, also, we have a very large port right in the heart of the city.

So those kinds of increases will occur, but you really don't see much if you're the traveling public.

HEMMER: Yes, what does the White House tell you? What does the federal government tell you about this warning when it goes out?

TIMONEY: Not much. But they...

KERLIKOWSKE: Well, without some specificity...

HEMMER: Go ahead, Chief Kerlikowske.

KERLIKOWSKE: Yes, without some specificity about when and where and what we're looking for, I think it causes some difficulties. Number one, when you do up this level, every police department gets additional calls and there are additional concerns. But we really are not quite sure exactly what we're looking for. And I'll tell you, in the next few months I think they're really going to have to think through how as a nation this size we're doing this threat level and these alert systems, because I'm not so sure this is the most effective way to do business. HEMMER: You bring up an interesting point. I want to get Chief Bratton to weigh in on that. What about it in L.A.? The "L.A. Times" is saying you already have a very low ratio for police officers as compared to civilians, you're strapped for cash. How do you make this balance, Chief?

BRATTON: It's not easy, but -- because we have to prioritize whether in that case our gang crime problem -- we have a consent decree we're responding to. And now we have the counter-terrorism efforts. I've got almost 200 officers, and putting 40 more, into that newly created bureau. It's the new reality of policing. It's the new paradigm. It's going to be with us for all time. It's the new form of crime and fear.

And, as Gil Kerlikowske indicates, we're going to have to constantly keep evaluating how do we respond to it. Because right now we're literally all over the place.

HEMMER: Wow, all over the place, Chief? What do you think?

TIMONEY: Yes, it's part of the growing pains. You know, it's still a little bit better now than it was prior to September 11. And just going through these drills along, I think, makes us better prepared to some...

HEMMER: How does it then evolve? If we're doing it four times right now and obviously there's a level of satisfaction that's not being met in certain parts of the country...

TIMONEY: Right.

HEMMER: The mayor in Las Vegas was on CNN last night saying nothing has changed in his town.

TIMONEY: No, listen, let's face it, there are certain cities -- New York, we're in right now, and Washington, D.C., no matter what they're the two primary targets. I mean they are the symbols of capitalism, of American government and they give you what the terrorists want, two big things, their symbolism and the high body count in both cities.

HEMMER: But here is what we're hearing. The vulnerability right now is a soft target, maybe a school, maybe a shopping mall, maybe a movie theater.

TIMONEY: Yes, right.

HEMMER: If you were a suicide bomber -- and you can't be stopped in the Middle East and it's been going on there for years now...

TIMONEY: Right.

HEMMER: ... how do you stop it here?

TIMONEY: Well, you probably could never stop a suicide bomber. But what we're doing now, and the scenario drills we're doing you saw last week help improve the response and the quicker the response, the more coordinated, the more lives you save in the long run. But you probably can't prevent some person that's willing to strap on a bomb, go into a pizza store or a delicatessen. There probably isn't much you can do in those regards.

HEMMER: Chief Kerlikowske, what are you telling your own people? A threat comes out, they ask you questions, you say what?

KERLIKOWSKE: Well, sure, there are a couple of things that happen, and since this is the fourth time that we've been through this, I think most large police departments, and even small departments, are getting some protocols and procedures in place. So, for instance, city employees have to make sure that they have the visible I.D. The city's had a disaster management committee of department heads for many years because of the earthquake issues in Seattle. And they're put on notice about what has occurred and our officers check those, as I mentioned, infrastructure issues.

But, you know, without some specific information, without this is a problem in the Northwest or Seattle is a target, without that kind of level of detail and context, I think it's a very difficult thing that we're all facing.

HEMMER: Thanks for your thoughts, gentlemen.

Chief Kerlikowske, head of police there in Seattle; Chief Bratton in L.A.; and Chief Timoney here in New York representing Miami, Florida.

Good luck to all three of you, all right, in keeping your folks safe.

TIMONEY: Thanks, Bill.

KERLIKOWSKE: Thank you.

HEMMER: Many thanks today.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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Aired May 21, 2003 - 08:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The question again today, how are cities reacting at the local level to all the terror alerts that went out yesterday and what is the response so far?
We're going to check in on three different locations right now. First, to Los Angeles.

L.A. Police Chief Bill Bratton is our guest in L.A.

Chief, thanks for your time today.

WILLIAM BRATTON, CHIEF, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: Good morning. Good to be with you.

HEMMER: Spokane, Washington, R. Gil Kerlikowske. He's the chief of police in Seattle. And here in New York, John Timoney, the chief of police in Miami, Florida.

Good morning, Chief.

Nice to see you, as well.

JOHN TIMONEY, CHIEF, MIAMI POLICE: Thank you.

Good morning.

HEMMER: Chief Bratton, if we were in L.A. today, what would we notice about a difference in your security?

BRATTON: Well, unless you were at the airport, you really wouldn't notice any change. We have put in additional inspection spots at the airport. Down at our port -- 40 percent of the goods that come into the United States come in through Long Beach and Los Angeles Harbors.

Other than that, the increased patrols that we have around the 605 sites that we deem as sensitive sites, you would not really notice those patrols.

HEMMER: Well, that's interesting in L.A.

What about Miami, Chief?

The difference there?

TIMONEY: Well, there's some difference. There are some locations that at this time yesterday weren't being covered and now are being covered 24 hours a day, seven days a week until we assess it, usually about three or four days from now. And so there certain locations that will have full time coverage. There are others that will get like an hourly visit from a patrol officer or a sergeant and then there are others that just get the special attention.

HEMMER: Can the White House not afford to put this out?

TIMONEY: No, I think they have to. They're getting a certain amount of intelligence...

HEMMER: At all costs? Despite the criticism and despite the fact that there is nothing that's been specific?

TIMONEY: You know, they're damned if they do, damned if they don't.

HEMMER: Yes.

TIMONEY: If they don't do it, and, god forbid, something happens, why do you do it? When they do it, you know, Mr. Ridge comes under criticism and I think unfairly. I think they need to and there's nothing wrong every once in a while with jacking it up and bringing it down. It reminds us that it's a constant threat out there.

HEMMER: Yes, Chief Kerlikowske, if we were in Seattle today, what's the difference there?

R. GIL KERLIKOWSKE, CHIEF, SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT: Well, like Chief Bratton said, you probably would not see much difference. Our officers go and check some critical infrastructure and power grids, gas lines, the bridges -- we're quite dependent on the bridges over I- 5 and others -- those kinds of things. And, also, we have a very large port right in the heart of the city.

So those kinds of increases will occur, but you really don't see much if you're the traveling public.

HEMMER: Yes, what does the White House tell you? What does the federal government tell you about this warning when it goes out?

TIMONEY: Not much. But they...

KERLIKOWSKE: Well, without some specificity...

HEMMER: Go ahead, Chief Kerlikowske.

KERLIKOWSKE: Yes, without some specificity about when and where and what we're looking for, I think it causes some difficulties. Number one, when you do up this level, every police department gets additional calls and there are additional concerns. But we really are not quite sure exactly what we're looking for. And I'll tell you, in the next few months I think they're really going to have to think through how as a nation this size we're doing this threat level and these alert systems, because I'm not so sure this is the most effective way to do business. HEMMER: You bring up an interesting point. I want to get Chief Bratton to weigh in on that. What about it in L.A.? The "L.A. Times" is saying you already have a very low ratio for police officers as compared to civilians, you're strapped for cash. How do you make this balance, Chief?

BRATTON: It's not easy, but -- because we have to prioritize whether in that case our gang crime problem -- we have a consent decree we're responding to. And now we have the counter-terrorism efforts. I've got almost 200 officers, and putting 40 more, into that newly created bureau. It's the new reality of policing. It's the new paradigm. It's going to be with us for all time. It's the new form of crime and fear.

And, as Gil Kerlikowske indicates, we're going to have to constantly keep evaluating how do we respond to it. Because right now we're literally all over the place.

HEMMER: Wow, all over the place, Chief? What do you think?

TIMONEY: Yes, it's part of the growing pains. You know, it's still a little bit better now than it was prior to September 11. And just going through these drills along, I think, makes us better prepared to some...

HEMMER: How does it then evolve? If we're doing it four times right now and obviously there's a level of satisfaction that's not being met in certain parts of the country...

TIMONEY: Right.

HEMMER: The mayor in Las Vegas was on CNN last night saying nothing has changed in his town.

TIMONEY: No, listen, let's face it, there are certain cities -- New York, we're in right now, and Washington, D.C., no matter what they're the two primary targets. I mean they are the symbols of capitalism, of American government and they give you what the terrorists want, two big things, their symbolism and the high body count in both cities.

HEMMER: But here is what we're hearing. The vulnerability right now is a soft target, maybe a school, maybe a shopping mall, maybe a movie theater.

TIMONEY: Yes, right.

HEMMER: If you were a suicide bomber -- and you can't be stopped in the Middle East and it's been going on there for years now...

TIMONEY: Right.

HEMMER: ... how do you stop it here?

TIMONEY: Well, you probably could never stop a suicide bomber. But what we're doing now, and the scenario drills we're doing you saw last week help improve the response and the quicker the response, the more coordinated, the more lives you save in the long run. But you probably can't prevent some person that's willing to strap on a bomb, go into a pizza store or a delicatessen. There probably isn't much you can do in those regards.

HEMMER: Chief Kerlikowske, what are you telling your own people? A threat comes out, they ask you questions, you say what?

KERLIKOWSKE: Well, sure, there are a couple of things that happen, and since this is the fourth time that we've been through this, I think most large police departments, and even small departments, are getting some protocols and procedures in place. So, for instance, city employees have to make sure that they have the visible I.D. The city's had a disaster management committee of department heads for many years because of the earthquake issues in Seattle. And they're put on notice about what has occurred and our officers check those, as I mentioned, infrastructure issues.

But, you know, without some specific information, without this is a problem in the Northwest or Seattle is a target, without that kind of level of detail and context, I think it's a very difficult thing that we're all facing.

HEMMER: Thanks for your thoughts, gentlemen.

Chief Kerlikowske, head of police there in Seattle; Chief Bratton in L.A.; and Chief Timoney here in New York representing Miami, Florida.

Good luck to all three of you, all right, in keeping your folks safe.

TIMONEY: Thanks, Bill.

KERLIKOWSKE: Thank you.

HEMMER: Many thanks today.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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