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CNN Sunday Morning
Focus on Homeland Security Intensifies as Fourth of July Approaches
Aired June 30, 2002 - 08:01 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Protecting the U.S. from terrorists has been a top priority since 9/11, and with Independence Day just around the corner, the focus on homeland security has intensified. CNN law enforcement analyst Mike Brooks joins us now with more on this, and you were saying, I would sure not like to be a police officer in Washington, D.C. Fourth of July, this year.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Not at all. After my 26 years with the metropolitan police, I'm glad I'm here in Atlanta, especially during this holiday, but they're going to be on alert. There will be approximately 1,500 police in and around the Mall area itself. You're going to have double fencing around the Mall and the U.S. Capitol building because you have got different -- you've got the Capitol celebration. You've got the fireworks on the Mall.
They're going to have about 20 checkpoints where people who are going down to view the fireworks and have a good time are going to have to go through -- they're going to be checking their cooler, your bags, those kind of things, to make sure nothing there's inside. People are going to have to be patient. I think that is going to be the watch word of the day.
Another thing, we talked -- it looks like they're going to have combat air patrols resuming by NORAD around New York city and Washington, D.C. As you know last week, we had the scare of the private plane that came pretty close to the White House, and there was concern because the jets from Andrews Air Force Base weren't able to get there in time to intercept the jet before it possibly could have gotten to the White House. It was a scare, I think. It was an eye- opener for defense officials to see exactly, you know, after they did away with the 24-hour combat air patrols in Washington, D.C., to see that it possibly couldn't be needed again.
And I think, also, there's going to be -- also, the FAA's going to restrict air space in a number of different cities around Mt. Rushmore, the Arch in St. Louis and, also, the Statue of Liberty in New York City. So I think, and there's going to be random combat air patrols in other cities. Of course, they're not going to give that away because we don't want to show our hands totally.
PHILLIPS: What about the smaller towns, though? We talk a lot about Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington, New York, Los Angeles, but what if you live in a smaller area? BROOKS: Well, that's a concern also. Some people say, well, look at Oklahoma City when -- and -- when Timothy McVeigh set the bombs and no one ever would have ever thought that anyone would attack the federal building in Oklahoma City. But -- they're going to just -- concern in those towns, too. Everyone is at a heightened sense of awareness, especially on the 4th, and, you know, there's no -- let me just say, talking to my FBI sources and law enforcement sources in Washington, there is no specific threat against any location around the country right now.
PHILLIPS: Oh, well, that's good news.
BROOKS: Yes, it is.
PHILLIPS: That's good news.
BROOKS: Yes.
PHILLIPS: We got a couple e-mails. I'm going to throw these at you. Judith from South Carolina. I live in a small town in South Carolina. We have a large Air Force base in our town. I've never felt like we are a target for a terrorist attack. Am I being foolish to think that way? I'm cautious, but not real concerned.
BROOKS: I think with a large Air Force base and the security surrounding the Air Force base, she's probably better off than a lot of other cities who don't have any military presence at all. But there's always that concern that any U.S. interest, especially military interest here and abroad, could be targets, but I don't think she has too much to worry about. If something does happen, she'll definitely be the first to hear about it -- the people in those bases.
PHILLIPS: Frank in Illinois. Does homeland security give more power to the Border Patrol and INS?
BROOKS: Well, the Border Patrol and INS are integral links and they're the ones that are watching our borders on the north and the south and the east and the west, and I think -- they are a little -- they are not I don't want to say little piece, but they are a major piece in the whole restructuring of this new Homeland Security department should that come about.
Border patrol and INS -- they're going to have special focus, and, hopefully, get more funding. The Border Patrol and INS agents -- Border Patrol are some of the highest or some of the best trained but lowest paid officers that they have in the federal government. I'm very familiar with them. When I was instructing at the federal law enforcement training center, they were very paramilitary, extremely well trained, but not paid very much, and that's why they have a high turnover rate.
PHILLIPS: Will that change because of 9/11? I mean, I can think of certain police department departments around the country, and they started having corruption problems, and so they started paying officers more and really upping the standards, and, especially right now, we've got to start doing that across the country. BROOKS: I think you're absolutely right, and Border Patrol is one place they should start because there's such a high turnover rate, you know, and you get Border Patrol agents going through the federal air marshal's program now, because they are paying them fairly well and other law enforcement agencies within the government, and they need no keep a core of experienced officers within the Border Patrol. I mean, they're the ones that, you know, they're the front line against terrorism coming from our borders in the south especially.
PHILLIPS: All right. One more e-mail here, and, then, you're going to come back, I know, in the next hour or so. "In light of the recent news article about Seattle being a threat due to limited police forces, don't you think this news and many other news articles should be aired due to the shows -- it shows our enemies our vulnerabilities. I think we tell them too much on our own news stations, telling them where to hit, such as when you aired the fact that certain police forces being on guard without bullets." G. Harris from Tallahassee.
BROOKS: I'm not familiar with what she was talking about the police forces without bullets. But in light of Seattle, apparently, that came out from an FBI special agent charge during a talk that he was giving to Seattle. I think one of the concerns is that after the World Trade Organization demonstrations there in 1999 ...
PHILLIPS: And my guess is they're talking about the rubber bullets. That's what I'm thinking. Yeah, she's probably talking about that.
BROOKS: OK. That's probably what it is, but after the World Trade Organization demonstrations there in 1999, the Seattle police did not do a very good job, but I don't blame the police officers who are out there battling the crowds. I blame the administration of the city and the higher-ups in the police departments because they brought in consultants to take a look prior to the demonstration to see exactly what they need. These consultants on civil disobedience and demonstrations told them what they should get. They heeded their warning, and they came out looking bad with egg on their face.
PHILLIPS: All right. Mike, you're going to join us back at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, taking more e-mails and talking about homeland security.
BROOKS: Looking forward to it.
PHILLIPS: All right. Good. Mike, thanks a lot.
BROOKS: Thanks, Kyra.
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