Richmond, Virginia –
National Preparedness Month, recognized annually in September, serves as a reminder for Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia employees to take action to prepare, now and throughout the year, for all emergencies including their own physical security.
Security and Emergency Service’s Donald Bartlett, criminal intelligence analyst, Defense Logistics Agency Installation Support at Richmond, reminds DSCR employees to stay vigilant in reporting any activity that may seem suspicious.
Bartlett said our state is home to dozens of vital government and military complexes, on which our enemies and international threat actors have actively sought intelligence.
“Virginia is among the states with the highest number of law enforcement encounters with persons confirmed to be on U.S. Terrorist Screening Center watch lists,” he said. “Suspicious activity incidents, many of which are consistent with pre-attack activities, are reported in significant numbers across the state.”
Over the past six months, the following suspicious activities have been reported within Virginia:
• surveillance (photography/videography) of critical infrastructure, including transportation systems, bridges, airports and shipyards;
• surveillance (photography/videography) of government facilities, including military facilities;
• tampering with power facilities, including power stations and power lines;
• elicitation (collecting information through questioning; also known as requirement gathering) on transportation systems and government facilities;
• radicalized persons making attempts or expressing intent to join Foreign Terrorist Organizations to fight overseas in locations such as Iraq and/or Syria; and
• persons suspected of funding terrorism and/or providing material assistance to FTO’s.
Bartlett said the presence of any single incident of suspicious activity does not presume terrorist activity, but the presence of multiple activities may indicate criminal or terror plotting. Suspicious activity should never be discarded as unimportant and should be reported promptly.
“Given the inherent volatility of the world today and the current threat environment, it is imperative that we understand the threat of terrorism is not only present, but it is enduring,” said Bartlett.
DLA Richmond’s Security and Emergency Services Office asks DSCR employees to stay aware and if you observe suspicious activities, please contact local law enforcement immediately and provide details of what you have witnessed.
“Personal safety and the safety of others is paramount,” said Bartlett. “Threats can be internal threats, so don’t let anything prevent you from reporting someone acting suspicious in the workplace or near the installation. There are mechanisms already in place to follow-up on reported incidents. Reports are taken seriously and action will be taken for each event reported.”
While on the installation, you may report suspicious activity by telephoning your local DLA Police Department or utilizing DLA’s suspicious activity reporting mechanism, the “iWATCH DLA,” located on the DLA Today website. Read more about local threats in a document written by Bartlett on The Importance of Reporting Suspicious Activity.
Employees may also call the Virginia Fusion Center Suspicious Activity Tip Line at 1-877-4VA-TIPS or download the VFC See Something/Send Something app that is available for Android devices on Google Play and Apple devices at the App Store..