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Troopers
Launch Marine Police Website
Police and Law Enforcement News
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 10:21 a.m.
New Website Will Float Their Boats
West Trenton, NJ – The New Jersey
State Police Marine Services Unit is launching a new tool in the
fight to keep the state’s boaters and coastal citizens safe. No,
it’s not a new ship; they’re launching a website. Fully activated
late Monday, March 13, 2006, the site is packed with critical
information to assist the state’s boaters in the enjoyment of their
pastimes, or the pursuit of their careers.
“ New Jersey is almost completely
surrounded by water,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of
the New Jersey State Police. “We must do everything we can to raise
the safety and security effectiveness for all our citizens who work
and recreate on our state’s waterways.”
“This site will help accomplish two
major objectives,” said Captain Mike Scarpone, Chief of the Marine
Services Bureau. “It gives boaters a way to answer their questions
about the new licensing requirements and it enlists the boating
public in the fight against crime and terrorism on the water.”
Marine Bureau personnel estimate that
95% of the phone calls they receive involve questions about the new
boat safety certificate requirements. Top billing on the new front
page is given to information about a State Police option for
experienced boaters to “test out” of the new requirements without
taking an instructional course. Under the “Frequently Asked
Questions” section, Internet visitors can find links to the major
providers of training courses. Other pages outline the demands of
the new law as they apply to boaters of various ages.
The second major feature of the
website is a new security program named the Maritime Security
Initiative. The MSI is the idea of Tpr. Perry Capiak, who, after
spending time with the State Police Community Partnership Branch,
saw the need to strengthen the trooper’s ties with the boating
community. The eyes and ears of the boaters and businesses that
support them are a huge asset through which troopers can collect
intelligence to better protect the public.
Tips on suspicious activity can be
placed by email link or over the phone to a toll-free tip line. The
MSI itself has been in use for one year and numerous useful tips
have come in since that time. An important component of the MSI is
training. Troopers have spoken at many public meetings to train
boaters on what types of behaviors should be clues to suspicious
activity. The website also outlines the things to watch for.
Several boating businesses have
expressed interest in supporting the MSI by placing prominent links
on their websites. The first to supply such a link is bassbarn.com,
a saltwater fishing information source. Troopers are hopeful that as
the MSI gains momentum, that the incoming tips will help reduce
crime and provide terrorism leads to be investigated by State Police
and federal authorities.
The State Police Intelligence Bureau
is an integral part of the MSI. Tips about significant crimes and
potential terrorist activity are entered into the Statewide
Intelligence Management System, a computer-based search program that
links connected people and events. These potential leads are run
through SIMS by the troopers manning the 24-hour Regional Operations
Intelligence Center at Division Headquarters.
The new site also features a new “Ask
a Trooper” feature through which member of the public can ask law
enforcement questions about boating. The photo for this link
features Tpr. Perry Capiak, Sgt. Bill Addis and Sgt. Paul Jenkins
who were all important to the development of the ideas behind the
website.
Also critical to the site are the
webmasters from the State Police Information Technology Bureau who
continue to add important information. Upcoming additions to the
Marine Services website will include recent stories of lifesaving
deeds by the marine troopers and photo albums of the various State
Police watercraft.
NOTE: Troopers will be available upon
request to speak about the new website, including water safety
certificate requirements and the MSI.
The site can be accessed
from the homepage of the New Jersey State Police website at
www.njsp.org.
Police and Law Enforcement News
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 10:21 a.m.
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