“After conferring with the Homeland Security Council, the recommendation has been made to increase the national threat level currently classified at elevated risk to high risk.” Attorney General John Ashcroft’s words on Tuesday were another reminder to Americans that security and safety are still a major concern-even a year after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The way we travel, the way we look at public events and even the way we handle our mail all changed on that fateful day.
That was a year ago and thousands of miles away from Mississippi.
Are local law enforcement officials still dealing with the same concerns?
“There are certain measures we have to take to make sure everything is on the up-and-up,” Assistant Starkville Police Chief John Outlaw said.
“Officers have to be more aware of their surroundings. We need to know what type of students we have and where they’re located. We want to ensure the protection of all,” Outlaw said.
According to Outlaw, Starkville police officers spend a lot of time in training in order to be better prepared for a variety of possibilities. The assistant chief said officers are briefed at the beginning and end of each shift and sent to various workshops on a regular basis.
“Officers need to know how to handle explosive devices … suspicious powders … all types of calls,” Outlaw said.
Outlaw says the combination of increased officer training and awareness will go a long way to keep the pubic safe, but that funding is a problem. He said the Starkville Police Department is looking to the federal government for help.
“We’re looking into grants from the Homeland Security Office,” Outlaw said. “With our (current) budget, we’re limited in what we can do.”
On the university’s campus, security changes have been mostly temporary. Security was extremely tight for last September’s football game against South Carolina.
“I think everybody was edgy,” MSU senior and student security worker Scott Royce said, “Everybody wanted to see a good football game, but didn’t know what to expect.”
According to Royce, security at that first game after the attacks was particularly heavy. The law enforcement presence was stepped up and bags were prohibited from the stadium.
“We haven’t seen that much security since George Bush visited a game,” Royce said.
Royce, a sociology/criminal justice major, says things have returned to normal.
“We don’t have an increase in officers at the games anymore. Everything has gone back to normal,” Royce said.
MSU Police Chief Tom Johnson said that his department will continue to oversee security at the stadium and other public events.
“The (federal) government hasn’t told us anything specific to worry about,” Outlaw said.