Los Angeles/Long Beach first in expansion of 'Securing the Cities'

WASHINGTON—With a $1 million grant and an additional $500,000 in funding for training in nuclear detection, the Los Angeles/Long Beach area is now part of the "Securing the Cities" program overseen by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office of the Department of Homeland Security.
 
The program aims to enhance the ability to detect and prevent a radiological or nuclear attack in cities facing high risk.

“Countering chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats requires a coordinated, whole-of-government approach,” Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said in a prepared statement. “The Securing the Cities program is a key component of the department’s efforts to protect our nation by enhancing our ability to detect and interdict illicit radiological and nuclear weapons or materials in major metropolitan areas.”
 
As part of the STC program, the Los Angeles/Long Beach area is eligible for additional funding, pending Congressional appropriations, to build a region-wide nuclear detection capability, DHS said.

Under the program, DNDO will partner with the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s office to develop a regional structure of law enforcement and first-responder organizations to identify, prevent and respond to potential nuclear or radiological threats, provide training and equipment and coordinate efforts with federal authorities.

The effort in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area is the first expansion of the STC since the program started in 2006 in New York City. STC has provided more than 8,500 pieces of detection equipment, trained nearly 13,000 personnel, and conducted more than a hundred drills in the New York area.