Once Hurricane Earl passes and Long Island boaters get back out on the water for Labor Day weekend, federal, state and local law enforcement officers will be out in force for their third installment of Operation Gateway, a mission aimed at beefing up homeland security efforts along the New York coastline.
Officials announced the multi-agency operation, which had previously been conducted on Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends, at a marina at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay on Thursday.
“Being proactive in the fight against terror is vital to the safety of the citizens of our state,” said Commissioner John Gibb of the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
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Nassau County police Marine Bureau officers and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police officers highlighted their use of personal radiological detectors—cell-phone sized devices that hang from the officers’ utility belts and alert them when radioactive material detected in the area.
Police say that so far there have only been a few false alarms and no terrorists have been caught smuggling a device such as a so-called “dirty bomb,” containing both explosive and radioactive material, which could be detonated with the intention of poisoning those in the dispersal area.
The operation also is aimed at stemming the tide of narcotics and human traffickers that may use the waterways to evade authorities.
To date, there have been 68 vessel inspections, two foreign nationals taken into custody, 18 foreign-flagged vessel interdictions, eight federal warnings, 66 other violations and numerous outreach measures to alert boaters to safety procedures.
Boarding recreational and commercial vessels is regular practice for agencies like the U.S. Coast Guard and local police, who can terminal a voyage if boaters are found operating an unsafe watercraft. The operation boosts these routine efforts during the busy holiday seasons when criminal elements may try to slip through the crowd of boaters.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey said: “Ever since 9/11, our military and law enforcement community has taken extraordinary measures to increase security and protection of not only our land, but also our waterways. Operation Gateway is another example of our continuing efforts to ensure our country’s safety from potential terrorist’s threats.”
The operation is funded through a $50,000 homeland security grant.
In addition, officials reminded boaters that U.S. citizens returning home by sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda must carry their passport and call the Port of New York/Newark at 201-443-0500 to report their arrival.
