As Las Vegas recovers from the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, where nearly 60 people died and more than 500 were wounded when a shooter opened fire from a hotel room onto unsuspecting concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, the importance of raising awareness and public-safety concerns is magnified.
Going about our daily business as usual is paramount, but so is being on alert. If you notice suspicious behavior or activities, don’t hesitate to report it.
The “If You See Something, Say Something™” national campaign wants you to do exactly that by raising public awareness of the indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime, as well as the importance of reporting suspicious activity to state and local law enforcement. Informed, alert communities play a critical role in keeping California safe.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is also committed to strengthening hometown security by creating partnerships with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments and the private sector, as well as the communities they serve.
Suspicious activity is any observed behavior that could indicate terrorism or terrorism-related crime. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Unusual items or situations: A vehicle is parked in an odd location, a package/luggage is unattended, a window/door is open that is usually closed, or other out-of-the-ordinary situations occur.
- Eliciting information: A person questions individuals at a level beyond curiosity about a building’s purpose, operations, security procedures and/or personnel, shift changes, etc.
- Observation/surveillance: Someone pays unusual attention to facilities or buildings beyond a casual or professional interest. This includes extended loitering without explanation (particularly in concealed locations); unusual, repeated, and/or prolonged observation of a building (e.g., with binoculars or video camera); taking notes or measurements; counting paces; sketching floor plans, etc.
- Some of these activities could be innocent – it’s up to law enforcement to determine whether the behavior warrants investigation. The activities above are not all-inclusive, but have been compiled based on studies of pre-operational aspects of both successful and thwarted terrorist events over several years.
Suspicious behavior or activity should be reported to local law enforcement. If doing so, make sure to describe specifically who or what you saw, when you saw it, where it occurred and why it’s suspicious.
If there is an emergency, call 9-1-1.
Additional resources: