Law enforcement advise calm vigilance this weekend
Twin Cities law enforcement agencies are stepping up efforts, after a national terror alert warned of possible threat of attack on Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Minnesota Homeland Security Director Chris Eide said while there is a national terror alert, no specific threat has been made against Minnesota or any community within the state. Officials are keeping close tabs on 9/11-related activities this weekend, Eide said.
"Communities that are having events, their local law enforcement and other responders and then partner responders are all aware and all engaged in the preparedness for a lot of these things, Eide said. "They're all being monitored and we know where they all are, and the kinds of crowds that they're expecting."
Residents should report any abnormal activity they see to law enforcement, Eide said. State police dispatchers are prepared to receive more calls.
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Each family should have their own plan for evacuating their home, keeping in touch with each other, and regrouping during an emergency, Eide said.
Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said personnel will be assigned to several 9/11 commemoration events. More officers will be stationed at ground transit locations and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
"I would assume that nothing will happen. Our job is about prevention. Not waiting for something to happen. That's too late," Stanek said. "We want to get on the front end to prevent and disrupt. And that's where we need the public's help."
Minnesotans should be vigilant this weekend, but they shouldn't worry too much, Stanek said. Each family should have a plan for evacuating their home, keeping in touch with each other, and regrouping during an emergency.
This week Stanek was named co-chair of the National Sheriffs' Association's Homeland Security Committee, a role that will have him coordinating anti-terrorism efforts nationwide and lobbying legislators for increased funding for local terrorism prevention.