The Sacramento Police Department is almost done installing 13 new surveillance cameras at various public places in the city including at Seventh and K streets and at the Alkali Flat light rail station downtown. The department used a $600,000 federal Homeland Security grant to purchase the 13 new security cameras, three mobile surveillance trailers and tools to preserve surveillance images. Additionally, the department can now use more than 60 Regional Transit security cameras because it spent some of the grant money to link its surveillance system with Regional Transit’s system. Installation of the cameras, which started in February, will be complete by Friday, said Sacramento Police Dep

SACRAMENTO – The National Domestic Preparedness Coalition, in cooperation with George Mason University Center for Justice Leadership and Management supported by the GMU Office of Contributing Professional Education, developed the Operational Value of Threat, Risk, and Vulnerability Assessment Course for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Under the 2007 Competitive Training Grant Program, the class is presented as a federally funded 3 day training course available throughout the United States. The course will be held in Sacramento, California on April 13th, 14th, and 15th, 2010 (8am-5pm) at the Sacramento Regional Office of Homeland Security. The Operational Value of Threat, Risk, a

Do you know much about the local Homeland Security program? We reported recently that $3 million in federal funds will help fund the Sacramento Regional Office of Homeland Security. But we wanted to learn more about the local program and its dozens of training classes for local agencies. The Sacramento Press sat down with Sacramento Police Deputy Chief Sam Somers and department spokesman Norm Leong to delve into the details of the regional office’s work. Sacramento Press: Can you provide details on how the Sacramento Regional Office of Homeland Security will spend the $3 million in federal funds? Deputy Chief Sam Somers: The way that we spend that is in a couple different areas. [One a

The $615,000 the Sacramento Police Department will spend to purchase security cameras and related surveillance equipment comes from a pot of federal Homeland Security funds. Mayor Kevin Johnson said earlier this week the surveillance equipment may be used at K Street and at Regional Transit stations. But what is the connection between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Sacramento sites such as K Street and the local light rail stations? Sgt. Norm Leong of the Sacramento Police Department said terrorism is a Homeland Security concern, but other threats fall under the definition of “Homeland Security,” as well. “Transit hubs are naturally potential targets for terrorism,” Leong