| For Immediate Release | For more information contact: |
| October 16, 2001 | Sandra Whalen (651-296-5529) |
(ST. PAUL) -- While Minnesota's military and law enforcement units are mostly prepared if threats of terrorism are made here, further building of manpower and stores of equipment must continue to keep Minnesota ahead of newly emerging threats such as biohazardous chemicals, according to Rep. Rich Stanek, chairman of a joint House committee that met Monday to discuss the matter.
Minnesota House Judiciary Finance and Crime Prevention committee members held a special hearing in Minnetonka to hear from federal and state experts on whether or not Minnesota is equipped to handle domestic terroristic threats. The committee and citizens in the audience heard from the Department of Public Safety, Department of Military Affairs and representatives of the Police Chiefs and Sheriffs' associations. Minnesota's U.S. Attorney and FBI office director discussed federal agency preparation, and Hennepin County Sheriff Pat McGowan spoke on behalf of the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
In light of the added public safety needs, Chairman Stanek has promised to hear supplemental budget requests from Weaver's office and other key law enforcement agencies for the upcoming 2002 Legislative Session.
Stanek, who chairs the House Judiciary Finance Committee and is an 18-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department, said the hearing was successful for taking stock of what systems are already in place for preventing and reacting to terrorism.
"Because of our attention to other growing crime issues the cleanup of hazardous meth labs or CriMNet's improved information sharing Minnesota already has many effective response systems in place," Stanek said. "But we all have new responsibilities now."
"September 11th illustrated the sad fact that our homeland is vulnerable to attack from outside as well as within. The best way of protecting Minnesota now and in the future is to have this open forum for communication and cooperation amongst law enforcement officers, emergency call operators, state agencies, the FBI, the military, and even the vigilance of the individual citizen."
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