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January 30, 2020

Kudos to Governor Andrew Cuomo on his milestone ‘NO HATE IN OUR STATE’ Conference and his inspirational message.

JCRC-NY Executive Vice President and CEO, Rabbi Michael Miller was honored to open the conference with an invocation and noted, “We [are] beset by a plague of dreadful violence, generated by senseless hatred of “the other.” And all [at this conference] are “the other.” . . . [As Governor Cuomo] has led with his raised voice . . . decrying the hatred, [so too] our voices need be raised.”

Governor Cuomo said that it was not enough for government to offer “thoughts and prayers” in the aftermath of horrible, violent hate crimes. Following his own injunction that government must not just talk, but act, he proposed as part of his FY 2021 Executive Budget an additional $25 million in security grant funding for organizations vulnerable to hate crimes. The Governor also proposed expanding eligibility for these security grants to include houses of worship.

“We are focused on protecting our institutions every day and we know that houses of worship are among the most vulnerable,” said David Pollock, JCRC-NY Associate Executive Director and Chair of the new Community Security Initiative (a joint venture of UJA-Federation and JCRC-NY). We appreciate the Governor’s genuine concern, and with the enactment of the New York State 2020-2021 budget, millions of congregants will be protected. “We are especially pleased that day camps will now be eligible to apply without matching funds (see the new Request for Application).”

NY nonpublic K-12 schools, community centers, camps and museums should click to JCRC-NY’s dedicated webpage (www.jcrcny.org/securitygrants) for more information on how to apply for grant funding to protect at-risk institutions.

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State security grant webinar: Tuesday, January 14th from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

January 12, 2020

Announcing New York State Security Grant opportunities for eligible nonpublic schools, nonprofit day care centers, nonprofit community centers, nonprofit cultural museums, and nonprofit residential and day camps.

Want to learn more about the application process?

Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) and UJA-Federation of New York and invite you to an online training:

Tuesday, January 14th from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

What will the training cover?

Prequalification, navigating the application process, security bridge loans, and more. Organizations that participate may be eligible to access additional assistance in the grant application process. To register and receive instructions for participation, please click here.

Please find further information on the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grant below.

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo is committed to ensuring the safety and equal treatment of all New Yorkers and as such has continued support of the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program.  This program is designed to boost safety and security at New York’s nonprofit organizations at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission. In support of this effort, $45 million in grant funding is being made available on a statewide basis and will be administered by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES).

The NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services is releasing the Request for Applications (RFAs) to solicit proposals to support projects under the SFY2019-2020 Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program (SCAHC Program) and the SFY2019-2020 Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program with Local Matching Funds (SCAHC Match Program).

  • SFY2019-2020 Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program (SCAHC) – $25 million has been made available through this competitive grant program to eligible nonpublic nonprofit schools, nonprofit day care centers, nonprofit community centers, nonprofit cultural museums and nonprofit residential camps which demonstrate a risk of a hate crime due to their ideology, beliefs or mission.  Applications will be accepted for up to $50,000 per facility.  Eligible organizations may submit up to five applications for a maximum total request of $250,000.
  • SFY2019-2020 Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes with Local Matching Funds (SCAHC Match Program).  $20 million in grant funding has been made available through this competitive grant program to eligible nonpublic nonprofit schools, and nonprofit day camps which demonstrate a risk of a hate crime due to their ideology, beliefs or mission.  Applications will be accepted for up to $50,000 per facility (with a local cost match per application). Eligible organizations may submit up to five applications for a maximum total request of $250,000 (including local cost match).

Nonprofit organizations that are applying for these funding opportunities must be prequalified in the NYS Grants Gateway prior to application submission.

To learn more about prequalification, go to the Grants Management website.

The Request for Applications (RFA) and other required documents for both of these grant programs can be found here.

The due date for applications for both programs is February 27, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.

Any applications and/or supporting documentation received after the due date and time will not be considered.

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DHS Active Shooter Training | Nov 15

October 24, 2019

DHS CISA Region-II Training & Exercise Coordinator, cordially invites you to participate in a one-day active shooter security workshop. Be advised Registration closes 11/13/2019 at 12:00 pm. Link is provided on the flyer and here    https://www.govevents.com/details/31696/dhs-active-shooter-preparedness-workshop--new-york-ny/

November 15th, 2019 (8:30am – 4:00pm)
Pace University, New York City Campus
One Pace Plaza (Student Center West)
New York, NY 10038

Preparing all of your constituencies for a potential active shooter incident is an integral component of an organization’s incident response planning. Because active shooter incidents are unpredictable and evolve quickly, preparing for and knowing what to do in an active shooter situation can be the difference between life and death. Every second counts.

A Unique Training Opportunity

Pace University and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, are hosting a one-day security workshop to enhance awareness of, and response to, an active shooter event:

  • Educating participants on the history of active shooter events.
  • Describing common behavior, conditions, and situations associated with active shooters.
  • Fostering communication between critical infrastructure owners and operators and local emergency response teams.  This course includes discussions of interoperability, communications protocols, and best practices for planning, preparedness, and response.

Who Should Participate?

This event is open to:

  • Organization and corporate and facility security professionals and leaders from the private and public sectors
  • Supervisory first responders
  • Human resource managers
  • Community response officials
  • Homeland security representatives

Registration

  • Registration for this event is free; please click here to register.
  • Registration closes 11/13/2019 at 12:00 pm (EDT).

Please see attached flyer and invitation for more details on this workshop.  We appreciate your engagement in this process; your participation will enhance and contribute significantly to building your organization’s incident response plans.  Should you have any questions or concerns, please let us know.

Very Respectfully,

Stephen Allyn

Region-II Training & Exercise Coordinator (RTEC)
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Northeast & Caribbean NY~NJ~PR~USVI
Cell: (917) 710-4764 | Stephen.Allyn@hq.dhs.gov
Operation Desert Storm – Iraqi Freedom – Enduring Freedom

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To evacuate or not to evacuate? That is the question.

February 01, 2017

With over 150 hoax bomb threats reported, you should have already have a plan. However, the ongoing threats should serve as a reminder to review our ongoing guidance, make use of the resources and implement the recommendations, as appropriate.

Should we be worried? At this time the experts conclude that the series of
incidents referencing threats against schools, Jewish facilities and businesses likely do not represent a credible terrorist threat for two reasons:

  1. terrorists’ rarely provide operational insight into their planning, and
  2. the fact that nearly all hoaxes in the United States are conducted by criminal actors or those instigating a nuisance prank.
From “Bomb Threat Guidance” from US DHS and the FBI. Click on the image to download the brochure.

What are my options? Many security experts question the wisdom of the policy of evacuation. After all, a terrorist could trigger an evacuation of a facility with a simple phone call and then attack the evacuees in multiple ways. On the other hand, someone could place 100 hoax bomb threat calls, but actually plant a bomb on the 101st. (In rebuttal, why make a warning phone call when simply planting the bomb works).

The bottom line is that there is no perfect solution, so all institutions should think about their options and consult with local law enforcement in the absence of the pressure of an actual emergency.

Think about options

Your response should be tailored to the nature of the threat. Don’t expect people to gather information, to analyze the situation and to identify the best option in the wake of a threat. Understand the risk (use the chart to the left) and define actions that can be taken under various circumstances.

Some other ideas:

  • Set up a meeting with your local police to review and discuss your options.
  • There is no perfect solution. This is an issue that should be raised at a security committee or board meeting. Remember, your reputation is at stake and your decision may create liability issues.
  • Identify possible options leading to a sheltered evacuation, i.e., one that minimizes the dangers of an attack on evacuees:
  • Is your parking lot a relatively safe area? Could you evacuate there and stand an appropriate distance from your facility? Is there a sheltered path to an adjoining building? Can the local police establish a perimeter to protect the evacuees?
  • Develop appropriate protective measures based on your facility’s characteristics. For example, some facility managers have identified areas (e.g., a pool or gym) that are not cluttered and therefore, easy to check for bombs. If the architecture of the building is engineered so that the building would not likely collapse on those inside, one option is to evacuate people to these safe (or more accurately, safer) places (HT to Steve Levy of ISA).
  • Communicate, early and often. If you decide not to evacuate, some stakeholders will question your judgement and try to second-guess you. A well-planned sheltered evacuation option is easy to explain and to show that your highest priority is the safety of your stakeholders. Whatever you choose, have pre-written messages ready to go should you become a target.

No one can give you a perfect answer. Identify your options, consult with the best people possible and keep your people safe.

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Brussels attack analysis | get smart fast

March 27, 2016

Last week’s attack and sorting through the information overload is daunting. We regularly turn to a few knowledgeable sources to help to guide us when we’re perplexed. Here are a few examples:

  1. Foreign Fighters in Syria/Iraq (2012 to 2014) – per million population

    Founded in 1996, the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) is one of the leading academic institutes for counter-terrorism in the world, facilitating international cooperation in the global struggle against terrorism. It is based at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya and includes some of the top experts in terrorism, counter-terrorism, homeland security, threat vulnerability, risk assessment, intelligence analysis, national security and defense policy. See their The Brussels Attacks – What do we know? & Insights from ICT Experts.

  2. The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism—better known as START—is a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence headquartered at the University of Maryland comprised of an international network of scholars committed to the scientific study of the causes and human consequences of terrorism in the United States and around the world. See their Terrorism in Belgium and Western Europe; Attacks against Transportation Targets; Coordinated Terrorist Attacks.
  3. The U.S. State Department issued a Travel Alert for Europe cautioning that terrorist groups continue to plan near-term attacks throughout Europe, targeting sporting events, tourist sites, restaurants, and transportation. The State Department also maintains a Worldwide Caution which highlights that all European countries remain vulnerable to attacks from transnational terrorist organizations.
  4. Stratfor is a geopolitical intelligence firm that provides strategic analysis and forecasting to individuals and organizations around the world. One of their recent analyses observes, “The Brussels blasts are a striking reminder of the difficulty of preventing attacks against soft targets. Unlike hard targets, which tend to require attackers to use large teams of operatives with elaborate attack plans or large explosive devices to breach defenses, soft targets offer militant planners an advantage in that they can frequently be attacked by a single operative or small team using a simple attack plan. In addition, attacks against transportation-related targets such as metro stations and airports allow attackers to kill large groups of people and attract significant media attention.” Alongside transportation hubs, hotels and restaurants, institutions — such as houses of worship and schools — are classic soft targets. See Brussels Blasts: The Struggle to Secure Soft Targets.
  5. Scott Atran is an anthropologist at France’s National Center for Scientific Research, Oxford University, John Jay College and the University of Michigan and author of Talking to the Enemy and In Gods We Trust. His research specialty is terrorists: how they are recruited, how they think, why are they so effective. He and his team are quite busy these days: he’s embedded with the Peshmerga outside of Mosul interviewing captured (and soon to be executed) ISIL fighters; his team is running experiments in neighborhoods like Molenbeek and around the Bataclan, and tracing out the networks of the friends, family and disciples of the Paris and Brussels terrorists. His, often raw, Facebook posts from the battlefield carry a surrealistic quality. He recently addressed the UN Security Council on The Role of Youth in Countering Violent Extremism and Promoting Peace. We do not necessarily agree with every one of his conclusions, but he is consistently thoughtful and incisive.
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Focus on resources: DHS Protective Security Advisors

August 03, 2015

PSA imageRecently, we received an inquiry from an out-of-state colleague. Some of his questions could be answered over the phone, but it was clear that an on-site consultation was in order.

I asked my colleague, “Do you know your Protective Security Advisor (PSA)?” He replied, “What?”

DHS employs PSA’s in all 50 states and many states have multiple regions. Our experience here in NY is that our PSA’s are a wonderful resource. They are hard-working, knowledgeable and professional.

  • Security surveys. Subject to time constraints you can ask your PSA to conduct security surveys and assessments of your facilities. We’ve joined our PSA’s during some of these sessions and their suggestions are both sound and pragmatic.
  • Training. PSA’s have access to a wide variety of training options, e.g. active shooters, suspicious packages, severe weather. Even if you don’t know your exact need, talk to them. They can open up a variety of resources for you.
  • Special events planning. Let them know if you are planning a high profile event. They can advise you on security and logistical issues.
  • Outreach. Get on their radar. They will invite you to various trainings and events.

Click here for more information on Protective Security Advisors. To contact your local PSA, please contact PSCDOperations@hq.dhs.gov. To contact NY PSA’s or if you have questions or need other assistance please complete the form below.

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Again, active shooters

July 20, 2012

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the shootings in Colorado. The greatest horror is the realization that such incidents are all-too-easy to commit. How should organizations plan to protect their students, staff, congregants and others?

Recommendations (scroll down for resources)

There are no perfect solutions, but planning and training can mitigate active shooter incidents. The first step is maintaining good access control. Keeping someone who wants to do harm outside is the best way of protecting those inside.

  • Evacuate: Building occupants should evacuate the facility if safe to do so; evacuees should leave behind their belongings, visualize their entire escape route before beginning to move, and avoid using elevators or escalators.
  • Hide: If evacuating the facility is not possible, building occupants should hide in a secure area (preferably a designated shelter location), lock the door, blockade the door with heavy furniture, cover all windows, turn off all lights, silence any electronic devices, lie on the floor, and remain silent.
  • Take Action: If neither evacuating the facility nor seeking shelter is possible, building occupants should attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter by throwing objects, using aggressive force, and yelling.
  • Other considerations?
    • Train building occupants to call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so.
    • Train building occupants on how to respond when law enforcement arrives on scene.
    • follow all official instructions, remain calm, keep hands empty and visible at all times, and avoid making sudden or alarming movements.

Summer camps

Summer camps bring special challenges, especially when the campers are young. Planning and training may be even more critical, but the general guidance remains:

  • Evacuate. Staff should know your plan and be able to evacuate to a safer area, if possible. It will be difficult to run with groups of young children.
  • Hide. Summer camp structures are rarely constructed in a way to withstand an attack by a determined intruder and they rarely have heavy furniture that might be used to blockade a door. If no secure structure is available, consider designating scattered, but assigned, assembly points for each small camper group. By making an intruder search for victims (over many acres of campgrounds)  this tactic buys some of the  time necessary for help to respond. Staff should be prepared with “quiet activities” alternatives. This is a situation when good communication can be the difference between life and death.
  • Take action. The actions available in summer camps are dependent on the ages and abilities of the groups involved.

Resources

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Thinking about camp security

July 24, 2011

Our hearts and prayers go out to the relatives of the victims of the two attacks in Norway.

There is no credible intelligence about any other plans to attack camps, or that there are plans to attack Jewish camps, in particular. Still, it is appropriate for us to ask, what are the lessons learned from the horrific events in Oslo? What are the best practices for camp security — even while the details are still emerging?

  1. Lone wolves are dangerous. Unfortunately, a variety of people hate Jews and might choose Jews as targets. The need for continued vigilance, without any preconceptions as to who might be dangerous, continues.
  2. Beware of hostile surveillance.  Although the details are still emerging, it is unlikely that the island camp attacker did not try to view the grounds before his attack. Camp staff should be aware of the possibility of hostile surveillance and know how to report if something “just doesn’t look right.” See our tips to detect hostile surveillance here.
  3. Camps are a soft target. There are very few camps that are built with adequate perimeter security. At the same time, an intruder is more than likely to enter through the “front”. It is wise to have someone screening those wishing to enter the camp. That person should have a remote “panic alarm” to alert camp staff if anyone suspicious is seeking entry.
  4. It helps to have a plan.Organizations should have plans to cover emergency situations. All too often, something happens and people are unprepared. It’s better to think about what to do when you have time to think, plan and make arrangements.
  5. Know your options. The NYPD has studied the “active shooter” problem. They recommend that people: a) evacuate to a safe area, if possible; b) go to a “safe room” where people can barricade the door and hide in silence (the problem with most camps is that there are very few options); or  c) to take action against the shooter (by acting quickly and aggressively, collectively and with improvised weapons). According to the NYPD study, 46% of the armed intruder incidents ended via “Option C”.
  6. Build and maintain a relationship with your local police.Camp leadership should meet with local police commanders to work out emergency  protocols. The fact that the suspect came dressed as a police officer is especially troubling. Local police should know how to contact camp leadership immediately and alert camp leaders if they are about to enter the camp.
  7. Know who’s in your camp. Camps should develop credentials to be prominently worn by visitors and some support staff (e.g., bus drivers who might not be well known by other staff members). 

Keeping these items in mind can help make it a positive camp season. This blog welcomes other ideas. You can send your questions and your suggestions to pollockd@jcrcny.org.

Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.