City of Frederick , Maryland
OPERATION SAFEGUARD
NURSERIES & AGRICULTURAL: FEED AND GRAIN STORES,
FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTORS and FARM EQUIPMENT
As described in
the accompanying letter, Operation SAFEGUARD is based on
the idea that certain legitimate businesses and industries may be unknowingly
exploited by terrorists who portray themselves as honest customers seeking to
purchase, lease or somehow appropriate certain material, licenses and/or
services to covertly further a terrorist plot.
The following may be general indicators of potential terrorist planning or activities. Alone each indicator can result from legitimate recreational or commercial activities or criminal activity not related to terrorism; however, multiple indicators combined with other information can possibly suggest a terrorist threat.
- Physical surveillance, which may include note taking or the use of binoculars, cameras or maps near key facilities.
- Attempts to gain sensitive information regarding key facilities or personnel through personal contact or by telephone, mail or e-mail.
- Attempts to penetrate or test physical security and response procedures at key facilities.
- Attempts to improperly acquire explosives, weapons, ammunition, dangerous chemicals, flight manuals or other materials that could be used in a terrorist attack.
- Suspicious or improper attempts to acquire official vehicles, uniforms, badges, access cards or identification for key facilities.
- Presence of individuals who do not appear to belong in the workplace, business establishment or near a key facility.
- Behavior which appears to denote planning for terrorist activity, such as mapping out routes, playing out scenarios, monitoring key facilities and timing traffic flow or signals.
- Stockpiling suspicious materials or abandoning potential containers for explosives (e.g., vehicles or suitcases).
The following examples of activity relating to Feed and Grain Stores, Fertilizer Distributors, and Farm Equipment, though not fully inclusive, may be of possible concern to law enforcement:
· The unexplained loss or theft or attempted theft of equipment or separate machine components used in agricultural spraying or mosquito extermination (i.e., mist blowers, tanks, axial or centrifugal fans, diaphragm pumps, nozzles, spouts, pressure regulators etc.).
· Inquiries from unknown persons as to the purchase or operation of spraying equipment; approach from a previously unknown customer whose identity is not clear; a customer’s use of evasive responses.
· Unusual inquiries about modifying spraying equipment.
· Inquiries for information or for purchase of Nitrogen rich, above 23%, fertilizers.
· Requests for information or for purchase of pesticides that may be harmful to humans.
· Customer is insistent on the purchase of ammonium nitrate and will not consider other products you recommend.
· Any requests for information on amounts, suppliers, purchasers, transporters, etc. Questions specifically involving operations and safeguards of suppliers, purchasers, transporters, etc.
· Individuals making observations of your spraying operations who when approached, deliberately leave to avoid questioning.
· A request to purchase spraying machinery by someone who does not appear to have previous experience in such work or a connection to the agricultural industry or mosquito extermination effort (i.e., unable to answer basic questions about intended application and range, water volume rates, desired nozzle output, spray pattern, acreage, crops, soil composition, etc.).
· A request to ship spraying equipment to an area or region not normally associated with spraying operations.
· A customer’s reluctance to provide information on the locations of the plant or place where the equipment will be stored.
· Customer does not want the product delivered but rather insists on taking the product now.
· Requests for the purchase to be in bags, not in bulk.
· The apparent hesitation by the customer when asked for information such as name, address, signature, Photo ID, etc.
· Payment of goods comes in the form of cash. Buyer will not write a check or use credit; has no credit account with your or other agriculture businesses in the area.
· Customer acts nervous, jittery, uneasy, vague and avoids eye contact.
Your impressions and assessment based upon your professional business experience are extremely valuable and should help guide you in determining if a customer request, a fact pattern or set of circumstances is unusual. Please remember that the conduct itself does not have to be criminal per se for you to report it to the Frederick Police Department. We may be contacted 24-hours a day, seven days a week by calling:
301-600-2100
SGT Dennis K. Dudley
Planning Division
Frederick Police Department
301-600-1206 (Office)
301-600-2082 (FAX)