COMMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE
MEMBERS PRESENT: B. Ryan (Chair), L. Bronz, M. Kaplowitz, L. Mosiello, S. Swanson, R. Wishnie
LEGISLATORS: T. Abinanti, G. Oros, A. Stewart-Cousins
BOARD STAFF: Rafael Vega, Program Specialist
S. Vanderberg, Secretary
OTHERS: B. Randolph, CE’s office;
C. Kozlow, DES Deputy Commissioner;
A. Mignone, Chief, Purchase FD;
V. Huff, A. Vietro, Budget Department
The meeting was called to order at 2:09 p.m.
Mr. Ryan introduced Department of Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Chris Kozlow. This is the first time Deputy Commissioner Kozlow has met with the full Committee.
Mr. Kozlow provided the members with an overview of his career prior to his hiring by Westchester County DES:
· Paramedic in Boston
· LAPD - gang enforcement and special problems units; duties included serving high risk warrants and collecting anti-terrorism intelligence
· United States Navy pilot
· Director of Special Operations for an emergency services firm in Boston; became interested in terrorism from the first responder’s perspective
· Published first book
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· US Department of Defense contractor; has conducted national level counter-terrorism exercises including the Inter-Agency Terrorism Awareness & Response Program, the Special Operations Low-Intensity Conflict Program out of the Pentagon, and the Top-Off Series, a Presidential level exercise
· Professor at US Air Force Special Operations Command – weapons of mass destruction, crisis and consequence management and domestic terrorism
· Helped prepare Salt Lake City for the 2002 Winter Olympics – provided additional training for law enforcement, fire and security personnel; of 148 crisis scenario exercises run by his team, 132 were acted out.
Mr. Kozlow stated he was hired by Westchester County to work on emergency management and to direct security (to assess the County’s vulnerability and level of preparedness and to develop a security plan to deal with threats).
Mr. Kozlow said he is in the process of making the Michaelian Office Building safe. In addition to physical changes to the building and the installation of security equipment, the security process includes employee training. Employees need to be taught to think differently about the environment they work in. They’ll also need to understand and follow the new rules and procedures that will put in place for accessing and moving about in the building and adjacent parking garage.
Mr. Kozlow responded to some questions on the Indian Point nuclear plants. First, the radiological emergency plan is not just about evacuation. Incidents are possible that would require a response but not warrant evacuation. To his knowledge incidents at Indian Point were never considered by NYC Emergency Management.
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Mr. Kozlow has had himself and members of his staff credentialed for Indian Point. The County has increased its level of awareness of the nuclear plants’ status. Communication between Entergy’s security department and the County P.D. is much more frequent. The County maintains daily contact with the FBI and the NRC. Mr. Kozlow said he was satisfied with the guard force, weaponry and technology in place at the plants and he is confident they could thwart an attack.
Mr. Kaplowitz mentioned the coverage in today’s newspapers of a report issued by United States Representative Edward Markey dealing with the vulnerability of nuclear plants in this country.
Mr. Koslow said the reservoirs and dams in the County are hard targets for terrorists. Based on years of analysis of such systems, destruction of a dam is virtually impossible and it would take continuous exposure to dump trucks full of contaminates to spoil the water supply.
Mr. Kozlow said his responsibility is countywide security involving the risk assessment of County buildings, the water suppy, the County Airport and airspace, the Indian Point nuclear plants and anything else that could create a public safety problem.
Mr. Ryan stated that Deputy Commissioner Koslow will participate in upcoming Committee meetings that will focus specifically on security in County buildings and facilities, security and the protection of the Indian Point nuclear plants, and security and the protection of the water supply including the dams and other reservoir infrastructure.
Due to the nature of today’s agenda item, Security in County Buildings and Facilities, Mr. Ryan entertained a motion to go into executive session. Motion approved 5-0.
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Motion to go out of executive session approved 5-0.
Mr. Ryan stated the discussion would be continued at a subsequent meeting.
With no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned, 3:07 p.m.