Keeping an eye on the containers and ready to head off any incursions from organized crime

The idea of Port Security for the Fairview Container Terminal has been placed high on the list for many of the government agencies involved with the Port of Prince Rupert. From screening, to transportation and intelligence gathering its a collective effort that is designed to keep the operations of the Terminal running smoothly, safely and securely.

Members of the Port Security Committee outlined some of the safeguards in place from both the CBSA and RCMP officials who have been tasked to provide their attention to all matters regarding port security.

In a Daily News article in Friday’s paper, officials provided some background on the task at hand and the procedures that they have in place to fulfill their mandate.

Law enforcement ready to meet port challenges
Security issues getting full attention of officials
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Friday, March 07, 2008
Pages 3 and 5

In response to reports that new levels of organized crime and other criminal elements may be tempted to set up shop in Prince Rupert, the Port Security Committee partners want the public to know that they are working together to head off any and all elements of crime associated with the port.

"The Prince Rupert RCMP is working with many government and port agencies to ensure public safety and maintain high levels of public safety so our citizens can enjoy a safe community," said Constable Krista Vrolyk.

"Through regular meetings and lots of intelligence-sharing between partner groups, we're making sure we are prepared to meet any challenges the port may bring."

The RCMP will be actively investigating any allegations or information they receive regarding the presence of organized crime within the community, and those crimes or criminals thought to have links to organized crime will receive the highest priority.

"We're always out, and our eyes and ears are always open," said Vrolyk. "Any information we receive will be acted on and we will take measures to ensure prosecution before the court and maintain high levels of safety in our community."

There was a recent posting on the federal government job website for a Criminal Intelligence Analyst in Prince Rupert, a new position for the community that Constable Dave Uppal says would work with local RCMP units.

"An analyst is very important in helping us take all the intelligence and information that is coming in, decipher it, and take us in different directions with investigations that we may not normally to be able to without an analyst," said Uppal. "But a lot of our job is also based around intelligence that's given to us by local citizens, and we will still rely on the community to keep us informed on anything they observe."

The Canada Border Service Agency has also added two new intelligence officers as well as their own criminal analyst position.

Trevor Baird, CBSA chief of operations says information that one agency receives is often shared with other partners to lead to better investigations, whether the investigation is concerned solely with imports and exports or criminal entities existing further inland.

There has also been public concern about the security of imported containers, as they need to be transported from Fairview Container Terminal to the temporary facility on Watson Island. Baird says Fairview Container Terminal has a whole list of policies and regulations that personnel must follow, as do carriers transporting the containers and the Quickload inspection facility.

"The carrier that picks up the containers to transport them to Quickload also has to be bonded for customs purposes. The containers they're picking up are secured and have to meet a standard in their transport, and the Quickload facility is also designated a sufferance warehouse and follows similar procedures to the Fairview terminal."

Baird says within that entire process, there are checks and balances in place to ensure the containers are not tampered with from one location to the other. He says if there were certain risks associated with a particular container, certain procedures would be carried out to enhance security, such as CBSA escorting the container while it was transported from one facility to the other.

Further enhancing the safety and security of those vehicles and containers is the RCMP, which conducts vehicle checks periodically.

"We have a very sound system in place," said Baird. "We've never had an issue where a container has gone astray. There's a tremendous onus on the carriers to ensure the safe delivery of these containers, and they move very quickly from the dock to Quickload."

The committee also said that since the port is currently maximizing its export capacity in outbound containers, partners are exercising the same caution and diligence to prevent any British Columbia produced methamphetamines and marijuana, or any other illegal material from being shipped back overseas.

"Over the last couple months, we've been developing our export program and it's now operational," said Baird.

"We're screening export containers in conjunction with Maher, and we also do some level of targeting for outbound containers.

"We're looking for things not limited to narcotics, but stolen vehicles or hazardous waste. The Vancouver export program has had much success, and we're modeling our program off our colleagues in Vancouver."

All partners of the Port Security Committee stress the point that in order for their respective agencies to be successful at prevention and deterrence of crime, they will need more help from the community than ever before.

"It's amazing sometimes, when you're working on an investigation, what one bit or piece of information can do to advance the investigation or support criminal charges," said Vrolyk.
"Any information citizens have, particularly when it does involve organized crime, it's really important for them to take ownership of the community and provide us that information, so we can continue to serve and provide the highest levels of safety."