Virginia Agency Makes Move To Fight Terrorism
(Hampton Roads, VA, September 28th, 2004, 3:00 p.m.) Tuesday afternoon, the Virginia Marine Resource Commission made a move to fight terrorism. Your NewsChannel 3's Judge Cochran has the details in this story.
Commission members adopted security zones this afternoon around Hampton Roads bridges and tunnels. Leaders of the Virginia Marine Police Authority pushed for the security zones regulation at a meeting in Newport News.
Here is how it works. The new regulations give the Marine Police the authority to keep you and your boat 100 yards away from the structures like the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. In fact, you need to stay clear of all other local bridges and tunnels as well.
And the Marine Authority has the right to board your boat as well for inspection, As Lewis Jones from the Virginia Marine Police told us, "We would be there in force to properly inspect the vessels and informed them of the zone at that time." Right now, the regulation is ready to go. If you violate a security zone, you face a one year jail sentence and/or a 2,500 dollar fine.
POSTED: 6:01 am PDT September 29, 2004
UPDATED: 3:51 pm PDT September 29, 2004
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Washington state is making plans for random vehicle searches in state ferry lines to meet tougher federal security precautions, state officials told The Associated Press.
State transportation chief Doug MacDonald said Tuesday the random searches are "possible and even likely," beginning Oct. 9 as a way to satisfy new Coast Guard mandates for better screening for explosives or other terrorist paraphernalia.
The nation's largest ferry system carries 26 million passengers a year over 20 routes.
The state apparently won't have enough specially trained "sniffer dogs" by Oct. 9 to meet the new standard, said state patrol's deputy chief, Glenn Cramer, and Gov. Gary Locke's chief of staff, Tom Fitzsimmons.
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