IN a significant expansion of its mission to make the community more aware of the threat of terrorism, the CELL Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab last week announced a joint initiative with Denvers Transportation on Patrol program in which the CELL will train several new groups of professional drivers to be ever more vigilant.
At a May 14 press conference held at the CELLs multi-media facility near the Denver Art Museum, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and developer-philanthropist Larry Mizel founder and primary funder behind the four-year-old CELL facility and program announced that Denver limousine and truck drivers and pedal cab operators will join taxi drivers to keep an eye out for suspicious activity that might be criminal or terrorist in nature.
City taxi drivers have already been doing this for two years through the Transportation on Patrol (TOP) program, an initiative started by Denvers taxi companies. It is now spreading nationally.
The CELL has provided specialized training for the taxi drivers, as it will for the new classifications of drivers, partially through the use of a video, Recognizing 8 Signs of Terrorism, narrated by John Elway.
Hancock, who honored several cabbies at last weeks press conference for their diligence in reporting suspicious activity, noted that the TOP program has already brought results in reporting criminal activity, including the death of Denver parking valet Jose Medina, killed in a hit and run incident.
It was just a week or two after the initial announcement and implementation of the TOPS program? . . . that we had our first dividend, where a taxi driver witnessed a hit and run, Hancock said.
In the world in which we live today, it is critically important that when every one of us whether we are driving or operating a vehicle on official duty or walking by the street we see something, we say something; that all of us, in order to keep our community and society safe, are responsible for responding appropriately when we see something that is not correct.
Calling transportation drivers the eyes and ears of our streets, Hancock also offered praise for the training the CELL has been providing
It is only fitting that those who are on our streets every day are properly trained.
They can make vital and great witnesses in helping to make this city safer and helping us solve critical crimes.
The city recognizes the critical role that this initiative plays in our city. I celebrate everyone who is involved.
Mizel expressed pride that the CELL has become the official training provider for drivers participating in the TOP program.
We have a great partnership with Denver Police and other first responders that have come together early to come through the CELL, to enjoy the training that we give, he said. Were really here for the benefit of the public.
MIZEL later spoke to the IJN, explaining that his motivations in founding the CELL, along with his wife Carol and daughter Courtney, were based on the threats that terrorism posed to American democracy in the post-9/11 era.
The CELLs multi-faceted program, he said, is for each of us to be responsible for one another in defending the rights of freedom and democracy. Thats what we have in this country and we shouldnt take it for granted.
Mizel added that although he is Jewish and is well-known as a financial supporter of Jewish causes, the CELL is a non-sectarian program designed to address all Americans.
I think being an American is the number one reason why Im involved, Mizel said, because I recognize and appreciate the freedom that we have in this country.
There is no place else in the world that shares what Americans have and Im very proud of that.
The CELLs executive director, Melanie Pearlman, also took part in the press conference and later spoke to the IJN, elaborating on the programs interaction with public institutions, and the public in general, in enhancing vigilance against terrorism and criminal activity.
The RTD uses our terrorism module through their CERT (Community Emergency Response Training) program, Pearlman says. The trainers educate transportation riders through that as well.
Weve also partnered with the Colorado Rockies and trained all of their operations staff.
Were training Boy Scouts of America, some security guards and professionals, port of entry officers, terrorism liaison officers.
Weve expanded out into all of the municipalities and cities in training the first responders to train their constituencies on these suspicious activities and particular indicators.
All of this activity, Pearlman says, has triggered a domino effect nationally, noting that the International Association of Chiefs of Police is planning to launch similar educational efforts nationally.
Its not only Denver as a city, she said of the CELLs outreach. Its the entire state of Colorado. We are the leaders of this.
[Aurora Police] Chief Dan Oates has championed this on a national level. [Colorado Department of Public Safety] Director Jim Davis has championed it on a national level as well.
And all of them have received a tremendous amount of interest from other states.
Copyright © 2013 by the Intermountain Jewish News
