By Jeremy Webster
McPherson Sentinel – December 18, 2013
On Dec. 2, public service agencies from across the county gathered at the McPherson Fire Department for international terrorism training.
Attending agencies included the McPherson Police Department, McPherson Fire Department, McPherson County Sheriff’s Office, Lindsborg Police Department and Galva Police Department.
The training instructor was Detective Anthony Packe. Packe works in the field of counterterrorism with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and is a member of the Crisis Intervention Team. Pack has a top secret security clearance and certification as a Terrorism Liaison Officer through the Department of Homeland Security. Packe also has experience in corrections, patrol, field training and covert operations.
The course covered a number of topics, including cultural differences between the United States and western society and the Middle East, and the differences between Sunni and Shi’a Islam.
Groups, such as Hezbollah, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Quds Force and the Muslim Brotherhood also were covered.
McPherson Police Executive Officer Mo Hawkinson, who served as coordinator for the training, said the information was important and well-received by the attending agencies.
“I think there’s a tendency to see terrorism as a problem in big metropolises along the coasts, but not here,” Hawkinson said. “But it can be a problem here. Look at the arrest at Mid-Continent Airport last Friday.”
Hawkinson said it was surprising to learn how many similarities there were between some of those cultures and the culture in the U.S.
“Some are very similar in dress and activities,” Hawkinson said.
Hawkinson said they would like to have Packe back next year.
“The material he taught had been greatly condensed for this presentation,” Hawkinson said, “and we’d love to have him come back.”
Fire Chief Jeff Deal said that the multi-agency attendance was terrific to see.
“It’s excellent anytime agencies can do any kind of cross-training,” Deal said. “We are trying to be as front end thinking as possible in terms of any and all emergency situations. I’m very pleased and proud to have been part of this.”
Be First to Comment