Protecting JB MDL is no small task

Published March 17, 2010
By Pascual Flores
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- For members of the 87th Security Forces Squadron, patrolling their beat is no easy task.

When JB MDL went fully operational five months ago, one of the changes that took place was the merging of civilian and military security forces that patrol and provide a safe community for servicemembers, their families and all joint base mission partners.

"This vast experience of law enforcement, security and base defense, coupled with the advance in technology the 87th SFS possesses, creates an integrated unit postured to protect the personnel and resources on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst," said Lt. Col. Tim Heintzelman, 87th SFS commander.

The squadron must rely on their training and equipment to safely patrol more than 42,000 acres and its connecting roads.

"We are introducing new police cars with state-of-the-art MDTs' [mobile data terminal]. Their camera systems will be able to go online with the state and look up anyone's license ...[and] check for any outstanding warrants," said Sergeant Gary Gassert, 87th SFS, civilian police officer.

Recently, the squadron acquired new camera technology that will contribute to the overall protection of the joint base.

Equipment such as the newly dash-mounted, close-circuit television cameras will increase the operational capability of the patrol units. Additionally, the SFS headquarters continuously monitors all the Dix and McGuire checkpoints, as well as the Post Exchange/Base Exchange.

Security forces personnel are also able to provide live-feed of their patrol to the base operations office, as well as perform a variety of operations from the seat of the patrol car.

This gives base patrolmen an advantage over smaller departments.

"With the mobile data terminal lap-top in the patrol car, they can perform national criminal information checks on the spot," said Maj. David Haigh, 87th SFS operations officer. Instead of calling back to a dispatch center, our squadron can record their traffic stops, run license plates and driver's names on their mobile data terminal... [while] the camera is recording it."

When they have to approach cars, the patrolmen can pick up their voice boxes, put it on their body and record the conversation without any interruptions," Maj. Haigh added.

Success for a task of such magnitude requires constant communication between police patrol cars and their headquarters.

"In the future we will be operating out of a [new] building we like to refer to as the flight deck," Sergeant Gassert added. "When it opens, we will have a state-of-the- art radio room that will be the model for New Jersey."

JB MDL is the only security forces squadron that has merged DoD civilian police officers, Air Force security forces and Navy Master-at-Arms.

"We are one of the largest security forces in the entire Department of Defense, minus the missile fields," said Maj. Haigh.

By merging the military and civilian workforce, the squadron was able to bring different skills, knowledge and expertise to the table.

"One thing we gain is a force that doesn't have to deploy," said Mr. Gary Kelly, deputy operations officer for the 87th SFS. "One of the toughest [obstacles] in the Air Force side is all officers deploy at one time or another. The civilians on McGuire, Dix, and Lakehurst don't have to deploy, so it is much easier to maintain continuity of the force."