Request for Information (RFI) – Weekly SITREP

I am going to make this a weekly post so that we can use this as a place to make any reports on unusual activity or localized hotspots of trouble. We did this a few times during COVID (here, here, here, and here) but I figured that, as our conditions continue to degrade around the country, it would be useful to bring this back as a regularly recurring topic of discussion.

Post your reports in the comments below.

20 September 2023

General Location: New Jersey

Food Price / Shortages: Prices remain elevated, particularly for meat and corn (some product being discounted towards the end of its shelf life because people can’t afford to buy it at full price). Egg prices have subsided a little bit. Sales and deals from shopping markets have been limited and mostly on household goods.

Fuel Prices / Shortages: No shortages. Regular is $3.74-$3.85 ; diesel is ~$4.49

Unusual Military Movement: Nothing of note.

Civil Unrest / Crime: Petty crime increasing. North jersey thieves are coming down into the suburbs and sealing catalytic converters or cars outright. Big push by police to get everyone to lock their cars.

Interesting Local News / Events: Parental rights are becoming an increasing hot button topic in the local school board elections. Big scrutiny on curriculum as well.

Public Service Interruptions: Increase police patrols to combat petty theft.

Changes in Patterns of Life: Less people are eating out. Shopping carts are not as full as people cut back on purchases.

Any additional observations or comments: New Jersey has had “See Something, Say Something” and “Suspect Terrorism? Contact NJOHSP” signs on all of the major highways since a few weeks before 9/11. An excerpt:

If you’ve driven on any number of highways in North Jersey in the past week or so, chances are you’ve probably seen one of these new, somewhat alarming signs. They read: “Suspect Terrorism? See Something, Say Something — 866-4-SAFE-NJ.”

So where did these signs come from?

Well, it turns out it’s a joint effort of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

On Sept. 6, the aforementioned “announced” (not well, we might add) the launch of its “See Something, Say Something” public safety campaign in addition to variable message signs around the state to remind drivers along the state’s major interstates to remain vigilant and report potential threats and suspicious activity related to terrorism or other criminal activity.

Only thing is, no one seemed to know about the program until we did a little digging. In fact, we spoke with several high-ranking law-enforcement officials who told us they had no idea why the signs had been popping up. And, very few media outlets in North Jersey have reported them.

The campaign runs September through mid-February and includes nearly 200 of the message signs promoting NJOHSP’s suspicious activity reporting number across the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate Highways, including I-78, I-195 and I-280 as well as (state) Route 440. Though not reported, we’ve also seen them around Route 23.

“The goal of the campaign over the next few months is to remind residents and visitors, who may be traversing New Jersey’s highways for vacation, holiday shopping and other festivities, of the importance of being aware of their surroundings and of reporting suspicious activity,” said NJOHSP Director Laurie Doran. “The public is one of our first and best lines of defense in the fight against terrorism. Our ‘See Something, Say Something’ initiative bolsters the State’s security efforts and plays a key role in helping to identify threats and to prevent attacks.”

[………….]

While law enforcement officials tell The Observer there is no immediate threat of terrorism in the northern part of the state, a phone call to the Counterterrorism Watch Desk was, itself, revealing. The person who answered the call was likely a trained law-enforcement officer since the state website says the hotline is monitored 24-7-265 by such professionals.

The call-taker said there is a concern people in the state have forgotten too much about what happened 22 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001 and the corresponding need for residents to vigilantly report any suspected or potential terroristic activity.

“It’s to ensure our residents haven’t become too complacent especially with the anniversary of Sept. 11, just the other day,” the call-taker said. “We just want people to be aware and (if) they see something, say something, especially to suspicious terrorist-related activity, along those lines.”

The call-taker also said every law enforcement agency in New Jersey was supposed to be informed of the program and high-ranking cops were supposed to trickle that information down to rank-and-file officers. But there is no way to confirm whether that did, in fact, occur.