CLEARWATER - Terrorist activities in your neighborhood? Possibly. But would you know how to detect them?
Two public programs are being held this month to provide information on how to identify suspicious and possibly terrorist activities in neighborhoods and communities.
"Community vigilance is of vital importance," said Clearwater police officer Bill Harding, who will talk about security and terrorist issues at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Countryside High School, 2000 State Road 580.
Harding, a 49-year-old retired Navy intelligence officer and chemical weapons analyst, is the Clearwater Police Department's domestic security coordinator. He is on the staff of the department's new Project Sentinel, a multi-faceted program that includes training police officers and educating the public about terrorism.
Tuesday's program will feature a film on terrorism narrated by actor Sharon Gless, Harding said. Those attending will receive a brochure related to the film that includes a list of what should go into a disaster emergency kit for a variety of disasters, and what measures to take when homeland security color codes change.
"It tells people how to be prepared - to expect the unexpected," said Harding, who worked 20 years for the Navy, first as an officer and later as a civilian employee.
Residents can also hear Joe Navarro, an FBI counterterrorism/counterespionage agent for 25 years, who will discuss "What Every American Should Know About Terrorism" at 7 p.m. April 29 at Countryside Library, 2741 State Road 580.
A feature of his program will be details on the profile of a terrorist.
"What is it that we truly know about terrorists that's universal?" Navarro said. "What do all terrorists have in common?"
The answer, he said, includes "passionate hatred, violence as a prescription and an unbending ideology."
Navarro, 50, teaches classes in nonverbal communication (body language) at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., and criminology classes at the University of Tampa and St. Leo University. He and partner Ron Dunagan formed a company called ForensicVision that works with lawyers and their clients to make them more effective in the courtroom. He is also the author, with fellow FBI agent John Schafer, of a book called Advanced Interviewing Techniques.
Both programs are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required.
For information on Clearwater Police Department's Homeland Security training program, call 562-4152.
