Everyone Plays a Role in “If You See Something, Say Something®”

Summary

The 'If you see something, say something' campaign is a national public awareness initiative post-9/11, urging individuals to report suspicious activities to prevent terrorism. It partners with various organizations, emphasizing behaviors like observation, eliciting information, misrepresentation, and unauthorized intrusion as potential threats. It clarifies that factors like disability, race, or language proficiency are not suspicious. The campaign educates on recognizing signs of potential threats and encourages reporting to local authorities, highlighting the community's role in safety.

Takeaways

• 🛡️ 'If you see something, say something' is a national public awareness campaign focused on preventing terrorism.
• 👥 The campaign encourages individuals to report suspicious activities to local authorities to ensure community safety.
• 🏢 It was initiated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security post-September 11, 2001, to enhance public vigilance.
• 🤝 The campaign collaborates with various organizations to raise awareness about recognizing potential threats.
• 🔍 Suspicious activities include unusual observation, eliciting information, misrepresentation, and unauthorized intrusions.
• 🚫 Factors like disability, race, religion, or language proficiency are not indicators of suspicious behavior.
• 🚨 Reporting should be done for behaviors that may suggest planning of a terrorist attack, not for constitutionally protected activities.
• 📞 If immediate danger is perceived, dial 911, and for suspicious activities, use local tip lines or report via dhs.gov/SeeSay.
• 🕵️‍♂️ When reporting, consider the five W's: Who, What, When, Where, and Why to provide a comprehensive account.
• 👁️‍🗨️ The public plays a crucial role in identifying and reporting suspicious activities, potentially making a significant difference in preventing terrorism.

Q & A

What is the 'If you see something, say something' campaign?

The 'If you see something, say something' campaign is a national public awareness campaign that empowers individuals to report suspicious activities to local authorities in order to prevent terrorism.

Why was the U.S. Department of Homeland Security created?

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was created after the horrific attacks on September 11, 2001, and it committed to the 'If you see something, say something' campaign to raise public awareness about recognizing and reporting suspicious activities related to terrorism.

What types of organizations does the campaign partner with?

The campaign partners with all types of organizations to raise public awareness about the importance of recognizing and reporting potential terrorist activities.

What is considered suspicious activity according to the campaign?

Suspicious activity is any observed behavior that may indicate someone is planning a terrorist attack or other terrorism-related crime, such as observation and surveillance, eliciting information, misrepresentation, breach or attempted intrusion, and weapons collection and storage.

What factors are not considered suspicious according to the campaign?

Disability, religion, race or ethnicity, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality or national origin, speaking with an accent, or being less than proficient in English are not considered suspicious factors.

How can one report suspicious activity if they observe it?

One can report suspicious activity to local law enforcement or through their local tip line, which can be found on dhs.gov/SeeSay.

What are the five W's to consider when reporting suspicious activity?

The five W's to consider when reporting suspicious activity are: Who (description of the person), What (explanation of what was observed), When (time and date of the activity), Where (location of the activity), and Why (reason why the behavior seemed suspicious).

What is the importance of reporting suspicious activities?

Reporting suspicious activities is important because it allows trained law enforcement officials to review the information and determine the best course of action, potentially preventing terrorist attacks or other crimes.

How can one learn more about the campaign and its partnership opportunities?

One can learn more about the campaign and its partnership opportunities by visiting www.dhs.gov/SeeSay, where additional signs of suspicious activity and materials for partnering can be downloaded.

What should one do if there is an immediate emergency?

If there is an immediate emergency, one should call 911. For non-emergency suspicious activities, one can report them to local law enforcement or through the local tip line.

How does the campaign ensure that reported behaviors are not constitutionally protected?

The campaign emphasizes that behaviors alone are not inherently criminal and may be constitutionally protected. It encourages individuals to share their observations with local law enforcement who are trained to make these distinctions.