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At the port, it's lights, camera, security guards
A new police force assemblesto protect the Port of Corpus Christi
By Venessa Santos-Garza/Caller-Times
Security has become even more of a priority for the Port of Corpus Christi and area industries since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and will continue to do so in years to come.
Shortly after the attacks, port officials doubled their private security forces and considered more permanent security options.
In November 2002, the Port Authority Commission voted to fund its own police force, said Executive Director John LaRue.
"The commission felt this would be the best way," he said.
However, the port still employs a private security company, Amtex Security Holdings LLC, to handle things such as routine gate checks. The port's contract with Amtex expires at the end of the year.
Luther Kim, who was brought on as chief of port police in March, recently hired two supervisors, Kenneth Starrs and Plutarco Castro. All three are veteran security officers.
Kim said their next big task would be to screen more than 70 applicants for the eight available port police officer positions.
"I'm very happy with the quality of officers that have applied," he said.
Kim plans to have the positions filled by Feb. 2 and the force up and running by the end of the month. In the meantime, he and his crew would be busy overseeing the installation of everything from a high-tech camera security system monitored by software that alerts of potential security breaches to new lighting.
"Its going to be so bright out here you could read the newspaper in the middle of the night," he said.
Increased security since the Sept. 11 attacks has cost the port $1 million more a year.
The port has spent around $2 million each year on security since the attacks instead of about $1 million a year, and John LaRue, executive director of the port, said he did not see costs going down any time soon.
In 2004, around $1 million will be spent on the hiring of new police officers, and $100,000 will go to firearms and supplies. Another $1 million will go to Amtex.
The port has received three Homeland Security grants, one for $2.2 million, one for $3.2 million and another for $4.2 million.
Port Industries recently received $4.3 million in security grants. Valero was awarded $2.1 million, Trigeant Ltd. got $850,000, the Port Industries as a group received $720,000, Sherwin Alumina received $614,000 and DuPont qualified for $53,000.
Over the last several months industries such as Sherwin Alumina have had to take a hard look at their strengths and their weaknesses in regards to their part in the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
"We were forced to take a look at the possibilities of (what could go wrong) and come up with a plan on what do if something did occur," said Arlon Boatman, director of health, safety and security for Sherwin Alumina.
Those plans were due to the federal government at the end of last year.
Contact Venessa Santos-Garza at 886-3752 or santosv@caller.com
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