Port of San Diego Receives $3.5 Million Security Grant

Thursday, 09 April 2009
Contact: Dale Frost (619) 686-6222

The Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday, April 8, that it will allocate the Port of San Diego $3.5 million for security improvements around San Diego Bay. The money is part of the $388.6 million in security grants awarded to more than 100 ports and ferry operations across the country.

"The grant money will assist with long term strategies to maintain public safety for everyone around San Diego Bay and the harbor for years to come," said John MacIntyre, Homeland Security Program Manager for the Port of San Diego.

MacIntyre said the funding would likely go toward improving communication around the bayfront, improved physical security measures and providing additional equipment to the Harbor Police, the law enforcement arm of the Port of San Diego.

Port staff is working with Port partners around San Diego Bay to develop a list of qualified projects that address local security requirements. Under the Department of Homeland Security regulations, this money must be used for increased maritime security and implementing the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program.

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential program is part of the Transportation Security Administration's efforts to improve security in the nation's transportation system and provides identification badges for all workers entering secure areas such as marine terminals.

In the past six years, the Port of San Diego has been awarded about $20 million in security grants for cameras, improved lighting and other security features at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, the National City Marine Terminal and the B Street Pier Cruise Ship Terminal.

More than $26.7 billion will have been provided from 2003 through this year by the Department of Homeland Security to strengthen the United States' ability to prevent, protect, respond and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters or other emergencies.

The Port of San Diego is a public benefit corporation and special government entity. Created in 1963 by an act of the California legislature, the Port manages San Diego harbor and administers the public lands along San Diego Bay. The Port has operated without tax dollars since 1970 and has been responsible for $1.5 billion in public improvements in its five member cities - Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego.

With a $10.6 billion economic impact on the San Diego Bay region, the Port oversees two maritime cargo terminals, a cruise ship terminal, 16 public parks, various wildlife reserves and environmental initiatives, and the leases of 600 tenant businesses around San Diego Bay.

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