National Special Security Event
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A National Special Security Event (NSSE) is declared by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assume federal control of security measures normally employed by local law enforcement. It also releases federal funding for security plans. Though not declared by DHS which did not exist yet, the first NSSE after the September 11, 2001 attacks was the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. Most recent NSSE's include the 2004 Democratic National Convention and 2004 Republican National Convention. Major sports events such as the annual Super Bowl are automatically considered an NSSE.
In the event an NSSE is declared, the United States Secret Service is charged with employing and coordinating all federal and local agencies including the various bureaus of DHS, the FBI, and police departments to secure the venue from terrorist attacks. The declaration of an NSSE was established by President Bill Clinton in a portion of Presidential Decision Directive 62 in May 1998.
Former attorney general John Ashcroft once said that "it is sad commentary" [1] (http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0406/08/pzn.01.html) when an NSSE must be declared. But it is the case because the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 destroyed any notion that Americans could ever again take their safety for granted and there are ongoing threats of a terrorist attack, possibly by al Qaeda, the group responsible for the attacks on September 11. This sends two dreadful messages: major events have significance and terrorists want to disrupt it.
Some of the security measures people can expect on the scene when they attend a major event that is declared an NSSE:
- Heavy police and military presence
- Police forces in the area have canceled days off and leaves
- Canine teams & Bomb-sniffing dogs
- Surveillance
- Sharpshooters
- Flight restrictions around the area
- Coast Guard patrols
- Increased railroad security
- Extensive road closures
List of past NSSE's
- Dates: 31 July - 3 August 2000
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Dates: 14 August - 17 August 2000
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Date: 20 January 2001
- Location: Washington, DC
- United Nations General Assembly fifty-sixth session
- Dates: 13 September 2001 - ?
- Location: New York, New York
- Dates: 8 February - 24 February 2002
- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
- World Economic Forum USA Meeting
- Dates: 21 May - 22 May 2002
- Location: Washington, DC
- Dates: 8 June - 10 June 2004
- Location: Sea Island, GA
- Dates: 9 June - 11 June, 2004
- Location: Washington, DC, Simi Valley, Ca.
- Attorney General John Ashcroft told a Senate hearing before the funeral: "It is a sad commentary when the observation of a memorial service for a former president of the United States must be labled a national security special event. Such is the fact of modern life in Washington, and such is the nature of the war against al Qaeda."
- Dates: 26 July - 29 July 2004
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Dates: 30 August - 2 September 2004
- Location: New York, New York
- Date: 20 January 2005
- Location: Washington, DC