http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/surveillan_1120.mp3
This week, about 20 law enforcement officers and business people from the private sector are coming together in Jefferson City for surveillance training. If the program is successful, state officials hope to expand it to include other parts of the state. KSMU's Missy Shelton reports.
The goal is to teach law enforcement and private businesses how to identify would-be terrorists who may be scoping a location where they're planning an attack.
Paul Fennewald is Homeland Security Coordinator for Missouri.
Funding for the training comes from the federal government, which picked up the tab for bringing two specialists to Missouri. Fennewald says these experts are providing good training.
Critics have questioned the use of federal homeland security dollars outside of major metropolitan areas.
But Fennewald says Missouri is vulnerable as well.
Participants at this week's training sessions include law enforcement officers and individuals from private enterprises like shopping malls and chemical companies.
For some people, surveillance training may conjure up an image of Big Brother watching over law-abiding citizens. But Fennewald says that's not what this training is about.
Fennewald says he hopes to offer two more surveillance training sessions, one of which would include participants from Southwest Missouri.