Former deputy police chief: South Florida ‘ahead of the game’ in detecting potential terror threats
Local law enforcement said they have been investigating more possible terror threats in recent years and need the public's help to alert them to danger. Former West Palm Beach Deputy Police Chief Rick Morris says the numbers of local threats are increasing.
By Terri Parker
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WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (WPBF) — Local law enforcement said they have been investigating more possible terror threats in recent years and need the public’s help to alert them to danger.
Former West Palm Beach Deputy Police Chief Rick Morris says the numbers of local threats are increasing.
“I think that law enforcement is paying a lot more attention to threats, social media threats. I can say five years ago, people were always talking — people who suffered from mental illness, or people that were deranged of any type would turn around and put messages on social media, and they were ignored by police because they weren’t considered a threat,” Morris said.
At Least 10 Killed In New Orleans After Truck Plows Into Crowd On Bourbon StFormer FBI agent says investigators scrambling to find terror suspect’s accomplices Morris said that’s changed — and while law enforcement is always working to monitor possible threats, they also need tips from the public.
For example, he points to the attempted assassination of President-elect Donald Trump in West Palm Beach in September – someone on Summit Avenue noticed the suspect Ryan Routh speeding away and actually took a picture of the truck and license plate – which let police capture Routh within the hour.
ryan routhProsecutors seek indefinite delay in Trump assassination attempt trial “The key here is the general public,” said Morris, who gives a nod to local technology used by South Florida law enforcement.
“Where you run into issues is not all agencies have resources. So what they’re doing in Palm Beach County now is, are combining the resources — they’re training together. Their intelligence systems are matching up with each other, which is very, very important. But I think as far as South Florida, we’re way ahead of the game,” Morris said.
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