In 2004, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) established five "homeland security planning regions" to receive funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Metropolitan Area Planning Council manages DHS grants for Homeland Security Advisory Councils set up for four of these regions: North East Homeland Security Advisory Council (NERAC); Central Region Homeland Security Council (CRHSAC); Western Region Homeland Security Advisory Council (WRHSAC); and Southeast Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council (SRHSAC).
Like other "Homeland Security" initiatives, under cover of "counterterrorism" these councils seek to further integrate local, state, and federal police forces and to militarize these forces for the suppression of popular uprisings and for urban warfare. (See separate entry on Department of Homeland Security.)
Meeting minutes from the councils show consistent spending on equipment and training for "Law Enforcement Councils" (LECs) in the corresponding regions. LECs are officially private professional organizations that link regional police forces to share equipment, train together in military style exercises, and form SWAT teams. LECs have attempted to use their status as private corporations to deny public records requests about their activities.
Minutes from Southeast Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council (SRHSAC) meetings in 2021 included purchases of "camera & camera related equipment" for $40,000 for "the SEMLEC Command Post vehicle" and for a "Noise Flash Diversionary Device [e.g. flash bang grenade] Delivery Pole" ($2,530). 2022 meeting minutes include "$380,000 for purchase of a Fire CAT, with $230,000 from FFY21 Bearcat" as well as discussion of integrating fire department with police SWAT teams: "Chief Cavallaro mentioned that Tactical Fire (TAC) has recently been put into action. TAC Fires mission is to support and enhance the capabilities of Metro LEC and specifically the special tactics, response, or the SWAT team ... " Additional funding included $100,000 from Fire Services for hiring an "Intelligence Analyst" based on the Boston Regional Intelligence Center model using private contractors. (See also separate entries on SEMLEC and Metro LEC.)
Leadership of the council includes the following members: Chief Brian Clark, Chair, Norton Police Department; Chief Michael Kelleher, Vice Chair, Foxborough Fire Department; Chief Thomas Lynch, Franklin Police Department; Chief David Guillemette, Harwich Police Department; Major Daniel Callahan, Plymouth County Sheriff's Office; and Sheriff Joseph McDonald, Jr., Plymouth County Sheriff's Office.
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Franklin Police Department Chief Thomas Lynch is a member of the Southeast Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council.
Harwich Police Chief David Guillemette is a member of the Southeast Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council.
Norton Police Department Chief Brian Clark is the Chair of the Southeast Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council.
Major Daniel Callahan and Sheriff Joseph McDonald Jr. from the the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office are both members of the Southeast Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council.
The Southeast Regional Homeland Security Advisor Council (SRHSAC) obtains US Department of Homeland Security grants to provide military equipment and training to the Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SEMLEC). The two organizations work together to further integrate police forces within the SEMLEC consortium and to militarize these forces for the suppression of popular uprisings and for urban warfare. SRHSAC meeting minutes in 2021 show purchases for SEMLEC, including $40,000 for cameras for "the SEMLEC Command Post vehicle."
Southeast Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council (SRHSAC) obtains US Department of Homeland Security grants to provide military equipment and training to police forces within its region, and SRHSAC works together with Law Enforcement Councils (LECs) to further integrate participating police forces and militarize these forces for the suppression of popular uprisings and for urban warfare. SRHSAC meeting minutes in 2022 show the allocation of $380,000 for the purchase of a Fire CAT (a military armored vehicle) to help integrate regional fire departments into the Metro LEC SWAT team.