Thank you and
good morning. I can't tell you how happy I am to be here -- to be
among friends and partners, from America and around the world.
We in the
FBI want to thank our Canadian hosts for their hospitality and for
the outstanding support they've given to American law enforcement
and particularly to the FBI. We want to thank the dedicated law
enforcement professionals here today for everything you've done
to help the FBI and make the world a safer place since September
11th. And we want to thank your families for bravely standing behind
you through it all.
Just three
days after joining the Bureau, and four days before that horrific
day in September, I had the opportunity to attend my first graduation
of the FBI National Academy in Quantico. It was a tremendous experience.
I was able to meet and talk with more than 260 professionals, the
people who work for you and with you, the proud graduates of the
206th session. I thanked them for their service to the country,
and talked about the journey of cooperation and mutual respect that
I hoped we'd walk together in the weeks and months to follow. I
felt proud to be part of the law enforcement community, and I marveled
at the warmth and friendship present that day. More than ever, it
was clear to me that our common bond is forged by our common mission
-- to protect the people we serve. That day, even though we represented
27 nations, we all spoke the same language.
Seeing the
energy and optimism on the faces of your colleagues that morning,
and their renewed sense of determination, we could not have imagined
that our entire world would be changed forever just four days later.
That we would personally and collectively face our toughest test
ever as protectors and defenders of the people. That in just a few
short hours, some of our closest colleagues and partners and friends
would no longer be with us.
But even as
the world around us seemed to be turned upside down, we were heartened
to see the bedrock values we all share stand firm. And we were proud
to see all of you leading the way, giving dignity and sacrifice
new meaning. The terrorists acted out of hatred and anger. You answered
with courage and compassion, with heroism and honor. The terrorists
murdered innocent bystanders. You and your colleagues risked your
lives to save complete strangers. On September 11th and in the days
that followed, you showed your true colors. You showed us why law
enforcement blue is not a cliche, it is a way of life.
From the very
first moment on the job, I was resolved to build a stronger, more
seamless, and more supportive partnership between your law enforcement
communities and the FBI. I've been privileged to work along side
you and your colleagues for nearly thirty years. I've always believed
that law enforcement is only as good as its relationships, that
our combined resources and expertise and ideas are far beyond the
sum of their parts, and that the potential for greater successes
through mutual cooperation and respect is boundless.
As the events
of September 11th unfolded, and we began coordinating our response
with law enforcement around the country and the world, our resolve
to partner with you only intensified. And it seemed that the sometimes
artificial walls that divide us in law enforcement were coming down.
Suddenly, jurisdictions or affiliations didn't seem to matter. What
mattered was serving. What mattered was saving lives. Barry Mawn,
who is here today and heads our New York field office, expressed
it well. He said that on September 11th, "All of law enforcement
came together as one."
In the difficult
days that followed, that unity has emerged in many places, in New
York and other cities, here in Canada and across the ocean in places
like England, France, and Germany. Many of our Special Agents in
Charge and our Legal Attaches overseas have reached out to you --
enlisting your expertise and drawing upon your resources.
As time passed,
though, we heard that in some areas of the country, the FBI was
turning away your offers to help. We learned that concerns about
not giving you information had begun to surface. Both are unacceptable.
One of the first steps I took was to call Bruce, your president,
asking him to tell me bluntly and honestly what issues have come
up since September 11. Bruce minced no words. I was convinced, after
that conversation, that many of your concerns are valid and need
to be addressed.
In response,
I met in Washington with representatives of the IACP and other leading
law enforcement organizations. In these meetings, we talked through
issues, addressed some misperceptions, and agreed to explore ways
to improve our relationships.
As a result
of those meetings and in response to your concerns, we have taken
steps to strengthen our partnership and serve you better. In cities
where we don't already have a Joint Terrorism Task Force, I've asked
our SACs to get one up and running ASAP. While these task forces
aren't a panacea, they do break down stereotypes and communications
barriers, more effectively coordinate leads, and help get the right
resources in the right places. In short, they meld us together in
ways that make information sharing a non-issue. We've also asked
SACs to look to local law enforcement to cover local investigative
leads where possible. We've asked your organization and others to
help us identify representatives to work with us in our strategic
command center at FBI Headquarters, in the heart of our predictive
intelligence operation. We're also exploring the possibility of
putting together a working group of FBI and state and local law
enforcement officers to identify other specific issues and find
workable solutions. And most importantly, if we have specific threat
information about an attack planned or suspected in your jurisdictions,
we will make sure that you get that information every time, no matter
what.
In my mind,
it comes down to two things. First, giving you the information you
need to make judgments about protecting your communities. And second,
capitalizing on the "force multiplier" effect that comes when we
work together. We are committed to doing both.
In these meetings,
I discussed what I believe to be some misperceptions. For example,
some think that the Bureau is withholding significant amounts of
information due to security concerns. I don't believe that to be
the case. The problem is that we often don't have the credible and
specific information you sometimes think we do. That's certainly
true for the Watch List, which has now been added to NCIC. In most
cases, we don't have much more than the names and aliases for the
individuals on that list.
I should also
point out, when it comes to the electronic age, the FBI is sometimes
far behind you and your colleagues. That's why we often can't provide
information in an electronic format. But let me be clear: overhauling
our electronic infrastructure is a top priority for us. And we will
get it done.
These are
some initial first steps. More will follow. Some issues may need
to be addressed through legislation. As we move through this process,
please bring any problems or issues to our attention. Let us know
what you're experiencing, how the FBI is treating you, and we'll
respond.
This I know:
the FBI can't be successful in preventing terrorism without your
help. No one institution is strong enough to tackle that challenge
alone. That's why we're determined to be open and cooperative. We're
in new territory here. Each new day, it seems, brings a fresh challenge.
We need to be flexible. We need to be willing to change course in
mid-stream if need be. And we need to be open to a broad array of
input and ideas from your ranks and elsewhere.
Together,
I'm confident that we will succeed in defeating terrorism. Our will
is strong, and our commitment absolute. We will not relent until
we have exhausted every angle and every lead, until we have identified
and prosecuted the terrorists and terrorist networks responsible
for launching the most devastating terrorist attack in history.
We will work together to find those responsible for the anthrax
attacks that are terrifying America and the world. And most importantly,
we will do our utmost to ensure that terrorists do not strike again.
This resolve,
this new level of partnership, however, should not stop with our
collective efforts to end terrorism. It should expand to other areas
of criminal investigation. There are plenty of criminals to go around,
and plenty of global challenges we can only address together.
The tragedy
of September 11th has touched us all personally. Some of us have
lost colleagues, perhaps even friends and family. The FBI lost one
of its own as well, a brave New York Special Agent named Lenny Hatton.
Lenny saw the first World Trade Center tower on fire on his way
into work on September 11, and he instinctively raced to the scene.
He was last seen helping a victim out of one of the towers, then
rushing back in to help more.
I had the
honor of attending Lenny's funeral Mass in his home town in New
Jersey. A close friend and colleague of Lenny's named Chris O'Connell
paid tribute to the fallen Agent that day. Chris talked about how
Lenny devoted his life to serving -- how Lenny had served as a husband
and father, as a Marine, as an FBI Agent, as a volunteer fireman,
and how Lenny had served until his last breath, rushing into a burning
building to save the lives of others.
It turns out,
Lenny saved Chris' life, too. Had it not been for Lenny, Chris would
have been at the World Trade Center on September 11. Just days before
the tragedy, Chris was thinking of skipping an upcoming class at
Quantico because his workload was so heavy. Lenny talked him out
of it. He said to Chris, "Don't be silly. Just go. You'll have a
good time." Chris did, and he never saw Lenny again.
Chris O'Connell
closed his eulogy by saying: "On September 11, we saw a horrific
event in this country and our city. Special Agent Lenny Hatton stood
shoulder to shoulder with the finest and the bravest. Until we meet
again, my partner, my friend."
Chris O'Connell
was Lenny's partner, and Chris O'Connell is a detective on the NYPD.
Lenny and Chris cared for each other like brothers. It didn't matter
to them that one worked for the feds and one for the NYPD. They
just wanted to get the job done. They were a team. And they are
an inspiration to us all.
September
11th has called upon all of us to be leaders, to play a key role
in defeating the scourge of terrorism, and to make the world safe
and free. In the spirit of Lenny and Chris, let's go forward as
one team, united by our common challenge, strengthened by our differences,
and confident in our collective strength. The world is counting
on us.
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