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MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

Event: Stephen L. Holl, Deputy Chief of Police, Arlington County Police Department
Type of event: Interview
Date: October 15, 2003
Special Access Issues: None
Prepared by: Mark Bittinger
Team Number: 8
Location: ACPD HQ, Arlington, VA
Participants - Non-Commission: Steve Holl
Participants - Commission: Mark Bittinger; Kevin Shaeffer
UNCLAS
1. Steve Holl's Background: From June to December 2002 he served in the Office of the County
Manager/County OEM. From January to April 2003 he was the acting police chief.

2. Priorities on 9/11: Hall continued the efforts started by Hackney, essentially continuity of
operations. He focused on planning for the future. He developed a schedule for briefing sector
leaders much later. Evidence recovery.

3. Situational Awareness: While it was surreal to see the Pentagon burning the scenario was not a
foreign one. The proximity of the Gannett Building to National Airport has always been a
concern (although there was no specific plan for the Gannett Buildling, rather an "all-hazards"
approach to this potential risk). Holl talked to Jim Rice at the ~BI early on regarding
unaccounted for aircraft. There was concern about the need for air cover. An Arlington County
police officer was at FBI HQ on 9111, later in October 2001 this contact was upgraded to a JTTF
representative. The ACPD rep on the JTTF provides tremendous assistance. He name isC:J
I k,
4. Intelligence 'Provided: Generic intelligence was provided. It was reasonable toexpect a
secondary attack:"'~he IMF training was invaluable.

Now every WednesdaY'moming a conference call with the leaders of aILJO-40 law enforcement
agencies in the metro area.<Though this call does not provide enoughface-to-face interaction at
the rank-and-file level. ' .

Table top exercises now take place-once

.,
a nlonth (June to Dece~ber
.'
2002).

5. Mutual Aid: Question about "Hold Hannless" clause ~,n"theagreement between Arlington
County and the District. For planned eventsArlingtonCounty police officers are sworn in a U.S.
Marshals or Special U.S. Park Police. For nO'·n~ti~.e"eventsArlington County police officers are
~/ll Law Enforcement Privacy

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on "thin ice." This issue is being worked in the COG at the Office of the Executive Director. It
is also an area possibly for Congress to look at.

6. Location of ECC and EOC: Directly across the parking lot from the ACPD HQ. The ECC is
on the 4th or 5th floor and the EOC is on the 1st floor.

7. Security Clearances: No major problems on 9/11. The granting of clearances has been good.
All involved have been very responsible.

8. Changes Since 9/11: The Watch Center, DHS is now staffed by 1 ACPD officer. l-day per
week for two months. It could become a drain on manpower.

Planning
Regarding AAR LE-003, MOA with the Pentagon, but not with other Federal facilities in
Arlington County such as Fort Myer, Henderson Hall, or DISA.

Regarding AAR LE-015, mutual aid agreements are in place.

Regarding AAR LE-036, PPE kits has been upgraded. Masks were issued before 9/11.

Regarding AAR LE-031, no permanent shelters established on the Pentagon grounds.

Command and Control

Regarding AAR LE-009, LE Branch in the ICS Operations Section is a good idea.

Regarding AAR LE-OI0, a new mobile command post is due in January 2004.

Regarding AAR LE-Oll, SEE DOCUMENT PROVIDED.

Regarding AAR LE-012, SEE DOCUMENT PROVIDED.

Communications and Warning

Regarding AAR LE-OOl, SEE DOCUMENT PROVIDED.

Regarding AAR LE-002, Pre-positioned PSA not considered valid or practical.

Regarding AAR LE-004, ACPD still does not have cellular priority access service (CP AS), but
they have GETS. There are six levels of CPAS and law enforcement is on level 3.

Regarding AAR L~-019, ACPD is recipient ofRICCS, but it does not provide communications
interoperability. "Interoperability can be oversold; one alternative is to have representatives
from various departments present at a command post."

AGILE (Advanced Generation of Interoperability for Law Enforcement) /JPS 1000 is a radio
switch that has been installed in the ECC. Training is conducted in the communications section.

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Information sharing and communications were enhanced on 9/11 as a result of CAP WIN, with
police cars and fire trucks outfitted with laptops.

Operations and Procedures

Regarding AAR LE-021, a standardized identification system is impractical according to Holl.

Regarding AAR LE-022, the uniform shift duration for emergency response operations is two
12:..hourshifts and is now part of the ACPD SOP.

Regarding AAR LE-023, the ACPD is purchasing an automatic vehicle locator (AVL) to track
the locations of its patrol fleet; vehicle locations will show up in the ECC.

Logistics and Facilities

Regarding AAR LE-OI8, SEE DOCUMENT PROVIDED.

Training and Exercises

Regarding AAR LE-027, SEE DOCUMENT PROVIDED.

WMD awareness level only.

Gallant Fox was conducted in the summer of2003. A number of table-top exercises have been
conducted in the county since 9/11 along with Federal agencies and Virginia State Police.

On October 19-21, 2003, Virginia held a state bio exercise and on October 30, 2003 a bio
exercise was conducted along with Reagan National Airport.

Public Education and Information

Regarding AAR LE-034, SEE DOCUMENT PROVIDED.

9. Recommendations: Have FBI WFO-sponsored table-top exercise for sergeants and lieutenants.
Or sponsorship from DHS or ATF.

"Hold Harmless" clause - a possible area for Congress to 'look at.

ICS needs to be standardized at the national level.

ODP videos are excellent and instructional. 20 minutes everyday at roil call. They are a tool in
a format that police departments can use.

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