0 for 307: Useless Tips on Terrorism Cost $18,893 Per Tip
The Department of Homeland Security has a program, “Text Against Terror.” Its acronym is TAP. Taxpayers are being tapped to pay for it.
In New Jersey, $5.8 million was spent to create advertising for a program that lets transit commuters alert the authorities about suspicious things. I reported on this advertising campaign on September 18. The DHS produced three videos.
Officials increased the number of ads for the campaign in the weeks preceding the eleventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Ads promoting the service aired 4,023 times on radio and TV from 27 August to 8 September.
The “Text Against Terrorism” program began in June 2011. So far, the authorities in New Jersey have been alerted 307 times. Total investigations so far: a handful. Total arrests: zero.
Let’s see: that is $18,893 per tip. Payoff: zero.
Of the 307 messages, 71 referred to something regarding homeland security. Maybe the person saw an unattended bag. You know. Like the one that we see in one of the promotional videos that the government produced.
A task force has been set up to monitor the texts. It is made up of the New Jersey State Police, New Jersey Transit, the Port Authority Police, DHS, and other agencies.
Taxpayers are supposed to keep their eyes on suspicious bags. They are not supposed to keep an eye on their money.
Continue Reading on homelandsecuritynewswire.com.
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Published on October 17, 2012. The original is here.