REQUEST FOR SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS - AMMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 007151

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DS/DSS, DS/IP/FPO, DS/OP/NEA, AND NEA/ARN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2007
TAGS: ASEC ABUD AFIN AMGT
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS - AMMAN

REF: A) AMMAN 7077 B) AMMAN 6393 C) AMMAN 6912

Classified By: TODD BROWN, REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICER, REASONS 1.5 (G)

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST


2. (C) IN RESPONSE TO THE OCTOBER 28, 2002 ASSASSINATION OF
U.S. DIPLOMAT LARRY FOLEY IN AMMAN, THE REGIONAL SECURITY
OFFICE, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF TDY SUPPORT FROM THE
DEPARTMENT, HAS COMPLETED REVIEWS OF EMBASSY AMMAN'S SECURITY
PROGRAMS. THESE REVIEWS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE LOCAL GUARD
FORCE, SURVEILLANCE DETECTION UNIT AND RESIDENTIAL SECURITY
PROGRAMS AND HOW THEY COULD BE ENHANCED TO PROVIDE A GREATER
LEVEL OF PROTECTION FOR PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES. IN A
DECEMBER 8 EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTE MEETING CHAIRED BY THE
AMBASSADOR, EAC MEMBERS ENDORSED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICER. IN THE VIEW OF THE EAC,
AUTHORIZED DEPARTURE HAS HAD A BENEFICIAL EFFECT IN OFFERING
OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, BUT THE SECURITY
SITUATION CONTINUES TO REQUIRE CONSTANT CAREFUL MONITORING
AND EFFECTIVE ACTION. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF SECURITY
UPGRADES THAT POST FEELS ARE STRONGLY WARRANTED IN RESPONSE
NOT ONLY TO THE FOLEY ASSASSINATION BUT THE OVERALL THREAT
ENVIRONMENT.

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LOCAL GUARD FORCE
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3. (SBU) POST CURRENTLY RELIES ON (4) RESIDENTIAL MOBILE
PATROLS COVERING APPROXIMATELY 70 SEPARATE RESIDENTIAL
FACILITIES IN FOUR RESIDENTIAL SECTORS. THESE PATROLS,
UTILIZING A GEMS SYSTEM, MAKE SIX SECURITY CHECKS PER 24-HOUR
PERIOD. POST REQUESTS IMMEDIATE APPROVAL TO ADD AN
ADDITIONAL (4) MOBILE UNITS TO ALLOW FOR TWELVE SECURITY
CHECKS PER 24-HOUR PERIOD. THE ADDITIONAL UNITS WOULD NOT
ONLY ALLOW FOR MORE FREQUENT STOPS AND HIGHER VISIBILITY, BUT
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE RESPONSE TIME IN THE EVENT OF AN
INCIDENT. THE CONTRACT MODIFICATION WOULD REQUIRE THE FOUR
VEHICLES, VEHICLE OPERATION COSTS, FOUR DRIVER POSITIONS,
FOUR SENIOR GUARD POSITIONS, AND THE POSITION UPGRADE OF A
MOBILE PATROL SUPERVISOR TO MOBILE COMMANDER. THE COST AS
PROVIDED BY THE LOCAL GUARD CONTRACTOR IS $71,000 FOR
VEHICLES (NON-RECURRING),$12,500 VEHICLE OPERATION
(RECURRING),$78,000 FOR (4) DRIVER POSITIONS, $82,00 FOR (4)
SENIOR GUARD POSITIONS (RECURRING) AND $200 FOR THE POSITION
UPGRADE. IN ADDITION TO THE MOBILE PATROLS, POST CURRENTLY
HAS ONE MOBILE SUPERVISORY PATROL, AND ONE MOBILE PATROL
ASSIGNED TO COVER ANCILLARY FACILITIES. THERE IS NO NEED FOR
AN INCREASE TO THESE AREAS.

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RESIDENTIAL SECURITY
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4. (SBU) POST HAD ALREADY RECEIVED THE DEPARTMENT'S APPROVAL
FOR REPLACING ANTIQUATED ALARM UNITS IN RESIDENCES. THIS WAS
ORIGINALLY APPROVED AS A INCREMENTAL PROCESS OVER A PERIOD OF
YEARS. HOWEVER, THE CURRENT SECURITY ENVIRONMENT MANDATES
THIS PROCESS BE EXPEDITED AND COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY. IT ALSO
CALLS FOR A SYSTEM (PREFERABLY AES 5100) COMPATIBLE WITH THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF A CENTRAL ALARM MONITORING SYSTEM (CAMS).
A CAMS WOULD ALLOW EVEN QUICKER RESPONSE AND TREAT THE MOBILE
UNIT MORE AS A REACT VEHICLE. POST CURRENTLY HAS AN
INVENTORY OF 25 NEW AES 5100'S WHICH ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
BEING INSTALLED. AN ADDITIONAL 85 UNITS WOULD BE REQUIRED.
THE COST OF THE ADDITIONAL 85 UNITS IS $86,000. POST HAS
INSTALLED A FEW LOCALLY PROCURED UNITS THAT ARE COMPATIBLE
WITH THE AES 3015 CAMS RECEIVER. THE AES 3015 CAMS RECEIVER
COSTS $5000 AND A COMPUTER TO MANAGE THE PROGRAM MAY ALSO BE
REQUIRED. AES HAS NOT AS YET PROVIDED THE COST FOR THE
COMPUTER. WHILE WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE THIS IN-PLACE
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE CURRENTLY RELY ON A LOCAL ALARM
CONTRACTOR FOR INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE AND FEAR THIS
PROCESS WOULD TAKE SIGNIFICANT TIME BEFORE COMPLETION. OUR
CURRENT ALARM INSTALLER CHARGES $260 PER UNIT, AT 85 UNITS
POST WOULD REQUIRE $23,000 FOR INSTALLATION. IT APPEARS OUR
LOCAL OPTIONS MAY BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED BUT WE ARE WILLING TO
EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES THROUGH A SOLICITATION PROCESS. ARE
THERE OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE THAT MIGHT ALLOW THE CAMS TO BE
OPERATIONAL SOONER, SUCH AS AN AES TEAM (OR DS TEAM) COMING
OUT TO POST TO DO SOME OR ALL OF THE INSTALLATIONS? IT MAY
ALSO BE NECESSARY TO HAVE AES PROVIDE SOME TRAINING AND/OR
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ONCE THE SYSTEM IS READY FOR OPERATION.
THESE COSTS CAN BE PROVIDED ONCE WE RECEIVE THEM FROM AES.
ADDITIONALLY, THE LOCAL GUARD CONTRACT WOULD REQUIRE A
MODIFICATION TO ALLOW FOR A 24-HOUR DISPATCH POSITION TO
ADMINISTER THE SYSTEM. COST OF THE DISPATCHER POSITION IS
$19,500.


5. (SBU) POST HAS IDENTIFIED THREE APARTMENT BUILDINGS WITH
MULTIPLE EMBASSY LEASES THAT ARE IN NEED OF A VEHICLE BARRIER
TO CONTROL THE OFF-STREET PARKING AREA INSIDE THE COMPLEX (IN
ONE CASE UNDERGROUND). POST HAS APPROACHED LANDLORDS
REGARDING THIS VULNERABILITY BUT IN EACH CASE THE LANDLORD/S
HAVE BEEN UNRECEPTIVE TO PROVIDE THE UPGRADE. POST
UNDERSTANDS SOME OF THE INHERENT PROBLEMS WITH PROVIDING
AUTOMATIC GATE CONTROLS AT BUILDINGS NOT ENTIRELY EMBASSY
OCCUPIED BUT FEEL WE CAN WORK THROUGH ANY
PROCEDURAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE. POST THEREFORE
REQUESTS FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $5000 FOR (3) ELECTRONIC
ROLL-DOWN OR SLIDE GATES.

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SURVEILLANCE DETECTION UNITS
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6. (SBU) POST HAS A WELL-TRAINED AND EFFECTIVE SURVEILLANCE
DETECTION UNIT (SDU). HOWEVER, AN INCREASE IN THE UNIT SIZE
WOULD ALLOW FOR GREATER COVERAGE OF COMMONLY TRAVELED
EMPLOYEE ROUTES AND MORE ROUTINE COVERAGE OF CHOKE POINTS.
WHILE RESIDENCES MAY NOT BE A DEFINED CATEGORY OF SDU
COVERAGE, THE INCREASE WOULD ALLOW FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY IN
PROVIDING A LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO RESIDENCES AS DEEMED
APPROPRIATE. POST THEREFORE REQUESTS IMMEDIATE APPROVAL FOR
AN ADDITIONAL SIX SDU POSITIONS, THE UPGRADE OF AN EXISTING
POSITION TO A SUPERVISORY GRADE, AND AN ADDITIONAL VEHICLE TO
ASSIST IN SUPPORTING THE INCREASE. TOTAL COST OF THE SIX
ADDITIONAL SDU POSITIONS IS $81,000, VEHICLE COST IS $5000,
AND THE POSITION UPGRADE IS $1500.


7. (SDU) POST APPRECIATES THE EXCELLENT SUPPORT RECEIVED FROM
THE DEPARTMENT IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE FOLEY ASSASSINATION.
WE FEEL THE ABOVE ENHANCEMENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE UPGRADES AND
WILL GREATLY ASSIST IN OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE INCREASED
SECURITY FOR OUR PERSONNEL. WE HAVE LIKEWISE FACTORED IN OUR
HOUSING PROFILE AND IMPLEMENTED A HOUSING STRATEGY THAT
ALLOWS US TO CONSOLIDATE SECURITY RESOURCES BY IDENTIFYING
RESIDENCES/APARTMENTS NEARER THE EMBASSY AND ONE ANOTHER. WE
ALSO NOTE THAT WE ARE NEARING THE FINAL OPTION YEAR OF OUR
COMMERCIAL GUARD CONTRACT.
BERRY