Herald staff
EVERETT — City police and Navy investigators will be going door-to-door this afternoon to ask residents of houses overlooking Naval Station Everett to participate in an "eyes and ears" program to help with base security.
Residents of a portion of Grand Avenue are being requested to report any suspicious people or vehicles "which might be attempting to conduct surveillance of the naval base," according to the letter that will be handed out.
Everett Police Sgt. Boyd Bryant described the move as a preventative measure, part of a larger effort to bolster security at certain locations in the city after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He said it was not a reaction to any specific threat against the base.
"It’s not anything for anyone to panic about," Bryant said.
Police officers and Naval Criminal Investigative Service special agents are expected to visit the homes on Grand Avenue that sit high on a bluff, putting them "in a unique position to contribute to the protection of the installation," according to the letter.
This appears to include about 100 houses on Grand Avenue from Eighth Street to 25th Street. Grand Avenue Park, a public green space with benches and a walking path, also is there.
The base, which employees about 6,000 people, serves as the home port for several ships of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.
Authorities decided to hand-deliver the letters to make it easier to answer questions about what type of activity should be reported, according to the letter. A list of contact numbers is included.
The letter is signed by Everett Mayor Ed Hansen and Capt. Daniel Squires, the base’s commanding officer.
The idea to approach Grand Avenue residents came out of meetings on how to improve security at certain locations in Everett, Bryant said.
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