If I could change one character trait of the people who reside in the Stuttgart military community, it would be to increase their inclination to report things that just don’t seem right.
Reporting suspicious activity or behavior is not difficult to do, yet it is rarely done.
People seem to be more willing to submit an ICE comment to complain about a long wait at the front gate than they are to call the Military Police because of a suspicious box or child’s backpack that was left outside their quarters.
Reporting is what creates the information stream that allows our law enforcement and intelligence communities to investigate and share information with their German counterparts. The information helps to paint a picture of the most probable and dangerous threats to U.S. Defense Department personnel in Germany.
How to report
To report anything strange or suspicious that is not an emergency, on or off post, contact the Military Police at 430-5262 or civilian 07031-15-5262.
I suggest that you input these numbers into your cell phone before you read further. Save the phone numbers now, and you’ll be prepared later.
If you are reporting an imminent threat, call the military police at DSN 116. Off post, you can call civilian 112, the German emergency number.
If the suspicious activity is not currently occurring, you can report it online at the U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart website at www.stuttgart.army.mil by clicking on the iWatch icon.
What to report
Suspicious activity is any behavior or activity that seems unusual or out-of-place. Suspicious behavior can be anything; however, here are some examples of behaviors and activities that may be associated with terrorist activity:
• Briefcases, backpacks, or packages that have been left behind or unattended;
• Strangers photographing or filming in and around the installation. They may be conducting surveillance for an attack;
• Holes in the fence line;
• Cars or trucks parked next to the fence line;
• People asking questions about sensitive information such as security procedures, without a right or need to know.
If you’re unsure …
If you are unsure about whether or not to report a suspicious activity that you see, report it and let the military police decide what to do with the information.
You don’t have to wait for the MPs to show up on the scene. You just need to pass along what you see. A minute of your life can save someone else’s.
The bottom line is that the law enforcement and intelligence communities can only be successful if they are tipped off to suspicious activity.
