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“I am honored to serve on this panel of distinguished members from government and private industry,” Fuentes told CLIFFVIEW PILOT this afternoon. “The inclusion of law enforcement officials on this Task Force represents Secretary Napolitano’s earnest effort to solicit and accept advice from the first responders to domestic terrorism and natural disasters.”
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano named him and several others to the panel, which will review the advisory system’s effectiveness in telling the public about terrorist threats and communicating about protection within government and throughout the private sector.
The group will be chaired by Fran Townsend, former assistant to President George W. Bush for Homeland Security, and Judge William Webster, former director of the FBI and the CIA.
Other task force members include Governors Christine Gregoire of Washington and Michael Rounds of South Dakota; Mayors Manny Diaz of Miami and Shirley Franklin of Atlanta; and deputy NYC mayor Ed Skyler; as well as San Francisco Police Chief George Gascon and Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley.
Fuentes, an extremely engaging but firm commander who lives in Bergen County, is a logical choice: He created a Homeland Security branch of the NJSP, as well as the high-tech Regional Operations Intelligence Center, a hub for coordinating responses to critical incidents among agencies of all stripes and jurisdictions.
The remaining members: Randy Beardsworth, former assistant secretary for strategic plans at DHS and a principal with Catalyst Partners; Richard Ben-Veniste, a partner at Mayer Brown, LLP, and 9/11 Commission member; Matt Bettenhausen, California’s Homeland Security Advisor, and David Bradley, owner of the Atlantic Media Group; James Carafano, senior member of the Heritage Foundation; Clark Ervin, director of the Aspen Institute’s Homeland Security Program and former DHS Inspector General; and Mary Fetchet, founding director of VOICES of September 11th.
PHOTO by JERRY DeMARCO / CLIFFVIEWPILOT.COM (For use ONLY with full photo credit)
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