Roles in domestic security

[x-grunt]

The course of some other threads ("Naval capabilities" and "Defending arctic sovereignty")  has me wondering about something, and frankly I really don't know enough to make more then a WAG (wild a** guess) at the answer at this point.

So I am asking: what has more of a role right now in domestic security? Army or Navy?

Note: I'm not trying to start a bash-fest (although it could go that way, I know).

I see the Army playing a particularly key role as an instrument of foreign affairs, but think the domestic security role would fall more to agencies like CSIS and the RCMP. The Navy, on the other hand, seems to have more importance "securing the homeland" then the Army, with various types of missions patrolling the EEZ. It also has a role in projecting our influence globally, but less visibly so right now then the Army.

It seems the Navy is likely more a key player at home. Am I off-base? Thoughts?

 

[GAP]

I would agree with you in respect to projecting/securing sovereignty on our large water borders. The Domestic operations would seldom be Navy so much as Army/Air Force. (I'm thinking stuff like flooding/storms, etc.)

 

[Greymatters]

In domestic waters, it would seem that the RCMP, DFO and Coast Guard have a more prominent role than the Navy. 

 

[navymich]

To me, you could look at domestic security in a few different roles though.  Yes, you have the active patrolling and securing.  But if you are looking at the waters, how about the maintaining.  I am thinking here of the route survey role.  Alot of work goes into something like that, to keep it current and maintained.  Often though, it seems that something like that falls into the background, and overlooked.

 

[GAP]

To me, you could look at domestic security in a few different roles though.  Yes, you have the active patrolling and securing.  But if you are looking at the waters, how about the maintaining.  I am thinking here of the route survey role.  Alot of work goes into something like that, to keep it current and maintained.  Often though, it seems that something like that falls into the background, and overlooked.

Excellent point

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

I think all 3 services have a major role in domestic security. The Navy needs to be able to meet threats in the deep ocean all the way to the coastline. The Air Force has a role to play in the skies and the Army on the land. To answer the question, the Navy is constantly doing Sovereignty patrols and fisheries patrols so there is usually someone out there conducting the business.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Following an earthquake (or other assorted cataclysms) here on the west coast, the Navy has a critical role to play in assisting recovery operations. They have a duty ship on standby to act as a floating HQ and helo platform. They can also use ships' powerplants to provide electricity to shore based installations. Their personnel can also obviously be deployed in a variety of ways to assist local, or remote, communities accessible by helo or ship.

Having said all that, during the snowstorm of '96 in Victoria (you know, the  last time it snowed more than 3cm here - boo hoo) the militia were running around like blue arsed flies without much support from the senior service. Not sure why but I guess they were tasked elsewhere. One Navy guy, on leave, dropped into the armoury to help out, and thank God he did as he was a first class electrician who helped make sure that all our power didn't go out. We'd have been in a world of hurt without him. This is a good example of how useful their technicians can be in an emergency.

 

[Greymatters]

Is there a real-life example of a navy vessel assisting during a natural disaster that hit an area?  I dont know of any myself so would be interested in hearing of it.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Do a search on Google for the Iwo Jima during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans....

 

[Greymatters]

Im talking about our navy...

 

[Blackadder1916]

Im talking about our navy...

Backgrounder:  Canadian Forces Support to Relief Efforts in Southern United States
http://www.dnd.ca/site/newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=1739

Canadian Forces Joint Task Group 306, comprising three CF ship and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Sir William Alexander, departed Halifax, N.S. on 6 Sep. The CF ships arrived in Pensalcola, Fla., on the morning of 12 Sep 05, where they offloaded materials and relief supplies and proceeded to the vicinity of Gulfport/Biloxi, Miss.

The following ships with three embarked Sea King detachments from 12 Wing, Shearwater, N.S, deployed from Halifax:
HMCS Athabaskan (an Iroquois class destroyer)
HMCS Ville de Quebec (a Halifax class frigate) and
HMCS Toronto (a Halifax class frigate).

Operation TEMPEST in 1992 was the Canadian Forces response to Hurricane Andrew. Approximately 150 Airfield Engineers deployed to Dade County, Florida. The replenishment ship HMCS Protecteur went to Miami and the Bahamas with relief supplies.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Excellent example Blackadder.

 

[daftandbarmy]

+1. Well done the Navy.

 

[navymich]

Here is an interesting read: Surveillance and Canadian Maritime Domestic Security

 

[niner domestic]

Another example is Swissair Flight 111, search and then recovery: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=614

 

[navymich]

Excellent example niner, shows what they do closer to home.

And here is an article about Exercise Sea Barrier 2006:

News Releases
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Exercise Sea Barrier 2006 Enhances Domestic Maritime Security

Domestic maritime security will be the focus of an intergovernmental, bi-national exercise, named Sea Barrier, running from Feb. 28 to Mar. 2 in and around the approaches of Esquimalt harbour and the Juan de Fuca Strait.  The Canadian Navy will join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Transport Canada and the US and Canadian Coast Guards as they work together in a law enforcement scenario in order to test and improve coastal surveillance and enhance interoperability.

“Safeguarding our ocean approaches is vitally important to our national security.  To deal effectively with a diverse range of national security threats, including the threats of terrorism, narcotics trafficking and illegal immigration, the Navy must maximize cooperation and collaboration with other governmental departments and with our U.S. allies,” says Rear Admiral Roger Girouard, Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific.  Barry McKee, Director for the West Coast and Yukon district, CBSA, added: “Exercises like this are essential as the federal government works to prevent drugs from entering our country, off our streets and out of our schools. Organizations like the RCMP, CBSA, the Navy, the Coast Guard and Transport Canada play integral roles in this endeavour, and in a myriad of other ways, in keeping our country safe.”

Domestic maritime security requires a collaborative effort between various governmental departments with maritime interests.  Each department conducts surveillance to gather information to fulfill their unique departmental needs.  This information is shared among the departments through the Maritime Security Operations Centre (MSOC) to generate one unified and comprehensive recognized maritime picture.  The MSOC is the focal point for the collection, analysis, fusion and exchange of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information in support of domestic marine security issues.  Since the stand up of the MSOC on Mar. 1, 2005 the coordination between participating organizations has improved greatly and is resulting in an even more cohesive Government of Canada maritime security effort.

HMC ships Calgary, Brandon, and Saskatoon will participate in the exercise with Canadian Coast Guard Ships Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Tanu, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sea Lion, and RCMP and CBSA teams.  Training activities will include briefings, surveillance patrols, maritime interdiction and boardings at sea based around a drug trafficking scenario.

My goodness, what has come over me, I'm researching *gasp* Navy stuff!!  lol

 

[aesop081]

Dont forget the never ending CP-140 Aurora Maritime surveillance patrols.  Although they are executed by the AF, they are done at the request of the Navy and coordinated through RACE (A) or RACE (P). Those patrols cover the entire canadian AOR on both coasts, extending in some places to 1000+ nautical miles from shore.

 

[niner domestic]

Mich: While you're researching....include the strategies for prevention of human trafficking.  One such intervention that comes to mind was the boat of passengers that had been left stranded near Sable Island. 

Another purpose would be to enforce the Canada Shipping Act. 

 

[Greymatters]

Dont forget the never ending CP-140 Aurora Maritime surveillance patrols.  Although they are executed by the AF, they are done at the request of the Navy and coordinated through RACE (A) or RACE (P). Those patrols cover the entire canadian AOR on both coasts, extending in some places to 1000+ nautical miles from shore.

Good point, I didnt think of it that way...

>lingering doubts removed...<