The PBY Memorial Foundation treated itself to a crash course in local law enforcement security procedures during its meeting last week at the CPO club. Guest speaker Lt. John Dyer, of the Oak Harbor police department, is not only a Marine Corps veteran, but as a graduate of the FBI academy, he brings a range of experiences to his job.

“I’m sure our guest speaker is already well known to most of you,” said foundation president Win Stites. “And I can only hope that he doesn’t know you.”

Dyer prefaced his remarks with a “thank you” to the audience for their collective military service, “as well as helping keep the memory of naval aviation alive.”

The lieutenant began his talk by touching on the security concerns raised by the 9/11 terrorist attacks — the lessons learned and progress made.

“The main issues that arose from those attacks 10 years ago were, one, our ability to respond to these incidents and two, the lack of cooperation between security agencies,” said Dyer.

“We now conduct drills with those other agencies. Those drills cover a range of situational threats that include terror attacks, bomb incidents, and natural disasters,” he said. “We have wonderful relationships with the fire department, sheriff’s department, and NAS Whidbey base security. And being so close to Canada, we work regularly with border security and homeland security as well.

“I can’t respond about some procedures, but I can tell you, we’ve come a long way,” continued Dyer. “When you can see a fireman and a police officer working together, you know we’ve come a long way.”

Dyer said their capabilities were now focused on how to prevent attacks before they happen, on a local as well as national level.

“A lot of people out there are working very hard to keep us safe,” he said.

Dyer outlined some security protocol procedures for the group, especially one he called the active shooter protocol.

“Once, we would have called for a lock down and SWAT team,” he said. “Now, the plan is for the first three officers on the scene to go straight to where the danger is and try to neutralize it.

Audience members directed questions to Dyer ranging from the Posse Comitatus Act to Oak Harbor’s recent double homicide. Regarding that incident, Dyer said it was a cooperative effort with the local sheriff’s department that resulted in the apprehension of the suspect.

“It’s one more example of agencies working and cooperating together,” he said.

Visitors at the meeting included Van Rezny and Bob Bullivant. Bullivant delivered a check for $2400 to the PBY Memorial Foundation that represented the proceeds from a PBY group which recently disbanded. The money will be dedicated to seaplane restoration at the PBY Memorial Foundation.

The group will hold their next meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at the CPO club.