Baca discusses terrorism

L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca recently held a press conference addressing the public’s concerns about the possibility of terrorists within L.A. County.

Also speaking at the press conference were numerous officials from various county agencies and representatives from more than 15 police departments within the county.

The message was to remain calm, but vigilant. Speakers also expressed confidence in the county’s ability to respond to the threat of terrorism. Anthrax, and the threat it poses, was discussed by Dr. Laurene Mascola, chief of the acute communicable disease control unit of the L.A. Department of Health.

The sheriff and the other speakers addressed the preparedness of L.A. County and what steps have already been implemented to combat any terrorist act in the future. Baca explained that the county had already implemented anti-terrorist protocols as early as 1998, and had conducted extensive training regarding the possibility of anthrax being used as a weapon of terrorism.

"The biggest challenge we face is not anthrax. The biggest challenge we face is fear. We must be prepared, not panicked; we must instill cohesion, not confusion–– calm, not calamity," said Baca.