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A series of successful partnerships between the Port of Houston Authority, the Texas state government, and local private industries have captured the attention of the Department of Homeland Security which sees them as a potential model to strengthen port security initiatives around the country.

According to Bill Crews, pictured, port security & emergency operations manager for the Port of Houston Authority, the federal government has taken an interest in several of the port's partnership  initiatives, including the state's creation of the Houston Ship Channel Security District, with an eye toward adapting them in other locations, Crews made his remarks Wednesday at the monthly meeting of ASIS's Houston Chapter.

The security district was set up through state legislation and is designed akin to a municipal utility district, The district, which has taxing authority, raises funds for the maintenance and repair of security infrastructure, including video surveillance, access control and command and control systems, at the port. While the DHS port security grant program provides funds for the purchase of security technology, those funds do not cover upkeep. The security district, which has seven board members from private sector companies based in the port area, plus representatives from the port authority and the city governments in the port vicinity, fills that gap, Crews said.