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Inaugural NMLEA Award for MDA Excellence Presented to Port of Long Beach


August 28, 2018. Mr. Lyston Lea, Principal Advisor to the Director, National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office (NMIO), presented the Interagency Maritime Domain Awareness Executive Steering Committee (MDA ESC)-sponsored inaugural National Maritime Law Enforcement Academy Award for MDA Excellence to the director of the Maritime Coordination Center (MCC) at the Port of Long Beach during the 2018 Maritime Security Conference West in San Diego, California.

The MDA ESC recognized the Port of Long Beach’s MCC for its efforts in expanding its work in addressing cyber issues, criminal activity and maritime information sharing. The Center provides leadership to the Los Angeles/Long Beach Department of Homeland Security Regional Coordination Mechanism (ReCoM), by providing situational awareness on a 24/7 basis. By hosting liaison officers from more than a dozen agencies and providing the Virtual Port maritime information system, it has proven itself the focal point for joint maritime law enforcement operations in Central California. The Center has successfully demonstrated its importance to the region by supporting hundreds of operations across five counties, leading to numerous successful prosecutions and the effective interdiction of illicit shipments of people and cargo prior to their arrival on our shores.

Mr. Lea stated, “it is certainly an honor to recognize the work of the Maritime Coordination Center’s work to improve maritime information sharing and collaboration on behalf of the MDA ESC. Their work is a great example of how a port law enforcement agency, working with the maritime community, can improve security in our coastal waters. We are truly thankful for our partnership with the National Maritime Law Enforcement Academy to be able to sing the praises of the Maritime Coordination Center.”

The National Maritime Law Enforcement Academy’s (NMLEA) Executive Director, Mark DuPont, added, “The NMLEA is proud to present its inaugural Maritime Domain Awareness Excellence Award to the Port of Long Beach’s Maritime Coordination Center. Through their efforts, the Center epitomizes the Academy’s mantra: ‘Strength through Knowledge’ and is worthy of recognition. Clearly, the more we know about our domain, the stronger we are. And the more we work together, the more we will know. The work of the Center is a model of cooperation and unity of effort, that has made a direct impact on the safety and security of Central California’s waterways. Bravo Zulu, as we continue onward and forward, together.”

About the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office

The Director of National Intelligence, in cooperation with Navy and Coast Guard, created NMIO in 2009 to advance governmental collaboration and unity of effort as outlined in the 9/11 Commission Report, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and the National Strategy for Maritime Security. NMIO facilitates information sharing and collaboration across the Global Maritime Community of Interest, which consists of U.S. federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; maritime industry; academia; and our international partners. Learn more about NMIO online at http://nmio.ise.gov/index.htm.


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