Teamsters Supports Bush TIPS Plan

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,59738,00.html

NEW YORK — A type of neighborhood anti-terror program launched by the Bush administration will be up and active this month in 10 cities across the country and some of those recruited could be neighborhood truck drivers, utility employees and train conductors.

Those are just some of the jobs taken by Teamsters union members, which has signed up to help the Justice Department with its Operation TIPS.

TIPS -- the Terrorism Information and Prevention System -- is one of the core elements of President Bush's Citizen Corps Program. The national system for reporting suspicious and potentially terrorist-related activity is predicated on the assistance of do-good local citizens who would be in positions to witness unusual or suspicious activity in public places. Volunteers will hand tips over to the Justice Department via a toll-free hotline or online.

The Teamsters union is throwing its support behind Operation TIPS not only as a means to show its nonpartisan stripes, but to lend an effort to homeland security, said Teamsters spokesman Rob Black.

Teamsters President James Hoffa -- re-elected last November to run one of the nation's oldest and largest unions -- "made clear" at the end of June during a meeting with Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge that "the Teamsters fully support Operation TIPS," Black said.
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