Marty Kapsh and I have worked together since 1993, when I was transferred to the Port of Tacoma as a U.S. Customs Senior Special Agent. Marty’s expertise in technology, narcotics investigation, and local knowledge, made our collaboration a strong one. We were able to present a strong deterring factor to those who thought they could engage in criminal activity at the Port of Tacoma. Developing intelligence on those responsible for smuggling goods, narcotics, and weapons, soon expanded and led us to pursue cases at surrounding ports, airports, other states and countries. As a result, we were involved in some of the largest seizures in our area, and elsewhere.
Since 2000 Marty has been a Port of Tacoma, Washington, Port Security Officer. He has continued to expand his knowledge and level of expertise into new areas. Since 2004, Officer Kapsh has been a part time employee of Pierce County Emergency Management’s Training cadre, instructing Federal, Military and local emergency responders in the Incident Command System (ICS), the National Incident Management System (NIMS), awareness level training of Terrorist Response and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Since 2009, Officer Kapsh, in working with the Washington State National Guard’s State Partnership Program, has made four training sessions to the Kingdom of Thailand. This training dealt specifically with the Seaports of Bangkok and Laem Chabang as well as the Airports of Thailand. This training was focused on teaching their Emergency Responders (Royal Thai Police, Thai Marine Police, Thai Port Authority, Fire, Medical Services, Royal Thai Air Force/Army, Thai National Security Council, Thai Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and local responders). This Thai training focused on teaching a “Thailand” adapted Incident Command System, Port Security, including assisting in Port vulnerability and threat assessments, and issues with Civil Disobedience and Crowd Control, as they relate to their Port environment.
Marty also performs collateral duties as a Training Officer, training Port Officers in Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC), Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), Under Vehicle Camera inspection System (used to detect IED’s, contraband and other items that could be smuggled into the Port) and the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s (FEMA) National Incident Management System/Incident Command System (a standardized national approach for various responders to effectively prepare, prevent, respond and mitigate natural and manmade disasters or crisis). Officer Kapsh is a current member of Pierce County’s Type 3 Incident Management Team.
The government of Thailand has continued to request that Marty Kapsh be allowed to travel to Thailand to instruct their Emergency Responders. For more information on the State Partnership Program and training that Marty has been involved with in Thailand read more... |
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