When the events of 9-11 changed our world, Maine looked to the United States Coast Guard to meet the mission of homeland security: to protect our shoreline and ports. With 5,500 miles of the state’s coastline to monitor, the USCG turned to its closest partner: the Maine Marine Patrol (MMP).

For years both had worked together on search and rescue, oil spills and fisheries enforcement. Many were surprised that the two agencies interacted so quickly and effectively. The level of synergy, however, is more directly attributable to a long tradition rather than a response to an act of terrorism. Each time MMP responded to assist, normal field operations in support of the commercial fishing industry were maintained.

One of the best examples of the MMP’s effective management was illustrated by a request made by Bath Iron Works and the U.S. Navy shortly after 9-11. BIW had no maritime security force and the Navy required a 400-foot security zone established around its ships at the facility. Commissioner George Lapointe and MMP Col. Joseph E. Fessenden developed an action plan and an exit strategy. Within a very few days, MMP officers were working their days off at BIW and receiving overtime compensation that was paid by the U.S. Navy, not Maine tax dollars.

Additionally, the BIW mission was also revealing in another very important way. MMP officers had no jurisdictional authority to enforce the USCG’s “security zones.” As a result of the lack of jurisdictional authority, the MMP proposed state legislation in 2002, which, upon passage in 2003, allowed the department to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the USCG in support of safety and security zones.

On April 5, Rear Adm. Vivian Crea and Gov. John E. Baldacci signed a first-in-the-nation agreement between the state and the USCG for the enforcement of Federal Safety and Security Zones. During the signing ceremony, Adm. Crea noted that “the Coast Guard has long benefited from the extremely effective working relationship with the MMP.”

When President Bush visits his family’s summer home in Kenne-bunkport, there is a security zone placed around the compound. MMP officers have long assisted with the patrol of that zone in two very important roles: to protect the president and to properly identify legitimate fishermen who continue to fish their lobster traps within the security perimeter.

In a democracy, this is homeland security at its best. If you could define the mission of homeland security, it would look something like this in a maritime environment: To protect the citizens, property, infrastructure and coastline of the state of Maine and still allow for legitimate maritime pursuits.

The Department of Justice Grant Program supports the purchase of specialized boats designed for security missions. The MMP has assembled a review committee of its partners and has identified and proposed the purchase of two boats to meet the statewide support role to the USCG. Rather than a “boondoggle,” as described in an April 6 BDN editorial, this is a shining example of a small agency making all the right moves. The department remains focused on its primary mission while looking forward to leading the nation in a balanced response to the mission posed by the Department of Homeland Security.

The successes of this agency are found in what many in the law enforcement field describe as “community policing.” The MMP has pursued this philosophy for years by advocating for voluntary compliance within the state’s many fisheries. The officers have long used educational efforts and industry interaction to gain both the trust and respect of fishermen.

On a personal level, I am very proud to work for Commissioner Lapointe and Col. Fessenden who oversee a department that is a source of pride for all Mainers.

Maj. John C. Fetterman is deputy chief of the Maine Marine Patrol, the enforcement division of the Maine Department of Marine Resources.