Coast Guard Swears in Members of AMS

On March 8, at the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-53) and Rear Admiral Kevin Eldridge, Eleventh Coast Guard District Commander presided over the ceremony recognizing the establishment of the San Diego Area MaritimeSecurity (AMS) Committee. The formal establishment of an AMS Committee is one of the key measures of Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. As we commemorate the first anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security, this event marks a significant milestone in the effort to secure one of the Nation’s most strategic ports. The AMS Committee is composed of 22 members from all levels of government, maritime industry stakeholders, and the private sector. It will be Chaired by Commander Stephen P. Metruck, Coast Guard Captain of the Port and Federal Maritime Security Coordinator for San Diego, and Vice Chaired by Chief Betty Kelepecz, Chief of the San Diego Harbor Police. The AMS Committee will work with the Federal Maritime Security Coordinator to protect the communities bordering the Port, the 1.4 million passengers transported every year on the Bay, the millions of dollars in revenue and thousands of local jobs provided by the local maritime industry as well as the U.S. Naval installations, commands and assets home ported in San Diego.