From: Mike Schultz SIWP01.OPS1.SCHULTZM@ic.si.edu
To: TonCremers@museum-security.org
The Smithsonian Institution will present the National Conference on
Cultural Property Protection at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel
in Arlington, Virginia, February 9-12, 1998. For more than 20 years,
this annual conference has provided invaluable training for
professionals in the field of cultural property protection. The
program is endorsed by the security committees of AAM and ICOM.
The conference program will address interests and concerns of
museum, library, and archive professionals and will feature sessions
on topics such as International Art Theft, Managing Bomb Incidents,
Fire Safety, Integrated Access Control, Pre-employment Screening, Risk
Management, Computer Tech/Security, Leadership/Officer Training,
Letter/Package Screening, Diversity, Electronic Security Standards,
Physical Security Standards, Workplace Violence, and Video
Surveillance. Presentations will be offered in both formal and
informal settings and large and small groups so that you will have a
chance to share information in a comfortable environment.
Mike Schultz
Office of Protection Services
Smithsonian Institution
siwp01.ops1.schultzm@ic.si.edu
The Office of Protection Services (OPS), Smithsonian Institution (SI), is recruiting a Deputy Director. The position may be filled as a civil service or Smithsonian trust fund position. The suggested salary is $75,935. Applications must be postmarked by December 8, 1997. The succesful candidate will serve as Deputy Director (Operations) for the Office of Protection Services (OPS), a major support activity within the Facilities Services Group, Smithsonian Institution (SI). The Deputy Director participates fully with the Director in managing the full range of security, protection and law enforcement matters affecting the Institution. The Office of Protection Services is responsible for conducting a major security program which provides 24-hour-a-day security, law enforcement and investigation services for SI facilities and properties in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area, New York City, and Panama. The scope of this program is characterized by requiring over 700 full-time employees, in a variety if professional, technical, administrative and protective occupations and an annual operating budget of approximately 28 million dollars. Incumbent is responsible for supervision of the activities of the security, protection and law enforcement operations to include the Security Units in the metropolitan Washington, DC area, New York City and Panama; the Central Information Center; the Technical Security Division; and the Security Services Division. The incumbent serves as Deputy Director (Operations) and carries out the full range of management responsibilities and acts with full authority over the total work of OPS during the Director's absence or unavailability. Provides executive direction for the major security, protection and law enforcement operations and programs of OPS. Participates fully with the Director in ensuring desired goals are achieved and targeting operations for savings, improved efficiency and greater benefits to OPS. Acts with broad latitude to determine what security operations should be implemented and what programs should be initiated, dropped or curtailed. The incumbent serves as principle advisor to the Director on all matters relating to security, protection, law enforcement, criminal investigations, personnel security and legal issues as they relate to law enforcement and security procedures, and to civil liability issues arising from duties related to the protection of staff, visitors and property of the SI. Formulates and recommends policies, procedures, and guidelines to achieve the program objectives of the operational activities of the OPS. Also within the scope of the Deputy Director's repsponsibilities are planning and directing security, protection, and law enforcement operations; assuring comprehensive readiness of operational units; supervising the design, integration, and implementation of security systems; oversight of the investigative and law enforcement program; direction of security surveys; strategic planning, goal-setting, quality implementation, and reinvention efforts; and liaison with other federal agencies engaged in law enforcement, security, and protection. For a complete copy of the vacancy announcement and information about application requirements, call the automated Jobline of the Office of Human Resources at 202.287.3102 or write to the address below. Personal assistance is available at 202.287.2469 during regular business hours. Applications should be sent to:
POLICE raiding an auction house they suspected of trading in stolen items could hardly believe their luck when a known burglar walked in to sell a piece of 17th-century silverware. The burglar, who is now on police bail, claimed that he had paid £1,000 for the piece and told officers: "You'll never be able to trace that." This boast, detectives fear, is all too justified. The man knew that if they could not trace the owner it would be returned to him. The same auction house in south London, which cannot be named for legal reasons, yielded other recently stolen solid silver pieces. Police say it is typical of the outlets that nurture the activities of burglars who are stealing antiques and treasured family possessions. One officer said: "There are many small auction houses. Some ask questions. Many don't. This one didn't. We see the same problem with some pawnbrokers." The silver pieces are just part of a collection of more than 20,000 items of property, worth £5 million and ranging from a horse-drawn cart to the finest of gems, which police believe are stolen and which will be displayed to the public at the biggest ever Operation Bumblebee Roadshow.
Other items on show will include:
A dancing woman with knife. This bronze was seized from a man in
south-east London whom police believe to be a drug dealer and is
likely to have been used by a burglar as a payment for drugs. It was
seized with a black bronze figure of the woman on a rearing horse.
Twelve rings, some of which are worth up to £18,000 each and which
in total are valued at around £150,000, were seized by police in
central London as part of the haul of up to 60 pieces, worth around
£500,000. A hoard of church property - including bishops' chairs,
chests and boxes. One of a pair of ornately worked antique wooden
chairs and a screen. They were seized by police in West Mercia. A
painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller, entitled Portrait of a Gentleman,
which may be worth up to £30,000. A French horn, worth around £4,500,
was seized from a suspected burglar in central London. Anyone who
recognises any of these pieces should contact the Operation Bumblebee
office on 0181 284 9731.
BURGLARY victims may be able to visit their local library or shopping centre to identify missing property on a computer screen, under a scheme being tested by the police. They hope that the system, which will be piloted at New Scotland Yard, will play an important role in re-uniting burglary victims with their property. The Metropolitan Police face a major frustration in their anti-burglary campaign, Operation Bumblebee, because they cannot trace the owners of many of the stolen items they recover. If owners cannot be found, property is often handed back to suspected or known burglars arrested with it, and prosecutions fall. The Met alone has £40 million worth of stolen property stored in London. A central database of recovered items compiled in the "Bumblebee Property Bank" contains 2,000 items, but it could be expanded to detail all the 20,000 suspected stolen items presented at the latest Operation Bumblebee roadshow, at the Queen's Stand, Epsom racecourse, from tomorrow until Sunday. The property bank will concentrate on items which are readily identifiable, such as jewellery, antiques and artwork. Members of the public will make appointments to visit the computer, in a spot at the back entrance to Scotland Yard. Officers will guide them in how to use the screen and will have access to police records of burglaries to verify claims. It is hoped that the scheme will be expanded to include screens in stations throughout the Met area and may be exported to other forces, some of which already produce video recordings of some stolen items. Sgt Geoff Bishop, the Bumblebee co-ordinator in south-east London, said: "If it works, we could see a situation where terminals can be installed in libraries or even big shopping centres." 6 October 1997: Police give goods back to suspect thieves 16 August 1997: Auction house tip puts police on trail of £1m art gang 9 April 1997: £500,000 in cash found during police raid 5 September 1996: Operation Bumblebee
If you have any information about these books, please contact:
Special Collections and Archives
James Branch Cabell Library
Virginia Commonwealth University
901 Park Ave. VCU Box 842033
Richmond, VA 23284-2033
(804)828-1108
rbonis@hsc.vcu.edu