U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 70106. Maritime safety and security teams

(a) In General.— To enhance the domestic maritime security capability of the United States, the Secretary shall establish such maritime safety and security teams as are needed to safeguard the public and protect vessels, harbors, ports, facilities, and cargo in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States from destruction, loss or injury from crime, or sabotage due to terrorist activity, and to respond to such activity in accordance with the transportation security plans developed under section 70103.

(b) Mission.— Each maritime safety and security team shall be trained, equipped, and capable of being employed to—

(1) deter, protect against, and rapidly respond to threats of maritime terrorism;

(2) enforce moving or fixed safety or security zones established pursuant to law;

(3) conduct high speed intercepts;

(4) board, search, and seize any article or thing on or at, respectively, a vessel or facility found to present a risk to the vessel or facility, or to a port;

(5) rapidly deploy to supplement United States armed forces domestically or overseas;

(6) respond to criminal or terrorist acts within a port so as to minimize, insofar as possible, the disruption caused by such acts;

(7) assist with facility vulnerability assessments required under this chapter; and

(8) carry out any other missions of the Coast Guard as are assigned to it by the Secretary.

(c) Coordination With Other Agencies.— To the maximum extent feasible, each maritime safety and security team shall coordinate its activities with other Federal, State, and local law enforcement and emergency response agencies.

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