Delaware Online reports on a major security effort involving port workers with the headline: “Port is first in U.S. to get new ID cards.” Here’s the lead.
After months of delays and nearly $100 million spent, a nationwide effort to issue standardized, high-security ID cards to more than a million longshoreman, dock workers, truckers and port workers kicks off at the Port of Wilmington today.
The story goes on to describe how port workers in Wilmington DE will be the first to undergo background checks and receive special “smart IDs” to make the ports and the US a safer place. The program was designed right after the September 11, 2001 attacks, but is only now being implemented.
Five thousand port workers in Wilmington are the first of approximately a million port workers around the country who will have their backgrounds checked out as the program rolls out to other ports over the next few months. Workers won’t be able to get one of the new ID cards if they are illegal immigrants, have links to terrorism or terrorist organizations, if they’ve committed a felony or if they’ve made bomb threats.
In addition to the obvious security outcomes, this is good for port-related businesses in other ways. The background checks are sure to weed out some people with criminal pasts who might turn to theft or violence.