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Biweekly Homeland Security Insights for a Safer New Jersey |
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NJOHSP Summer CTC Meeting Emphasizes Law Enforcement, Military Collaboration
 Left to right: Maine State Police Major Scott Gosselin and Colonel William Ross; DITMAC Prevention and Response Coordinator Katherine Diaz-Callaway; NJOHSP Director Laurie Doran, Deputy Director Dan Engelhardt, and Intelligence and Operations Division Director Tom Hauck.
On August 6, NJOHSP's Counter-Threat Coordinators (CTCs) meeting in Hamilton, NJ, brought together numerous federal, State, and county law enforcement partners, including CTCs from all 21 New Jersey counties.
Maine State Police Colonel William Ross and Major Scott Gosselin discussed the need for collaboration across jurisdictions following the October 2023 Lewiston, Maine, active shooter tragedy where an Army reservist killed 18 individuals and injured 13 others.
Katherine Diaz-Callaway, a Prevention and Response Coordinator with the Department of Defense's Insider Threat Management Center (DITMAC), discussed DITMAC’s work to assess and mitigate threats from within, including those involving military personnel.
NJOHSP Director Laurie Doran underscored the importance of working closely with military partners and highlighted enhanced connections with New Jersey military installations, including Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Naval Weapons Station Earle, Picatinny Arsenal, and the DITMAC.
CTCs are vital in reporting suspicious activities and facilitating information sharing to address potential terrorism, counterintelligence, and targeted violence.
NJCCIC Reports Surge in Cryptocurrency Scams
 The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) has received numerous reports of cryptocurrency scams over the last month. These schemes are typically conducted to steal personally identifiable information, private keys, wallet addresses, and funds. Reported individual losses from these scams ranged from $1,300 to $310,000.
In fake investment campaigns, threat actors promise high-yield, quick return opportunities as lures to convince their targets to deposit funds on fraudulent platforms. They also impersonate cryptocurrency platforms such as Coinbase in unsolicited emails, texts, and phone calls, often using suspicious account activity claims to lure victims. Unsuspecting targets seeking to validate these messages may fall victim to "poisoned" search results when attempting to locate legitimate customer service phone numbers.
The NJCCIC advises individuals to thoroughly evaluate cryptocurrency opportunities and look for reputable sources to check reviews and performance history. Users should also avoid clicking links, opening attachments, responding to, or acting on unsolicited communications, and refrain from sharing private keys or seed phrases with anyone.
For more information, visit the NJCCIC's website.
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NJOHSP Interns Conclude Summer Internship with Final Capstone Presentations
 NJOHSP's 2025 summer interns recently presented their capstone projects to Director Laurie Doran and NJOHSP leadership, which included presentations on each bureau's responsibilities and available resources, counterterrorism, foreign extremism in NJ, cybersecurity threats, a counterintelligence investigation, critical infrastructure, and unmanned aircraft systems at Jersey Shore beaches.
The capstone projects allow interns to apply their academic knowledge to real-world challenges, gain valuable experience in the field, and contribute meaningfully to NJOHSP's mission of enhancing the security and preparedness of New Jersey.
Their dedication during their eight-week internship was inspiring. We thank them for their contributions and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
Visit NJOHSP's careers web page for more information on its internship program.
Don't Miss Out: Submit Your Application for the New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant Program
NJOHSP's application period for the State fiscal year 2026 New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NJ NSGP) is currently open and runs through September 15, 2025. Applicants are reminded to ensure that Vulnerability Risk Assessments (VRAs) are updated, particularly if security improvements have been made that eliminate previous vulnerabilities.
All VRAs must now include photographs of the facility for which security upgrades are requested, as well as images of specific areas requiring upgrades, including door locks, window blast film protection, and locations where closed-circuit television installation is requested.
This requirement applies to VRAs completed by local-, county-, and State-level law enforcement or private security firms. Failure to update a facility's VRA and provide the specified photographs may result in disqualification of the grant application.
For more information and to apply, please view NJOHSP's grants web page.
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Nonprofit Security Grant Program Funding Opportunity Update
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released the federal fiscal year 2025 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on July 28, 2025. As New Jersey's State Administrative Agency (SAA), NJOHSP is providing an information summary to our valued partners across New Jersey for awareness on current status:
- The State of New Jersey expects to receive $24,994,130 through this program.
- NJOHSP, in its role as SAA, submitted the State’s application materials through the federally administered FEMAGo platform on August 11, 2025.
- Pending FEMA's review and approval, NJOHSP plans to open the application period in the near future for eligible nonprofit organizations in New Jersey to apply for this competitive grant.
- NJOHSP will continue to message any updated information to our partners as needed.
For updates and additional information, visit NJOHSP's NSGP grant web page.
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Upcoming Training Programs
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NJOHSP-Coordinated Training
All NJOHSP-coordinated training courses are posted on the NJOHSP State Training Calendar. The calendar provides a course description, training location, target audience, and point of contact.
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Public Information Assistant
NJOHSP has an opening for a full-time Public Information Assistant (PIA) position assigned to the Communications Bureau within the Director’s Office. The selected candidate will support the internal and external communications and public outreach activities for NJOHSP. The PIA will help draft, edit, gather, prepare, coordinate, and distribute informative products, materials, and resources related to current and proposed NJOHSP programs. This position will also support the daily execution of public information efforts, including digital content (website and social media), media relations, and event coordination. The ideal candidate is a strong writer and detail-oriented communicator who can manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Non-traditional work hours, including evenings and weekends, may be required with or without advance notice. Travel may also be necessary to fulfill these duties.
To apply, view NJOHSP's careers web page.
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Principal Public Information Assistant
NJOHSP has an opening for a full-time Principal Public Information Assistant position assigned to the Communications Bureau within the Director’s Office. The selected candidate will assist the Communications Bureau Chief in coordinating a wide range of internal and external communications and public outreach activities for NJOHSP. This position, based in Hamilton, will also serve as a project manager, overseeing bureau deliverables and supporting strategic communications, agency events, and executive engagements by leading and coordinating advance team operations as needed. This role requires working in a fast-paced environment and being flexible with operational priorities. Non-traditional work hours, including evenings and weekends, may be required with or without advance notice. Travel may also be necessary to fulfill these duties.
To apply, view NJOHSP's careers web page.
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Counter-Threat Watch Specialist
NJOHSP invites talented individuals to apply for a Counter-Threat Watch Specialist position assigned to the Mission Support Bureau within the Intelligence and Operations Division, located at the New Jersey Regional Operations and Intelligence Center (NJ ROIC) in West Trenton, NJ. Requirements include a background in law enforcement/criminal justice, intelligence, or homeland security, as the job requires a basic understanding of the current threat environment. The position also requires strong writing and computer skills, the ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects in collaboration with various NJOHSP staff, the ability to adapt to a fluctuating workload, and the ability to work with individuals of all backgrounds. The successful candidate will be a team member with the ability to adapt easily to meet priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced and ever-changing threat environment.
To apply, visit NJOHSP's careers web page.
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Contact Information
For more information or to share feedback, please contact the Communications Bureau at communications@njohsp.gov.
The NJ Security Spotlight is a biweekly newsletter of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and is intended to provide constituents with important agency updates, publications, and announcements.
Please visit njohsp.gov/connect/nj-security-spotlight to read previous newsletters.
Report Threat-Related Suspicious Activity
Call 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ or email tips@njohsp.gov.
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