On Wednesday, there was heavy police and military presence as well as a lot of noise coming from the Hillsborough River in front of the Tampa Convention Center.
Local law enforcement agencies held a mock joint air and water rescue and it was all a part of The National Homeland Security Conference being held at the Tampa Convention Center.
The Tampa Police Department worked with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, Tampa Fire Rescue and Hillsborough Fire Rescue to host the joint demonstration on from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29.
The Special Operations units gathered in the river in front of the Convention Center to demonstrate the mock rescue operation on a Starship cruise vessel.
The demonstration showcased the specialized training and resources that go into making sure Tampa Bay area law enforcement are prepared to work together to respond to situations that involve the area waterways.
During the demonstration, the waterways surrounding the Convention Center were closed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
