An upgrade to a heightened orange alert in national security calls for increased attention to unusual activity for the police and public alike.

Lt. Matt Kiederlen of the University Police asks not only his officers but the general public to be more perceptive of their surroundings.

Lt. Jim Kayes of the DeKalb Police Department said that the warnings are not specific in revealing what sort of threat the government is aware of.

Government officials don’t want to say too much, Kayes said, because they run the risk of revealing their sources.

“If the government notices traffic increasing, something must be in the stages of happening real soon,” Kayes said.

The DeKalb Police Department has officers trained to handle hazardous materials in the event of biological warfare. However, the University Police has a team specialized for these types of situations.

The Critical Incident Response Team consists of seven members of the University Police: Chief Donald Grady, Kiederlen, two sergeants and three officers with a fourth to be added soon.

These officers are trained in not only biochemical and radiation hazards, but also receive special tactile training. This group of officers also is held to a higher expectation for physical fitness compared to other officers, Kiederlen said.

The likelihood of an attack occurring in DeKalb is slim since it has no major symbol that holds value to the nation, like the World Trade Center, Keyes said.

Most importantly, both departments agree that the upgrading of the alert system is not meant to alarm, but instead to inform citizens that they should be more aware.