Suspicious Activity
What is Suspicious Activity?
Suspicious activity is any observed behavior that could indicate a person may be involved in a crime or about to commit a crime. With the help of the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative (NSI), the “See Something, Say Something”® campaign has identified indicators of terrorism-related suspicious activity. These include, but are not limited to:
Unusual items or situations
Eliciting information from staff/personnel
Observation or surveillance
Some of these activities could be innocent—it's up to law enforcement to determine whether the behavior warrants investigation. But we can all help keep our communities safe by paying attention to our surroundings and reporting suspicious activity to local law enforcement.
Protecting Citizens’ Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
The "See Something, Say Something®" campaign respects citizens' privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties by emphasizing behavior, rather than appearance, in identifying suspicious activity.
Factors such as race, ethnicity, and/or religious affiliation are not suspicious. The public should only report suspicious behavior and situations (e.g., an unattended backpack or package, or someone breaking into a restricted area). Only reports that document behavior that is reasonably indicative of criminal activity related to terrorism will be shared with federal partners.