NCJ Number
198066
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 26 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2002 Pages: 60-62,64,67
Date Published
October 2002
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the Office of Homeland Security’s First Responder Initiative plan to fund local law enforcement agencies.
Abstract
Focusing on Federal fund sharing with local public safety agencies, this article discusses the Office of Homeland Security’s First Responder Initiative plan. After arguing that the greatest stumbling block to public safety agencies’ preparations against future terrorist attacks is funding, the author discusses the Federal Government’s attempts to help local and State agencies defray some of the costs of preparing for terrorist attacks through the newly formed Office of Homeland Security. Requiring local public safety agencies to use First Responder Initiative funds to prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks, to develop chemical and biological warfare detection systems, to train fire and police department and emergency medical technician workers in the event of an attack, and to support regular simulation exercises to ensure agency readiness, the Office of Homeland Security proposes to distribute funding from Federal coffers and through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Arguing that local law enforcement officials are beginning to recognize that terrorist attacks may happen at any time and in any city, the article suggests that first-responder capabilities, made possible through the First Responder Initiative funding plan, need to be thoroughly designed and implemented in order to make communities safer.