NCJ Number
193274
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 69 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2002 Pages: 41,43-46,48
Date Published
2002
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the role of State and local law enforcement in the post-September 11 environment. It includes information on investigating, detecting, and preventing terrorist attacks, training law enforcement, developing a counter terrorism planning process, evaluating intelligence gathering and analytical capabilities, and creating terrorism task forces.
Abstract
During this period of change, one thing that remains the same is that State ands local law enforcement’s role is to protect the lives and property of citizens. No agency is closer to the activities of the community than the law enforcement agency that has responsibility and jurisdiction for protecting the community. After the Oklahoma City bombing, State and local law enforcement directed a significant amount of effort to improving America’s ability to respond to terrorism. Traditional counter terrorism planning involves a three-prong approach: interdiction and prevention, crisis management and consequence management. While there is a need for first responder training, it has now become evident that law enforcement also needs to concentrate efforts on investigating, detecting, and preventing acts of terrorism. There are four important steps in interdiction and prevention efforts. One, through training, there needs to be a better understanding of the enemy. State and local law enforcement are experienced in dealing with the “typical criminal.” Greed or control issues drive most individuals with whom law enforcement comes into contact. Terrorists, on the other hand, operate on a completely different agenda. Many are adherents of nontraditional religious beliefs. It is therefore necessary to train State and local law enforcement in extremist behavior. Two, a comprehensive planning process needs to be implemented. By creating a specific counter terrorism planning process, administrators can better respond to terrorist incidents. Three, there needs to be increased intelligence gathering and analytical capabilities. Obtaining information about the identity, goals, plans, and vulnerabilities of terrorists is extremely difficult. There are a number of resources available to agencies to assist them with intelligence gathering: the Regional Information Sharing System (RISS), the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs) databases, and the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC). Another resource is the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA). And finally, there needs to be cooperation at all government levels in the formation of, or the participation in, terrorism task forces or working groups.