Local Law Enforcement Preparation For and Response to a Terrorist Act (From Terrorism: Defensive Strategies for Individuals, Companies and Governments, P 119-186, 2001, Lawrence J. Hogan, ed., -- See NCJ-192066)

• NCJ Number: 192076
• Author(s): John Kane
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 67 pages
• Sale Source: Amlex, Inc.
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Guideline
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter sets forth the basic guidelines to assist local law enforcement officers in their first response to terrorist incidents.

Abstract

The actions taken by first responders to a terrorist incident are of paramount importance. These initial actions will determine the safety of the innocent civilians involved and the ultimate successful outcome of the prosecution of the suspects. The first 20 to 60 minutes of an incident are the most critical. The six principles of response are Preparation, Site Surveys, Use of an Expert, Team Building, Clear Speech, and Unified Command. The more time spent on preparation and drills, the higher the success rate. The top 10 terrorist targets in the area should be identified and a site survey conducted. To get focused on potential targets and threats, the local law enforcement officers need to contact the local office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). An “expert” or individual that is really interested in the topic of terrorism should be selected to create a quality program within the local law enforcement agency. This person should have above average intelligence and public relations skills, a willingness to train others, and should have adequate support in funding to stay current on procedures regarding response to terrorism. Personal relationships between the emergency response organizations in the community are of utmost importance in team building and cooperation. Clear communications and standardization of terminology is an important issue. The task of Incident Command is a cooperative effort between three main players: the local fire department, local law enforcement, and the FBI. Unified Command presents the issue that all of the major players in an incident need to get together to share information, resources, and responsibility for the smooth delivery of effective service. The local law enforcement response to a suspected terrorist attack will encompass four major areas. In priority order they are: (1) Locate-Isolate-Evacuate (LIE); (2) The Mass Casualty Incident Protocol for Law Enforcement (MCI); (3) The Emergency Checklist; and (4) The Incident Command System (ICS). Checklists, diagrams