NCJ Number
212040
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 32 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2005 Pages: 32-36,38,39
Date Published
October 2005
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Utilizing the 2005 natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina as an example, this article discusses the need for law enforcement agencies to develop an emergency preparedness plan that can be effectively implemented in order to minimize the problems they may encounter following an emergency situation, such as Hurricane Katrina.
Abstract
After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the United States in 2005, thousands of Gulf Coast residents found themselves homeless and fighting to survive and law enforcement struggling to maintain order and public safety. In the face of such despair and in the wake of such immeasurable disaster, law enforcement has the capability of minimizing the problems they encounter. Law enforcement agencies need to build a foundation and cover the ground bases, so when disaster strikes they are prepared to respond. Preplanning can help keep law enforcement agencies from being burned when disaster strikes. The expectations of police officers during such an emergency must be spelled long before the emergency is a reality. Emergency plans should concentrate on transportation issues, answering what, where, who and when. Law enforcement must know their community and be able to communicate with the public. In these situations, more emphasis must be placed on the incident command system which includes staff, logistics, operations, and planning to coordinate resources. Everything centers on preplanning. While most law enforcement agencies possess emergency plans, there is a difference between having a plan and actually and effectively implementing it.