How Terrorism Law Enforcement Prepares For Terrorism

Local law enforcement is the first-line of defense against terrorism and nefarious agents that wish to harm U.S. persons and interests. Based on the 9/11 Commission’s findings, Congress specifically created the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement (OSLLE)(DHS.GOV 2016). OSLLE has two, overarching responsibilities regarding homeland security. First, the organization leads and coordinates DHS policies aimed at “preventing, preparing for, protecting against, and responding to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disaster” at the local, state, or territorial level(DHS.GOV 2016). Second, it is tasked with serving as a liaison between DHS and local and state law enforcement departments and agencies throughout the U.S(DHS.GOV 2016). Experts note that

Today, domestic terrorism is one of the major threats to the national security of the US. Since 9/11, the US intelligence services and law enforcement agencies viewed international terrorism as the major threat to the public security of the US but the threat of domestic terrorism has been underestimated. At any rate, American law enforcement agencies conduct active campaigns to prevent international terrorism but domestic terrorism become a serious threat to the national security of the US. In such a way, the US needs to develop effective strategies to prevent the rise of domestic terrorism. Otherwise, the US may face a threat of the consistent growth of domestic terrorism as do some European countries, such as the UK, for instance. Therefore, law enforcement agencies should focus their attention on the prevention of domestic terrorism because, even though domestic terrorism is unseen, it may be even more dangerous than international terrorism. Domestic terrorists undermine the country from within, while international terrorists attack the US from the outside and the US can raise barriers to protect Americans from the foreign threat, while domestic terrorism needs effective work of law enforcement agencies nationwide. Therefore, domestic terrorism is a serious threat to the national security of the US and American law enforcement agencies along legislators and the public have to unite their efforts in the struggle against domestic terrorism.

September 11, 2001 showed that there were weaknesses in communication and emergency response. It also significantly changed the role police have with the prevention of terrorist acts. As Oliver stated, “... policing in the post-September 11 environment is not only a response to the specific events...but also an amalgam of change brought about by various political, economic, and social factors in the United States...” (Homeland Security for Policing, 2007, p. 43).

The horrific events of September 11, 2001, profoundly altered the way law enforcement agencies conducted business. The creation of new agencies arose, strategies, procedures, and training for law enforcement was necessary to prepare and combat terrorism. In this paper, I will analyze the before and after effects, the events of 9/11 caused in law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and what improvements I feel are needed to keep our nation safe from terrorism.

Domestic terrorism has been a major threat in the US since the catastrophic event that took place during attack on 9/11. Following the aftermath of the terrorist attack, the US intelligence services and law enforcement agencies emphasized heavily on combating terrorism on global scale as international terrorism was views as the major threat to the public security of the US which caused the issue of domestic terrorism to be overlooked. We have seen many terrorist attacks since the attack on 9/11 that were planned and executed by individuals and groups born and raised in America. Some of those attacks include the Oklahoma City bombing, the Boston marathon bombing. There has also been increasing number of mass shooting by individuals that were identified as to be radicalized by terrorist groups abroad, the most recent mass shooting that was identified as a terrorist act was in Orlando where more than 50 people were killed (Alveraz, p.1). The cases mentioned above will be discussed in detail later in the essay. Although, American law enforcement agencies are actively conducting intelligence and operational missions to prevent international terrorism, however, the US needs to develop efficient tactics to prevent the rise of domestic terrorism. Otherwise, the United States may face a danger of the unfailing growth of domestic terrorism similar to some of the European countries; such as the United Kingdom. Consequently, law enforcement agencies should concentrate on the preclusion

9/11 forever changed the United States Criminal Justus System. Most notably the mission forever changed for the State, city and local police departments. With the exception of large cities, police department were not trained or equipped to handle terror attacks of any scale. In the aftershock of 9/11, police departments of all sizes realized the developing terrorism threats would require participation of local police as well as larger agencies to not only respond to attacks but potently stop them. 9/11 also produced U.S. citizen sympathizers or “homegrown terrorists” complicating the definition of what we thought Terrorism is. The Aurora, Colorado Theater shootings, Fort Hood, Texas shootings, and South Carolina church shootings are all active

There has been much less consideration in the role of state and local government, which play a major role in preventing and responding to a terrorist attack. Community policing and other federal agencies can share many strategies such as transforming the agencies to take on new mission should be part of the homeland security strategy because fighting local crimes is the more effective approach in dealing fear and social disorder. When law enforcement are being trained toward a national role in homeland

Terrorism has never been in the States; only in third world countries. Since 9/11-2001 is has been a reality and ongoing nightmare and hit close to home. The attack on the World Trade Centers in New York was a wakeup call. United States has been on high alert ever since, waiting for the next possible Terrorists attack. This paper will explain why terrorism is a law enforcement concern as well as how terrorism is considered a crime. At last the paper will state some recommendations that the American Criminal Justice should do, to better prepare for future crimes.

8). Therefore, although the attacks of 9/11 generated alterations in our national defense strategies, it additionally adjusted law enforcement policies immensely (Brooks, B. E., 2010, p. 113). It is now more common to have squads of police officers, such as SWAT teams, with specialized training in preventing future terrorist attacks. With exceptions to some officers at the local level, many of these specially trained teams are made up of state and national law enforcement. There are several local law enforcement agencies throughout America that do participate in anti-terrorism training, but on a larger scale many of these local departments lack the necessary training needed to prevent such threats. Therefore, local police departments, who lack special training, depend on the departments that are qualified to aid them. Likewise, the training these lower level law enforcement officers obtain varies greatly than that of state and national law enforcement. Despite the quantity of officers in local law enforcement departments, it is essential that each individual officer undergoes the preparations that are essential to be well equipped for reacting to a threat of terrorism. These preparations are crucial in that local law enforcement officers are often the first responders to these attacks, therefore they should be familiar

Domestic Terrorism has become a serious problem in the United States. The actions taken by offenders on April 15, 2013 disrupted the lives of many. This paper will explore events surrounding the Boston Marathon bombing incident and evaluate the effects caused by the incident. While also reviewing the strategies of various local, state, and federal agencies and how they coordinated their efforts to suspects while also ensuring the safety of the public at the same time. Practices conducted by law enforcement agencies during investigation will also be analyzed to determine whether conducted properly and ethical. Not only will this paper discuss the investigation but the criminal proceeding in which parties involved face prosecution. During criminal

Local law enforcement can facilitate information gathering among ethnic or religious community groups with whom police have established a relationship. It will generally be citizens who observe the unusual groups of men living in apartments or motels, or unusual behavior at flight schools in their own community, and could be expected to report such observations to the local police. Problem solving models typically used in community policing are well suited for preventing and responding to possible terrorist activity. Using existing data sources, agencies can conduct target vulnerability assessments and develop risk-management and crisis plans. Community policing is not in itself a tactic or strategy, but instead a philosophical approach to how policing is conducted. At its core, community-oriented policing is based on law enforcement and the community joining together to identify and address issues of crime and social disorder.

The terrorist threat is quickly becoming one of the most significant threats to the United States, but more importantly to local communities. Terrorist threats can come from large scale attacks like the 9/11 attacks or from smaller loan wolf threats like the San Bernardino, CA shootings. In either case, local communities, families, and law enforcement (LE) agencies feel the initial impact as well as the immediate and long term fallout. State, local, and tribal governments use the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment process to detect risks and decide how to tackle the challenges (DHS, 2014, pg. 36). To try to prevent terrorist threats from occurring many local LE agencies have become

“We have learned as a Nation that we must maintain a constant, capable, and vigilant posture to protect ourselves against new threats and evolving hazards. But we have also learned that vigilance and protection are not ends in and of themselves, but rather necessary tools in the service of our national purpose.”(Napolitano, 2010, p.iv) In the wake of the September 11th, 2001 attacks our nation has taken upon itself extreme vigilance to ensure the security and defense of the American people. The relationship between homeland security and homeland defense is one that is tightly knit. Each has a very distinct mission set but somewhere along the spectrum they cross over and mutually support each other in the best interest of the nation.

This paper discuses in regard to the demanding situations that a Florida law enforcement officers needs to deal with on a daily basis as a result of trying to combat potential terrorist threats. By relating to various laws given by the state of Florida and to various duties that an officer needs to complete, the paper attempts to demonstrate that it is especially difficult to be a law enforcement officer in the contemporary society.

“local police departments must balance the competing challenges that urban counterterrorism initiatives raise from security, law enforcement, intelligence and civil liberties perspectives” (Silber, 2013, p. 150).