The Response of State and Local Agencies to Terrorist Attacks

Compare and contrast the pre and post 9/11 law enforcement response to terrorism. What strategies could be implemented to increase future law enforcement capability in countering terrorism?

The topic we will be discussing in our paper is the Aurora Colorado Movie theatre shooting. First we will go over the events that happened in that movie theatre that day. Then we will discuss the security personal that the movie theatre had before the incident occurred. In addition we will go fourth with discussing how the police, hospital and other emergency personals responded to the tragic event. Did movie theatres change their way of security since this event? Then we will compare this event to homeland security and explain their connection. The Department of Homeland Security is constantly learning new things and changing procedures and protocols as needed to create a safe and secure nation. This event was important because the Department of Homeland Security took into consideration maybe their needs to be more security in movie theatres. Before this event movie theatres were one of the last places you think a tragic shooting incident would occur.

By understanding the steps to prepare for countering and responding to a terrorist, the well-being of US national security interests can be promoted and the exposure to risk and susceptibility to experiencing harm can be efficiently managed for communities, families and individuals in the event of a terrorist incident. The welfare of US national security, citizens and property can be effectively safeguarded through the understanding of protection strategies administered collectively by local communities, families and individuals. Local emergency operations planning, family disaster planning, as well as self-protection planning each represent important protective measures, which serve to educate the nation and its citizens how to

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

Terrorism has become a serious issue since the 9/11 attacks. Local, state, and federal law enforcement has been working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Counterterrorism efforts are in full effect and have priority. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has the responsibility of trying to predict and prevent terrorism attacks. For the FBI to be able to do this they collect, analyze, and share information with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

are sworn to serve. In order to do this law enforcement need to understand the

State and local law enforcement have a very big role to play in homeland security intelligence. They are the front line offense and defense since the climate in the United States changed on September 11, 2001. It could be suggested that the key for state and local law enforcement to be successful in the homeland intelligence game is to be employed more frequently and to be kept better informed of what the federal agencies are aware of with regard to intelligence and threats.

In homeland security they have many strategies to help protect the United States. Whether it is preventing a terrorist attack, or preventing a natural disaster. Homeland security has a strategy to make sure that everything works out. Now to give a brief background, President George Bush came up with the national homeland security strategy in July, 2002 after the attack of September, 11th. “The strategy set forth overall objectives to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and assist in the recovery from attacks that occur (Rabkin).” Now in November of that same year, the Homeland Security Act, was passed into a law furthermost creating the department

It is important to understand the steps to prepare and counter terrorist tactics because the threat of terrorist attacks are a real possibility. “Despite our security consciousness, if terrorists intend to wreak havoc it will be difficult to stop them.” (FEMA, 1999, P. 7) By identifying and raising awareness of things that may seem out of place, such as unattended packages, bags, or suspicious individuals we will be able to mitigate terrorist threats. Although this is a small step for non-first responders to take, it could make the difference in one life lost, or several lives lost. In Emergency Response to Terrorism: A Self-Study, the FBI reports, “When public safety agencies know of the presence of a device, they have only a 20 percent chance of finding it.” However, if as an aware citizen you see something suspicious you can call first responders and provide details about the device or suspicious behavior.

There were each steps that was taken during the September 11 attacks. Each President has taken steps in response to these terrorist threats. President George W. Bush gave the people hope after the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 attacks. During the attack, President Bush insisted that he want to return to the White House instead of being held up in the bunker to give the American people confidence to know that he is charge. President Bush did really wonderful job in speaking for and to the American people. According to George W. Bush’s essay on Impact and Legacy, President Bush signed this Act into law called the USA PATRIOT Act, which gave the government vast new powers in the effort to combat future acts of terror. It also sparked

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

Terrorist attacks are man-made attacks directed to harm or end the lives of civilians for the terrorist's specific reasons. In the past, these attacks were seen as uncommon and were shocking to the public whenever they did occur; however, after the Trade Center incident of September 11th, the public and the government finally realized that terrorist attacks were no longer simply a rare occurrence, but something to be anticipated and prepared for properly (Pilat, 2005). While shortly after the Oklahoma City bombing and foreign nuclear scares of the Clinton administration, the emphasis of WMD attacks rested on nuclear weapons, it became readily apparent that biological weapons were equally if not more dangerous to the public (Chittaranjan, 1998). Along this line of thought, the federal government enacted the CONPLAN, a plan that outlines the status and treatment of certain terrorist attacks and how these attacks are to be dealt with on a local, state, and national level. This paper will discuss the methods recommended for local responders at the scene of a WMD terrorist attack.

The missions held by homeland security and homeland defense are vital to the protection of the country against acts of terror. While relatively young programs, much has been achieved in the homeland security and homeland defense missions. To continue this success, the programs must evolve as the world evolves, and more specifically, the terrorists. To stay relevant, the Department of Homeland Security, its subordinate agencies, and the Department of Defense must evolve with the threats in a way that does not impede on civil liberties.

Today, I will seek to prove that not only does the United States have a history of torturing terrorism suspects by methods including waterboarding, sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, and threats to the self or the family, but also that the use of such torture is illegal according to United States and international law. I will also argue that the United States is guilty of the illegal extraordinary rendition of terrorist suspects. Further, I will argue that current standards for investigating terrorism suspects jeopardizes civil liberties under section 215 of the USA Patriot Act.

In the aftermath of a terrorist attack, local law enforcement is often the first responders on the scene. First responders have the most dangerous job of all since they can not always be sure that the threat is over when they enter a scene. These law enforcement officers, as first responders, have the responsibility of coordinating emergency services within the area and restoring the site. They do this by establishing an emergency command center in which they coordinate their efforts with local emergency personal such as paramedics and firefighters. They are responsible for anything that happens at the scene, including damage, until they have secured the scene (Maras, 2013).