Technology Support System for Homeland Security - Assignment Example

? TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY Technology Support System for Homeland Security TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY Executive Summary The Department of Homeland Security or DHS was created by former U.S. President George W. Bush as a post-9/11 response to the threat of Jhadist terrorism in the United States. The DHS was thereupon mandated to mobilize and focus the vast resources of the federal, state and local governments, jointly supported by the American people. It is aimed at reducing American vulnerability, and minimizing the damage and hastening recovery in case any attack does occur (Hutton and Mydlarz, 2003). Former Senator Rudman views the department to be a needed “formulation” in spite of the existing of great Army, Marine Corps and Air Force (2003). However, in assessing the organization and mission of the DHS, this proposal sees the agency to be wanting in resources and capacity along the aspects of independent mobilization and focus of initiatives. Organizationally, the DHS has to correlate with federal agencies to be able to mobilize anti-terrorism initiatives; it also lacks the integrated mechanism so that the department can effectively interface with the anti-terrorism network of agencies within the bureaucracy. Thus, the creation of an Information Communication and Assistance Services or ICAS is hereby proposed. Specifically, the ICAS is a novel concept of a management information system which will link the DHS with correlated anti-terrorism federal, state and local agencies using information and communication technologies. It will also enable the DHS to directly serve the people at the grassroots level through a social Web site and a 9-12 quick assistance response system. If implemented with a budget request of 18 Million USD, the proposal will consequently resolve what U.S. President Barack Obama perceives to be a “systemic failure in the existing homeland security services (Newsweek, an. 11, 2010). TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY Problem Identification The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States have greatly dismayed Americans on their vulnerability to terrorism at home. Beyond the great grief of the citizenry, the catastrophic event provoked an awareness of the country’s dire need for security. Describing terrorism as “a global, generation-defining struggle against an enemy of vast military and ideological power,” (Time, 2000), U.S. President George W. Bush ordered the setting up of a Department of Home Security or DHS in order to protect the nation from terrorism inflicted in any of its 50 states. (50 States.com, 2012). This unprecedented move was intended not simply to enlarge the already existing security manpower of the United States, but to enlist the cooperation of partners involving all relevant security agencies, and the American citizenry as well. The potential threats are many, ranging from home-made bombs to ballistic missiles hurled from concealed sites thousands of miles away. The tools of terrorism also vary from simple devises hidden in an air traveler’s shoe to sophisticated nuclear weapons system, each having the capacity to inflict a high share of human suffering and death. The department has therefore been given a critical mandate to “mobilize and focus the resources of the federal government, state and local governments, the private sector and the American people to accomplish its mission to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur” (Hutton & Mydlarz, 2003). TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY Understandably, the challenge assumed by the department is immense. Already since the 2001 September attacks that toppled down the New York Twin Towers, it was reported that 45 Jhadist terror attacks were planned against the United States (Avlon, 2011). Fortunately, these were prevented by proficient intelligence work, functional policing, and avid public support. Still there is no reason to be complacent, since it is seen that “the challenge for homeland security requires more than protective and retaliatory weaponry but the knowledge base among those entrusted with homeland security” (Hutton and Mydlarz, 2003). Technological science is invaluable in detecting bombs in suit cases, scanning vehicles electronically, and uncovering deadly virus in liquid form or gels. It can also help in protecting water supplies from contamination by biological agents, energy sources from destruction, and telecommunications systems from demolition. Domestic technology devices like landlines, cell phones, and personal computers can also help the citizenry in making calls to avert suspicious movements to strike terror in homes, subways, malls, and wherever Americans enjoy their democratic and progressive way of living. The establishment of a Department of Homeland Security has gained the appreciation of the American public. Former Senator Warren Rudman vouched for it, saying that “we have a great navy and a great army, and a great marine corps and a great air force. But when it comes to defending America from terrorists, they can respond for us, but here in this country, defending against people like we are dealing with, that is now what we need. We need other formulations.” (Rudman, 2001). Still, the need to redefine these formulations like the Department of TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY Homeland Security is a necessity after adjustments have been suggested, especially by those who claim that “what works is really good old fashioned policy—law enforcement, tips from the public, police informants—and not so much spies overseas, or satellites run by tree letter government agencies” inclusive of the CIA,FBI, and the DHS (Dhal, 2011). In assessing the Department of Homeland Security as an organization, the following appears to be its outstanding features: It aims to mobilize and focus existing resources both of the public sector (from federal to ate and local governments), as well as the private sector; It has a fourfold task, namely prevention from terrorist attacks, reduction of vulnerability, minimization of damage, and recovery in case attacks occurred within the territorial boundaries of the United States. As a security organization, however, the department has no resources or capacity to mobilize anti-terrorism initiatives as an independent agency. Rather, it has to correlate with other agencies to achieve its mandate, among these agencies being the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services, the U.S. Customs Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Fire Administration, the U.S. Capitol Police, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Criminal Investigation Investigative Service, and the military (US Air Force, US Army, US Navy, and US Marines (2003). TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY As can be gleaned from its organizational chart, the Department of Homeland Security simply relates and coordinates existing security, intelligence, defense, and services response agencies (Appendix A). In exercising its mobilization-and-focus functions, it merely complements the implementing agencies through its anti-terrorism mandate, expertise, and guidance. Given the situation the following problems are identified: 1. The department has no direct involvement in anti-terrorism initiatives at the field level; 2. There is no existing single technological linkage between the DHS and agencies which implements anti-terrorism initiatives, and; 3. The involvement of the private sector is not effectively engendered, as citizens are simply encouraged to call for assistance from police or military agencies whenever an act of terrorism is suspected or perceived. Whenever such dangers arise, callers will have to use communication lines available to them in order to separately reach the local police, the military, immigration, intelligence services, or the offices of the DHS. Given its mainly co-relational functions and capabilities, the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the Department of Homeland Security is thereby a veritable issue. The terrorist problem has its complexity, and there is the constant possibility of large-scale and simultaneous attacks on any city, site or infrastructure in any of the fifty states of the nation. Yet due to lack of an integrated mechanism to support the capabilities of the DHS, the danger posed by terrorist TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY groups like the Al Queda is not difficult to imagine. (Newsweek, 2010). Problem Development There is a critical need for reorganizing the Department of Homeland Security so that it can accomplish its mandate through adoption of a system that will enable the DHS to actively relate to field operations in a proactive manner. This mechanism should make the DHS interface effectively with correlated agencies, while reaching out to the citizenry at the grassroots level. The use of information and communication technology or ICT can serve these aims. It is therefore most conducive that the DHS utilizes these resources to fulfill its mandate to guarantee the protection of the nation from the most serious threat of terrorism. More specifically, a new technological design is proposed, consisting in what may be called an Information Communication and Assistance Service or ICAS. The physical layout or typology to be adopted is a Wide Area Network (WAN) functioning as a management information system or MIS for effective and timely interchange of information by the DHS with correlating agencies and to-be-created field units at the state-city-municipality levels. Utilizing a Website, the proposed ICAS will serve as an interactive social communications forum with the entire citizenry. Through a secure communication network, it will transmit proactive reports to the DHS Secretary, and the Secretary in turn whenever necessary can communicate ICAS reports to the President of the United States. Through the use of instantaneous ICT communications technology, concerted assistance is also mobilized at the necessary level (federal, state, and local) for effective and timely responses to home security TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY threats including biological, cyber, nuclear, chemical, radiological or conventional violence (Appendix B). Methods The Information Communication and Assistance Service (ICAS) organization will be set up, filling up its manpower positions, and establishing the DHS management information system. The network shall be comprised by: A. A secured ICAS Internet connection with the Office of the DHS Secretary within the setting of a DHS-ICAS central operations room. B. A communications network connecting the DHS-ICAS with correlating agencies—federal, state and local. C. At the field level, ICAS service units shall be assigned in cities and other needed districts to receive calls from citizens through a 9-12 terrorism emergency line, as a counterpart of the 9-11 emergency line for police or medical assistance. (Appendix C) Personnel, Equipment, Facilities The following resources will comprise the ICAS system: ICAS Washington, D.C. Main MIS Operations Room with ICT facilities for nationwide outreach; TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY ICAS field offices in 50 states (cities, and other areas if needed). Field offices are equipped with ICT facilities and ICT mobile vans; MIS technology total infrastructure: computers and laptops, Internet secure connections, printers, fax machines, office facilities and equipment. Total manpower resource of 250 technical ICT staff Budget ICAS systems infrastructure……………………………… 10 Million USD ICAS officials and technical staff ………………………. 5 Million USD/annum Maintenance, repairs, supplies………………………….. 3 Million USD/ annum Evaluation The criteria to evaluate the ICAS information, communication and assistance services shall be: Criteria 1 -- Effectiveness of correlation: DHS Office of the Secretary w/ Field services DHS Office w/ correlating agencies DHS Secretary w/ the President of the United States DHS with the citizenry at all levels (federal, state, local) TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY Criteria 2 --- Timeliness or proactivity in managing incidents/issues Criteria 3 -- intelligence and successful outcome Criteria 4 -- Cost effectiveness, inclusive of cost saved in preventing terroristic damage and/or harm to people and infrastructure Criteria 5 -- Maximal mobilization of agencies of the state against terrorism Criteria 6 -- Winning heart-and-minds of policy-makers in the war against terrorism Criteria 6 – Winning hearts-and-minds of the American people in the war against terrorism Conclusion The creation by President Geore W. Bush of Department of Homeland Security was most timely and necessary as a post-9/11 response to continuing threat posed by terrorism. However, as Philip Zelikow, the executive director of the 9/11 Commission has observed, there is a need to analyze failures in homeland security (Newsweek, Jan. 10, 2010). Among these recent failures is the case of a 23 year old Nigerian, who took a Christmas Day Northwest Flight 253 to Detroit and tried to blow himself up along with others aboard by igniting his chemical--packed underpants. The worst was prevented by airline stewards and passengers, but the incident drew a reaction from no less than President Barack Obama who admitted a “systemic failure” in America’s air travel screening process (Newsweek, Jan. 11 2010). TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY This perception of a systemic failure can apply to the Department of Homeland Security which lacks capability to independently be a proactive and effective protector of the homeland security. An Information Communication and Assistance Service is therefore proposed as a remedial technology system with nationwide outreach for proactive and effective response to terrorism threats against the nation. TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY Appendix A Department of Homeland Security (Source: Barron’s Guide to Homeland Security, Hutton and Mydlarz, p. 5) TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY Appendix B Homeland Security Threats (Source: Barron’s Guide to Homeland Security, Hutton & Mydlarz, page2) TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY Appendix C (Proposed Information, Communication and Assistance Service (ICAS) technology system TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HOMELAND SECURITY References Avlon, J. (2012). 45 Jhadist Attack Plots Against Americans Since 9/11. Available from The Daily Beast.com (accessed June 2012) Benart, Peter (2010). Shrinking the War on Terrorism, Time, 22-25. Dickey, Christopher (2010). A Thousand Points of Hate. Newsweek, 20-27. Homeland Security (2012). Department of Homeland Security. Available from http://www.dhs.gov/ (accessed June 2012) Hutton, D. & Mydlarz, A. (2003). Guide to Homeland Security Career, XIV. New York: Barron’s. Zakaria, Fareed (2010). The Children of Bin Laden. Newsweek, 4-5. 50 states.com (2012). Available from http://www.50 states.com/(accessed June 2012) Read More