Discuss the Impact that the 911 Attacks had on US Law Enforcement - Research Paper Example

This prompted many changes in the country’s law enforcement, to prevent and prepare United States for such attacks in future. This paper discusses the impacts that the September 11 attacks had on the United States law enforcement. Immediately after the attack, George Bush, the then president of the United States declared war on all forms of terrorism. This resulted to drastic measures in the law enforcement to enhance their ability of responding to real and perceived threats from terrorism and other crimes.

Currently, Peterson (2005, p61) notes that police in United States have greater surveillance powers than ever before in the history of the country. The era after September 11 attacks witnessed changes in federal laws, interpretation of privacy rules and expansion of technological applications in matters related to security and law enforcement. In addition, methods and circumstances used by police to investigate the public were expanded, a development that has raised concerns that the state violates individual rights for privacy (Kegley, 2003, p13).

Proponents of the changes in the law enforcement argue that police should be equipped with all powers necessary to enhance their capacity of dealing with the modern international crime and terrorism. Coupled with increasing application of technology in crime, it is imperative for law enforcers to ensure public safety under highly unpredictable situations. One of the major impacts of September 11 terrorist attack is enhancement of surveillance operations in the United States. According to Kegley (2003, pp79-82) the legal and operational measures have been enhanced to apply greater inspection to minimize threats and apprehend international criminals before they commit crimes.

Abrams (2005, p29) argues that the inability of law enforcers to keep in pace with technological developments of international criminals has necessitated the need for improving on their surveillance and intelligence gathering ability. In this respect, law enforcers are increasingly incorporating private and public enterprises to access personal details of people in the country. To enhance greater access to personal information, American lawmakers and legal institutions modified civil privacy protection in response to the attack and anticipated global terrorism threats.

After the September 11 attacks in the United States, Abrams(2005, pp53-57) notes that the congress made several amendments on federal laws that gave police greater search and surveillance authority in addition to greater powers of accessing private information. These legal changes initially referred as the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act became the Patriot Act later (Abrams, 2005 p73). Kegley (2003, p50) notes that the Patriot Act modified fifteen laws that mainly dealt with counter-terrorism and gathering foreign intelligence.

The provisions in the Patriot Act include broadening the police search powers, consolidating police powers, expansion of domestic intelligence authority among other provisions. Broadening the police search powers provision authorized law enforcers to use enhanced surveillance techniques, search and gathering intelligence. These included allowing sneak and peek search warrants, authority to use tracking and wire tapping devices, monitoring of financial transactions, legalizing the use of investigation gag orders and authority to allow law enforcers