Local Police Response to Terrorism - Research Paper Example

Abstract This paper examines the measures and initiatives taken by local law enforcement organizations in the U.S. in response to increased terrorist attacks. It analyzes, and interprets information obtained from the studies conducted by other academic scholars on this topic, in addition to information sourced from the resources of a number of law enforcement organizations operating at the local level in the United States. This research established that the initiatives and measures taken by local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. have been largely successful, but some of them are inappropriate and need to be abandoned or improved because they result in harm to some innocent groups of people in American society. Local Police Response to Terrorism Introduction Local law enforcement organizations in the U.S. are facing a set of problems and issues that are becoming increasingly complex, with the emergence of threats against national security and criminal networks coordinated at the global level. Terrorism has become the most serious threat against national security that countries are facing today. With the emergence of radical Islamism, modern-day criminals are extending their terrorist activities across international boundaries. These terrorists have proven to be highly adaptive in their techniques of terrorism proliferation. Local police agencies remained with no option, but to upgrade their capabilities in order to be able to counter this new menace. They are coming up with new strategies that are just as networked and adaptive as those employed by the terrorists (Kayyem & Pangi, 2003). Overview Local police have come to the realization that time-tested approaches, which focus on prevention, are no longer effective at successfully meeting the complex new challenges that have arisen due to terrorism. It is now apparent that prevention approaches must be integrated with new ones focusing on prediction. Local law enforcement agencies have integrated the systems designed to safeguard and protect sensitive information, with efforts to collaborate and collaborate with other law enforcement establishments both within the U.S. and abroad. Strategic relationships anchored in local communities, have replaced localized, territorial approaches of operation. These new strategies whose purpose is to counter terrorism are driven by the reality that radical ideologies often have global implications. The terrorist groups that harbor these ideologies and use violence to achieve their aims, have a global reach. It enables them to hit localized targets in various countries including the United States. The impact posed by this new reality is that attacks waged by terrorists can result in devastating effects on the U.S. and its interests. The U.S. can experience these effects no matter the global location that such attacks take place (Council of State Governments, 2005). Local police organizations in the U.S. are facing a brutal, unfamiliar, and amorphous adversary. This terrorist threat can be divided into three categories, which local police have to give equal importance and emphasis in order to deal with the threat of terrorism effectively. The first category includes homegrown terrorists whose inspiration comes from Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. The second involves foreign terrorists who enter the United States to raise funds for financing their operations in the U.S. or abroad. Finally, terrorists whose supporting framework for their operations occurs both in the U.S. and foreign countries and, therefore, they have the capability to conduct their operations in both arenas. As an example, the experience of the Los Angeles, California Police Department with regard to terrorists indicates that the principal threats in this locality are locally-based, self-directed, and self-generating. The LADP has on numerous occasions identified direct connections between local suspects and overseas groups, but actors based locally were mostly responsible for the initiation of these connections. For example, the LAPD uncovered a terrorist network in Lodi, California in 2007, where local homegrown terrorists were seeking terrorist training in some Middle East countries such as Pakistan. This consideration does not minimize the threat posed by foreign terrorists, but simply serves as evidence that local threats are as real and lethal as the international ones and, moreover, they will probably increase in the coming years (Kayyem & Pangi, 2003). Economic Impact of Local Police Response to Terrorism Spending on defense and security has increased massively in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The federal government spending on Defense and Homeland Security has hit $500 billion. Similarly, local law enforcement agencies have increased the proportion of their budgets dedicated to counter-terrorism and anti-terrorism activities. State and local police forces are allocating more funds and resources to counter the threat of terrorism, as the menace has become one of the gravest threats to homeland security. Many local law enforcement agencies have set up special units with specialized training to handle threats posed by terrorists. The training and financing of these tactical units has come at a massive cost to local law enforcement agencies. Of course, increased spending on counter-terrorism has come with an opportunity cost. Resources allocated to this initiative are not available for use in financing other purposes. If the source of the resources allocated to anti-terrorism is taxpayers’ money, then provision of essential public utilities will bear the brunt. Diversion of spending from education, health, and infrastructural development resulted in order to cater to the increasing demands of safeguarding the security of local citizens. The quality of education and healthcare has, therefore, been compromised by this divergence of much-needed resources. The result of a less healthy and less educated work force is a reduction in the level of productivity, which has resulted in compromise to local economic development (Weisburd et al, 2009). Local police forces have also been forced to allocate additional internal revenue to anti-terrorism. This measure has compromised other areas of security such as the war against drugs. The consequence of this diversion of resources has resulted in adverse effects on the local economic status of the jurisdictions of these police forces. Petty crime such as burglary and muggings have escalated, partly due to the allocation of fewer resources to their prevention, and partly due to the increased illicit drug abuse which influences idle youth to engage in criminal activities. The economic impact of escalation of other types of crime is adverse mainly because individuals who would usually be employed in lawful, productive activities instead become involved in crime leading to loss of crucial man hours and, consequently, economic productivity. In addition, increase in general insecurity due to increased incidences of petty crime leads to the reduction of the working period as many businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and various other retail outlets and small business enterprises are afraid of operating late into the night because of increased night-time insecurity. Reduction in the number of operating hours leads to decreased income for businesses, which translates to decreased economic output and increased revenue for local government in terms of less tax collected. Local government bears the responsibility of maintaining a conducive business environment and, therefore, when they have fewer resources for doing, so this function gets compromised. The business environment becomes less conducive for businesses to operate and make profit due to lack of sufficient infrastructure such as transport networks and communication systems. As a result, many businesses in numerous localities throughout the U.S. are to relocating to areas which are more conducive for their operations. The areas these businesses leave experience loss of employment opportunities and sources of revenue for local government. Ultimately, the general economic status of these localities has suffered tremendously due to reduced businesses investment (Council of State Governments, 2005). Social Impact of Local Police Response to Terrorism The social impact that the response of law enforcement organizations to terrorism has had on society is diverse. It mainly depends on the response displayed by the law enforcement in a certain locality. Response that entails diversion of resources to terrorism prevention from key law enforcement sectors such as the fight against drugs is leading to increased social crimes such as burglaries, muggings, rapes, and school violence. It has also resulted in the increase of incidents of indiscipline among the youth, especially teenagers, who become rebellious to their parents and authority due to the abuse of drugs. Increased insecurity with respect to petty crimes, which the local police neglect as they increase their focus on terrorism, also leads to the development of fear within the local community. Ultimately, it leads to distrust among members of the same community which leads to break up of social cohesiveness. In certain states and localities, such as Los Angeles, the local police have initiated various counter-terrorism measures which focus on fostering the participation of the local community in law enforcement. This community-orienting policing strategies result in the promotion of cooperation between members of the same community in the efforts to fight terrorism. In addition, the local citizens develop positive relationships among themselves which, ultimately lead to improved social cohesion and understanding (Kayyem & Pangi, 2003). Legal Impacts of Police Response The response of police to terrorism at the local level has led to much controversy concerning its infringement on the constitutional rights of local residents and visitors. In a country with a strong constitutional democracy such as the U.S., there is always much debate going on regarding the safeguarding of the rights of every citizen. Such rights include civil rights, social rights, and political rights. Civil rights constitute the freedom from government intervention in the private field, whereas political rights are essentially freedom of expression and effective political participation. Social rights constitute freedom of access to fundamental goods and services. There is much concern in various public and political sectors that police response to terrorism has gone overboard and violated the civil, social, and political rights of certain groups of people in American society. In particular, police response has hit hard citizens of the Muslim community. There has been general development among the public and the law enforcement of attitude and belief that any local Muslim is a potential terrorist or aids the activities of terrorists. This has led to the unfair targeting by the police of the members of this minority American community, including the violation of their privacy, trespass into their homes, and the illegal searching of their homes and business premises. In addition, their freedom of political expression and access to essential goods and services becomes compromised (Council of State Governments, 2005). Role of the Community in Local Police Response to Terrorism Law enforcement organizations operating at the local level have, over the years, strived to address the underlying causes and reduce the community’s fear of crime by forging effective partnerships with the local community. They have achieved this through the application of problem-solving tactics and strategies, and by transforming organization and culture of the agencies. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, law enforcement organizations at the local level throughout the U.S. have found themselves in a complex struggle to identify their responsibilities in ensuring the security of citizens within their jurisdictions, and in defining the future role they should play in the war against terrorism. In response to the September 11 attacks, local law enforcement organizations have come up with new policing models for combating terrorism. These new measures of safeguarding homeland security focus on addressing three key areas: intelligence gathering, crime prevention, and information sharing. Although these roles have previously played vital roles in local policing, it became evident that local policing requires a shift in roles of law enforcement if the police are to ensure the safety of local citizens (Miller, Hess, & Orthmann, 2011). Many of the objectives of preventing terrorism have similarities with current law enforcement policies that local police forces have designed to handle local crime issues. These similarities make it paramount for the inclusion of community, neighborhood, and individual crime-prevention strategies in the fight against terrorism. Community-oriented policing has varying definitions. However, stakeholders of law enforcement generally agree that it includes three crucial components. These are; the creation of effective partnerships with the local community and other private/public-sector resources, the utilization of tactics or strategies which focus on problem-solving, and the ultimate transformation of police culture and organization to provide a framework for supporting this philosophical shift. At its most basic level, community-oriented policing of terrorism entails the community and law enforcement organizations joining together in order to identify and tackle issues relating to local-based terrorism activities. Community oriented policing has its basis on the notion which holds that, citizens should be empowered to deter crime or problems and issues that cause it to happen. Therefore, the primary purpose of the community policing initiatives that have sprung up at the local level is to develop and maintain mutual trust between the local community and the law enforcement organizations. It provides the police with easy access to essential community information which may assist them to prevent and resolve crimes. These partnerships also provide a crucial framework for engaging citizens to assist police identify potential terrorist threat. Furthermore, the partnerships enable resource sharing between the local community and the police in the event of a terrorist attack. Utilizing Volunteer Resources The events of September 11, 2001, prompted various sectors of the public, leadership, and law enforcement agencies to see the significance of involving citizens in crime prevention. President Bush called for greater involvement of citizens in homeland security through various initiatives such as the Freedom Corps and Citizen Corps. He created these initiatives in order to provide the average citizen with the opportunity to participate directly in efforts of maintaining homeland security within their own communities. These volunteer efforts put to use the foundations already set by law enforcement so as to prepare local communities and societies to respond effectively to the threats posed by crime, and specifically terrorism. President Bush, and to some extent his successor, President Obama, made successful efforts, which resulted in the enhancement of community-policing programs that were already in place, including Neighborhood Watch, through the incorporation of terrorism deterrence into its mission (Kayyem & Pangi, 2003). Neighborhood Watch This program, which aims at preventing crime, has a history spanning thirty years during which it has actively engaged volunteer citizen efforts to enhance the security of local communities. It has mainly achieved this by encouraging citizens to report to the local police any suspicious activity in the immediate vicinity of their neighborhoods. Citizen Corps has increased the number of neighborhood watch programs by two-fold and incorporated terrorism prevention into the mission of the programs. Neighborhood Watch programs have also played a role in bringing residents of a neighborhood together to prepare themselves for disaster response and propagate terrorism awareness. In addition, these programs have served as a platform for conducting evacuation exercises and drills, and to implement group training programs such as the Community Emergency Response Team training (CERT). Another program, which plays a crucial role in community-oriented policing, is the Volunteers in Police Service Program (VIPS), which provides civilian volunteers with training to assist police departments at the local level by undertaking “non-sworn” duties. This initiative frees up police officers and enables them to dedicate more time to critical functions. The events of September 11, 2001, resulted in a massive increase in the demands on both local and state law enforcement. This led to stretching of already limited resources at a time when the country had a massive need for every available police officer in the efforts to fight terrorism. These programs provide valuable resources, which assist local law enforcement organizations to incorporate volunteers into their activities, and utilize best practices to maximize the effectiveness of current law enforcement design strategies in recruiting, training, and utilizing citizen volunteers. The Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) program plays a crucial role in bolstering the ability of local communities to respond effectively to disasters by providing civilians with emergency management planning training and response functions (Weisburd et al, 2009). For any terrorism strategy to be effective at achieving its purpose, it has to integrate the media in defining the scope, nature, and level of threat in terrorism situations. The media plays a central role in the provision of information and can, therefore, contribute positively towards calming the local community. This is an effective way of blunting the attitudinal, emotional, and behavioral responses to terrorism since it influences the response of citizens. Partnerships and relationships cultivated with producers and reporters by the local law enforcement have significantly aided the deliverance of accurate news and information to the public following terrorist attacks. While the government has not been entirely successful at controlling the reaction of the public in the wake of a terrorist attack, local officials have been quite successful at shaping the attitudes and behaviors of the public. This is by providing relevant information as well as seeking assistance from the public through the media, for information that may assist in the prevention or investigation of a terrorist incident (Miller, Hess, & Orthmann, 2011). Conclusion It is commendable that law enforcement organizations operating at the local level have undertaken numerous, effective measures in response to the elevated risk of terrorist attacks. Such measures have positively contributed to the prevention of terrorist activities and dealing with them appropriately when they do happen. Since these measures and initiatives have been largely effective, they have considerably contributed towards the restoration of public confidence and belief in the ability of law enforcement organizations at all administrative levels to keep them safe from attacks by terrorists. However, in some cases, the response elicited by the police in certain localities is not entirely appropriate and has led to negative consequences to certain sections of the local community or to the general society. These inappropriate initiatives have to be reconsidered and adjusted accordingly in order to ensure that the organizations bearing the responsibility of safeguarding the security of the community do not cause harm to the same community. References Kayyem, J. N. & Pangi, R. L. (2003). First to Arrive: State and Local Response to Terrorism. Cambridge: Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Miller, L. S., Hess, K. M. & Orthmann, C. H. (2011). Community Policing: Partnerships for Problem-Solving. New York: Delmar Cengage Learning. The Council of State Governments (2005). The Impact of Terrorism on State Law Enforcement: Adjusting to New Roles and Changing Conditions. Washington: Council of State Governments. Weisburd, D. et al (2009). To Protect and to Serve: Policing in an Age of Terrorism. New York: Springer Science + Business Media, LLC. Read More