Department of Homeland Security and Its Role within Our Government - Research Paper Example

Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security Introduction: a) Understanding the department of Homeland Security and its role within our government. Homeland security is mainly challenged by terror threats. The word terror was first used in the French Revolution (Elshtain, 2008). Since then, it has been used for describing a situation in which state enemy use illicit means and methods to harm or destroy sensitive installations of targeted countries. In the recent years, particularly after the events of 9/11, the global security paradigm changed completed and the level and nature of global and national security observed the rise of extremism and terrorism in the shape of the international terror organizations like Al-Qaida. Specifically speaking, protecting the national boundaries, civilians and providing sense of safety and security nationally, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was established. The prime role of DHS is to prevent, detect and protect the national interests inside the United States of America. In this regard, it is highly essential to point out that the national security is very complex and comprehensive endeavor in which all activities, which take place in the country, are closely monitored and supervised as well. From transportation to the borders, from coastal highways to cyber threats, the role of DHS is to closely monitor and take necessary security measures in case of any security threat directly or indirectly posing threat to the national security. b) Understanding the terrorism environment. After the war on terror, the global terror networks pose direct security threat to the national security. After the events of 9/11 and the subsequent global coalition against the global terrorism which was led by the United Sates, the international terrorist outfits are convinced that the United States is their direct enemy because it has hunt down many global and local terrorists, particularly after the demise of Osama bin Ladin. After the elimination of Osama bin Ladin, the terrorists are trying new and sophisticated methods to provide harm to the United States. Although they are no match to fight face to face with the US army, they have changed their tactics in which they use different methods for carrying out their missions. In other words, they have decided to use all possible means and methods for harming the country. As a result, such complex environment requires that DHS should always remain vigilant and ensure all safety and security measures for protecting and safeguarding the national interests. II. Issues that arise: a) The perception civilians have towards the Department of Homeland Security. In the general public, negative perceptions prevail about DHS (Ackerman, 2013). Ackerman (2013) points out that the agency has minimum and unpleasant public interaction with the common public. In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), which is a part of DHS, received public criticism when it mishandled the disaster relief operations after Hurricane Katrina; the story of negative perception does not end here, in 2010, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA), again a part of DHS, behaved unethically by publically showing the nude images of passengers (Ackerman, 2013). Both incidences evidently display that the general public’s perceptions are very negative about DHS. Based on the above evidences, it can be argued that the agency has not been able to perform its due departmental role as provided in its mission and vision statement. As a result, there are serious ramifications of this negative perception. First, the objective of national security in which the role of public cannot be undermined under any circumstances because if the general public is not reporting or highlighting the security threats, the very aim of DHS would not achieve its collective security purpose. In this regard, it is important to mention that any security threat, whether be it national or international, the role of general public is very essential and to deal with any security situation or threat, without the active cooperation from public, DHS would not be able to defeat the menace of local and international terrorism. Moreover, Khalil (2014) quotes the findings of the Pew Research Center poll in which 75 per cent of Americans agreed that occasional acts of terrorism will be a part of their future life. Based on this poll, it can be contended that the majority of civilians have not changed their perceptions about the possibility of terrorist attacks on their homeland despite the fact DHS has been in existence for the last more than 10 years. In other words, this poll also clearly demonstrates that the perceptions about security threats and terrorist attacks have not changed much and more interestingly it was thought before the establishment of DHS that the fear of terrorist attacks and presence of safety and security would be considerably different especially after the existence of DHS because the 9/11 attacks wrecked havoc throughout the world and the main physical and psychological victims were ordinary Americans. However, that did not happen. In the recent Pew poll, which was conducted after 12 years of 9/11 attacks, majority still believe that the sense of insecurity is more than real and the presence of peace and security has become a distant reality. b) Policies and laws that guide each department within DHS. In DHS, a number of sub-departments work under the supervision of DHS. They include Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), United States Coast Guard (USCG), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), United States Secret Services (USSS), Management Directorate, National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), Office of Health Affairs (OHA), Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A), Office of Operations Coordination and Planning and Office of Policy (DHS, n.d). In this regard, it is important to mention that each department has its own policies and procedures that are specifically designed and developed to attain the objectives of the relevant department. For example, the prime objective of FLETC is to provide career-long training services to personnel which enable them to fulfill their responsibilities in a professional manner. On the other hand, the different policy and guidelines are given to TSA is required to ensure safe and secure nation’s transportation system (DHS, n.d). as a result, it can be deduced that the despite the fact that each department has its own policies and guidelines, there prime objective, which is common almost all departments, is that to ensure, safe, secure and threat-free environment in the region. As the each department has its own types of security threats and challenges, no uniform policy can be applicable for all departments but department-related security policy and guidelines are always developed to ensure satisfying the department and overall security and safety objectives. c) Combating threats domestic and foreign DHS faces domestic, foreign and cyber terror threats (McElreath et al., 2014.p. 37; George and Rishikof, 2011.p. 221). Each has different aspects and security threats for DHS. Recently, the threat of domestic terror has increased across the United States in which local terror groups inspired by the Al-Qaida and other international terrorist organizations are posing severe threat to the integrity, safety and security of the nation. In this security threat, the local terror group obtains logistical, ideological and financial support from the local operatives and they use different ways and methods for collecting their support for carrying out terror attacks. On the other hand, the foreign terrorist groups do not primarily operate in the United States but they do get support from the countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and other bases of extremists and terrorists in which they establish their terror training camps where they recruit extremists and train them for suicide and other machines. In this regard, it is important to mention that they the terror groups use a religious ideology through which they psychologically convince their recruits that through this act of terrorism they will directly be rewarded with many things especially after their death. This process works like brainwashing in which younger people are targeted and they are indoctrinated with a particular extremist mindset. In other words, they use the force of religion for obtaining their terror objectives in which they justify killing unarmed, innocent civilians. As a result, they easily find willing recruits for carrying out their terror mission throughout the world. The threat of cyber terrorism is seriously and rapidly growing (Grinapol, 2014.p.98; Kramer et al. 2009. p. 453). In the cyber terror threat, the terrorist use the Internet for a range of purposes including hacking sensitive websites, such as Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) National Security Agency (NSA) and the websites of strategic assets such as banks, insurance companies, power house companies and so on. In this kind of attack, there purpose is to give maximum damage to countries and their citizen; and the damage can also be in the shape of theft of key password and other important information that can be used for terror attacks. In this regard, it is significant to mention that the cyber threat and cyber insecurity is the most critical and challenging as well because the cyber patrolling and the Internet regulation are those two areas which have not been properly administered and nor have been properly monitored by the countries. As a result, the terror groups avail the advantage of this security lapse and they consider the land of the Internet fertile and breed ground for the terrorists. In addition, terrorists also use the social media for communicating with other terrorists and they also use the platform of the Internet for acts like money laundering and other illicit activities. As a result, the threat of insecurity and terrorism has increased its magnitude and horizon with the use of cyber terror threats. III. Solutions: a) Proper training. Proper training is important and must be provided to personnel working in each department (Theodore and Kunz, 2005.p.324; Combs and Slann, 2007.p.209). In the recent years, the threat of terrorism has become more complex and greater than ever before because the terror groups keep changing their strategy and adopt new and latest methods for carrying out their inhumane acts. In this regard, it is highly required that proper training should be provided to each department. In this training process, number of measures should be taken. For example, the personnel working in TSA should be provided training in which it should be ensured that any emergency or security situation, common citizens must be protected and it is highly essential that while carrying out rescue mission, the personnel must follow the security protocol pertaining to the handling of civilian security. As a result, this will improve the positive image of TSA and other law enforcement agencies and which will bolster support against the terrorism and more cooperation will be expected from civilians. Moreover, while providing training to the security personnel, it should also be considered that all kinds of training should be given to them. For example, personnel working in CBP should be given broader training because terror groups mostly use illicit means and methods to enter into different countries. If the CBP personnel face any security situation with the terror groups, they must inform other relevant departments and ensure full and proper coordination with other departments. Although there are small numbers of such reported cases, yet the possibility of security threat for CBP from terror groups cannot be ruled out. b) Proper funding that is divided to each appropriate department. Sufficient funding for DHS is important (Abbott and Hetzel, 2005.p. 123). Funding is vital to attain department and overall safety and security objectives. In this regard, it is important to mention that the allocation and effective and efficient utilization of provided funds must be ensured. For example, before allocating the funds, overall department goals and objectives must be taken into account. By knowing the scope and requirements of funds for a department, it will be considerably easier to allocate funds to departments. Emphasis on this issue is also important because motivation, dedication and commitment from the security personnel considerably rely on the availability and allocation of funds. If the personnel are given expected level of salary and other benefits, they would not be able to retain the required level of motivation and commitment which have always been important for the security related issues. In addition, incentives for bravery and other rewards should also be announced. This will encourage the security personnel to apply best of their knowledge, skill and bravery to thwart, control, prevent or detect any terror threat or security situation. c) Clear policy and guidelines for each department Crystal clear policy and guidelines is lifeline for departments. Transparent policy is developed well before formally establishing a department. In formulating policy, a number of measures are taken into account. For example, mission and vision of department are taken into account in which overall scope and direction are determined and established. After properly developing this strategic policy framework, other issues, such as hiring of personnel, number of personnel, departmental hierarchy, training and development for department staff and field staff are also determined. In addition, after developing the strategy policy framework, focus should be given to the department hierarchy in which the role of each officer and its associated sub-ordinates, their job description and performance evaluation should also be provided. In this regard, it is important to highlight that performance evaluation is a very critical aspect because it determines whether department personnel have appropriately met and satisfied the department objectives by fulfilling the requirements of their job description. In this way, the evaluation process will enable the evaluator to draw some conclusions along with recommendations in which measures will be proposed through which better results and improved performance of field staff will be achieved. IV. Conclusion: a) Subject matter of the paper. The paper assesses the role of DHS. In this regard, DHS role for providing safety and security to the national interests and sensitive installations has been very crucial for the national security of the country. For this purpose, first the national security environment is assessed in which the history of terror has been included in which the emergence of terror threat after the events of 9/11 has been pointed out. Subsequently, the paper has been divided into three main parts: introduction, security issues, their solutions and conclusion part. b) How effective the paper has managed to highlight and analyze the issues of the Department of Homeland Security. The paper has appropriately evaluated the national security threat. In this evaluation process, the focus has been on the national security and the challenges and problems that directly or indirectly pose severe threats to the homeland security. For example, before discussing the problems, the paper introduces the role of homeland security department along with the brief analysis of terrorism environment. This section gives background to the overall theme of the paper. Subsequently, the paper evaluates the security problems and its ramifications in which national, foreign and cyber security threats have been evaluated. Before summing up the paper, the solutions have been provided in which training and funding aspects have been highlighted and emphasized. References Abbott, E.B., & Hetzel, O.J. (Eds.) (2005). A Legal Guide to Homeland Security and Emergency Management for State and Local Governments. Chicago: American Bar Association Ackerman, S. (2013, October 18). Jeh Johnson: Why Obama’s left-field DHS pick could be an agent of change. The Guardian. Retrieved: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/18/jeh-johnson-barack-obama-homeland-security Combs, C.C. & Slann, M. (2007). Encyclopedia of Terrorism, Revised Edition, New York, NY: InfoBase Publishing. DHS, (n.d). Department Components. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved: http://www.dhs.gov/department-components Elshtain, J. (2008). Just War Against Terror: the Burden of American Power in a Violent World. New York, NY: Basic Books. George, R.Z., & Rishikof, H. (Eds.) (2011). The National Security Enterprise: Navigating the Labyrinth. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Grinapol, C. (2014). Careers on Antiterrorism & Counterterrorism Task Forces. New York, NY: Rosen Publishing. Khalil, L. (2014, April 16). The Threat IS Real; Manage Perception. The New York Times. Retrieved: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/04/16/living-in-the-grip-of-vigilance/managing-public-perception-of-the-terrorist-threat Kramer, F.D., Starr, S.H., & Wentz, L.K. (Eds.) (2009). Cyber power and National Security. Virginia: Potomac Books. McElreath, D.H., Jensen, C.J., Wigginton, M., Doss, D.A., Nations, R., & Slyke, J.V. (2014). Introduction to Homeland Security. 2nd edn., Florida, FL: CRC Press. Theodore, L., & Kunz, R.G. (2005). Nanotechnology: Environmental Implications and Solutions. New Jersey, NJ: Wiley Read More