NCJ Number
194981
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 50 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2002 Pages: 404-408
Date Published
2002
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article examines the evaluation of potential terrorist threats and planned responses to those threats from a cooperative working group to aid the primary responder, law enforcement, and the community in responding appropriately with the necessary resources.
Abstract
Typically law enforcement is the primary responder or first organized group called to a potential terrorist threat or incident. With this, officers and officials should have planned responses for such incidents. Support agencies such as fire, emergency medical, emergency management, public health officials, and companies involved with chemical or biological disposal should be contacted for their involvement forming a cooperative response in developing strategies. Their knowledge aids in evaluating threats for those responders and the community. The working group needs to identify potential targets within a jurisdiction, listing the potential target value of various sites and their availability to terrorists. Protocols need to be developed to deal with all types of threats even those that have not occurred for sometime. Potential target areas of essential concern include: water and power facilities; chemical and manufacturing plants; government facilities; and hospital and medical facilities. It is necessary that when developing security for such areas they need to be based on the potential of that site as a possible target.