Local Cops Priced Out of Terror War?
This article fails to prove its point, but makes an argument that should be considered in local emergency and department planning. Local law enforcement is key to detecting and mounting an initial response to terrorist incidents. That’s a given. Uniformed officers patrol the streets daily, will likely notice anything unusual in their area before federal counterparts, and will be the first on scene for an attack. At the federal level, the incident reports and arrests by the locals are turned into actionable intelligence and complex investigations able to connect the displaced members and supporters of today’s terror organizations and cells. Local attempts at dedicated counter-terrorism investigation units have been successful, but they are costly and in many cases a duplication of federal efforts, with federal, not state, charges filed at the conclusion of most investigations. The beat cop and other multi-faceted response assets, not expensive and redundant single issue investigatory efforts, are a local agency’s best contribution to fighting terrorism.
In terms of maritime security, the contributions of local agency boats and officers patrolling waterways and critical on shore locations is undeniable. Area knowledge and the capability to identify unusual and suspicious activity can only come from being on the water. Having a local representative in a dedicated maritime watch or available for consult is also important to deploying assets and resolving issues quickly.
In terms of a maritime response however, the ball rolls more into the federal government’s court. Establishing and maintaining a legitimate maritime interdiction capability, boarding non-compliant or hostile ships while underway or delivering effective firepower against a waterborne target, is a time intensive, costly, and legal effort most local agencies are not prepared to accept. Boats, helicopters, and trained officers are needed for this mission set, and all mean money and time not easy to come by. If time allows, federal agencies with dedicated interdiction resources will mount the response. If there’s no time, we may have to grab whatever and whoever is available to respond. Lucky for all coastal jurisdictions, there is a USCG unit with small boats and weapons nearby.
In the current economic situation it’s reasonable to assume some local resources dedicated to countering terrorism will be disbanded or reorganized. Rather than viewing this as a negative, the opportunity presents to establish connections and leverage capabilities across agencies and jurisdictions and to expand training to local patrol officers on identifying and responding to terror threats and attacks, rather than restricting it to dedicated units. In the end, more eyes open and guns on target can go a long way to deterring, identifying, and, if necessary, resolving terror attacks.
According to a report by the Associated Press, federal and state authorities recently held a series of anti-terrorism training exercises at ports throughout California. The two days of simulations included exercises involving an attack on a container ship at the Port of Oakland and a bomb in San Francisco Bay found with sea mammals trained by the Navy. It was unclear whether dolphins or seals, or both were involved in the drills. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger started the annual training event in 2004 to improve homeland security and disaster preparedness. Other exercises involved simulated attacks at the ports of San Diego, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Redwood City and Sacramento, as well as California State University, San Marcos.
But despite high priority given these types of terrorist training exercises, the economy is forcing even major cities like Los Angeles to eliminate their counter-terrorism units. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times by Joel Rubin, Los Angeles Police Department officials disbanded a counter-terrorism unit earlier this year as part of Chief Charlie Beck’s efforts to put more patrol officers on the streets amid budget cuts. The Protective Security Task Force team consisted of about two dozen plainclothes cops who were dispatched to buildings or events that had been threatened or were otherwise believed to be at risk.
This one and the one about the Everglades show a trend that I’ve seen a lot of lately. Money issues have eliminated many popular CT teams. This will only continue to be a bigger problem and many cities and towns face budget issues…even bankruptcy. Just look at the situation in Oakland, where cops will no longer respond to petty crimes. It’s a sad state, but one we are sinking further into.