Today, the United States and other Western countries face the threat of terrorism. Such terrorist networks as the Islamic State have trained their focus on the US and have vowed to launch attacks against the country. The intelligence and law enforcement communities are taking these threats seriously and have heightened their surveillance and investigative operations. To facilitate a speedy and effective response to a terrorist incident, the National Response Framework calls for collaboration among different actors (DHS, 2013). Volunteer organizations, medical service providers and the intelligence community needs to join forces with law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local level.
Chain of command
One of the principles of effective disaster response is unified command. Essentially, this principle urges various actors to coordinate their efforts and to establish central command. Unified command is needed for information sharing (DHS, 2013). In the event that a city suffers an attack that is believed to be of the terrorist kind, a clear command structure should be established. The command structure should bring in parties from the federal, state and local levels. A hierarchal system should also be put in place. Since the local authorities are better placed to understand the situation on the ground and to provide reliable information, they should serve as the original source of information. The city that has suffered the attack is at the local level and will therefore supply information regarding the attack. The information should then work its way to the state and federal levels. This command structure has been proposed because it holds the greatest promise of addressing the emergency effectively and promptly. As the original sources of information, the local authorities will be able to dispatch first responders who will deliver medical services and begin investigating the attack.
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Local law enforcers are among the parties who are required to respond to terrorist attacks. They need to follow guidelines that have been provided to facilitate the handling of cases of suspected terrorism. Consolidating resources for providing emergency medical care is among the measures that the local law enforcer can take (Chapman et al., 2002). Being closer to the scene of the attack, this officer is best placed to deliver care to the victims of the attack. Passing on information to higher authorities and other stakeholders is another measure that the officer can take (Chapman et al., 2002). For example, after visiting the scene, the officer may share information on the number of casualties. The information that the local enforcer shares allows other actors to prepare themselves adequately before leaving for the scene of the attack. As the local law enforcer handles the case of suspected terrorism, it is vital for them to exercise caution. There have been cases where attacks have been blamed on terrorists only for it to be established that other forces are responsible for the attacks. It is therefore important for the local enforcer to be cautious and to try to contain the spread of misinformation.
The terrorism liaison officer is another individual who becomes involved in responding to a terrorist incident. This officer is expected to perform a number of functions. One of the functions of this officer is to serve as the link between the security forces and the community (Brown, 2014). This officer enables security forces to build strong partnerships with the community. Gathering information about terror-related issues is another function that the terrorism liaison officer serves (Brown, 2014). They then share this information with other parties who then take action to secure the nation against terrorist attacks.
In addition to the local law enforcers and the terrorism liaison officer, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is another key party involved in counter-terrorism efforts. The FBI assists local and state authorities in their efforts to thwart terrorist plots (FBI, n.d). This agency focuses on homegrown terrorists as well as international terrorist organizations. The main function that they serve is conducting investigations (FBI, n.d). These investigations enable them to unearth plots before they are executed and to identify those responsible for attacks. In the case of the terrorist attack in the San Francisco Bay area, the FBI would join forces with the local and state law enforcement agencies with the aim of identifying those behind the attack.
One of the issues that the National Response Framework (NRF) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) shed light on is terrorism. These documents offer insights on biological, radiological, nuclear and chemical terrorism. According to the NIMS, these forms of terrorism call for a well-coordinated response that brings together local, state and federal agencies (DHS, 2008). The NIMS also underscores the importance of non-governmental actors to become involved in responding to these terrorist situations. The NIMS also states that the guidelines that it contains apply to the different types of terrorist attacks. The NRF also echoes the importance of a coordinated response when dealing with terrorist attacks. This document urges the federal government and its agencies to take the lead in joining forces with state and local authorities to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks (DHS, 2008). The NRF further emphasizes the importance of prevention. Instead of waiting for a terrorist attack to occur, the local, state and federal authorities should be proactive and take measures to prevent attacks.
In conclusion, the threat of terrorist attacks against the US is real and frightening. The security and law enforcement agencies in the country understand this. It is for this reason that they have taken steps to keep the American people safe from terrorist attacks. The NRF and NIMS are some of the key documents that continue to guide the operations of the security and law enforcement agencies. These documents encourage collaboration and partnership. They urge various actors in the US to come together to combat terrorism. If the US is to remain secure, all stakeholders should respond to the call and join forces.
References
Brown, H. (2014). California’s Terrorism Liaison Officer Program Modeled Nationwide. Retrieved 9 th October 2017 from
https://cpoa.org/californias-terrorism-liaison-officer-program-modeled-nationwide/
Chapman, R., Baker, S., Bezdikian, V., Cammarata, P. & Cohen, D. (2002). Local Law Enforcement Responds to Terrorism. Lessons in Prevention and Preparedness. Retrieved 9 th October 2017 from https://ric-zai-inc.com/Publications/cops-w0125-pub.pdf
Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). (n.d). Terrorism. Retrieved 9 th October 2017 from https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/terrorism
US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). (2008). National Incident Management System. Retrieved 9 th October 2017 from
https://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/NIMS_core.pdf
US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). (2013). National Response Framework. Retrieved 9 th October 2017 from https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1914-25045-1246/final_national_response_framework_20130501.pdf
