Instructions: Fully utilize the materials that have been provided to you in order to support your response. Responses should be a minimum of 250 words and include direct questions. You may challenge, support or supplement another student’s answer using the terms, concepts and theories from the required readings. Also, do not be afraid to respectfully disagree where you feel appropriate; as this should be part of your analysis process at this academic level.

Forum posts are graded on timeliness, relevance, knowledge of the weekly readings, and the quality of original ideas. Sources utilized to support answers are to be cited in accordance with the APA writing style by providing a general parenthetical citation (reference the author, year and page number) within your post, as well as an adjoining reference list. Refer to grading rubric for additional details concerning grading criteria.

Respond to Madison:

A typical local and state government must always be concerned about budgetary concerns, security staffing, and the know-how problem. Local and State law enforcement must trust in their training, as they are a crucial part of the emergency/disaster response teams. Law enforcement at these lower levels are the first line defense, ensuring to be the first set of helping hands to the communities. Emergencies happen without notice, they must be trained to respond to and recover from any disasters that happen and must be prepared to work as a team before, during, and after any emergencies. Law enforcement capitalize on their knowledge of a community. Exercises and trainings help to portray situations that could arise and allow the law enforcement officers to better understand the resources that would be needed for each event, large or small, and how to apply those resources and information to the needs of the community. Having this knowledge gives local law enforcement the ability to provide invaluable situational awareness during their responses to and recovery of crises. Law enforcement officers could potentially perform operations that maintain overall public safety, evacuations, search and rescues, or door to door checks. Each level, at the very least, should develop and implement an emergency plan. The first step is to conduct a risk assessment to identify any potential scenarios that could arise in an emergency. If these levels have an understanding of what can happen, then they will be able to develop plans and procedures to ensure the units are prepared. Within these plans, there will also be plans to ensure that employees, contractors, visitors, and anyone else that may be in the facility are protected, which can also be referred to as a protective action for life safety. Each agency must also ensure that there is a shelter in place in the event that there is severe weather, for example a tornado. Many police stations will also have a lockdown room as a protective measure in the event that there is a criminal act of violence or a chemical agent released. After the risk assessment is reviewed, performance objectives must be considered when establishing the program and how to invest in planning, resources, and what may be required by a higher level regulation. The largest obstacle will still be budgeting for the resources needed during these emergencies. One must also consider the budget and resources that must be obtained for consistent training of new police officers and annual training/ quarterly training for those that are currently on the job. Money makes the world go ‘round, and that does not stop with public safety and disaster management. The best thing these local government law enforcement agencies can do is plan, train, and develop risk management assessments for the day that an emergency occurs so their next action is muscle memory.

References:

Hughbank, R. J. (2007). Target psychology: Understanding the threat. Homeland Defense Journal, 5(9), 26-29.

Schneier, B. (2003). Beyond fear: Thinking about security in an uncertain world. New York: Copernicus Books.