Week4 discussion 2, Planning forTerrorists (DA)
Terrorists would generally prefer to attack critical targets, several of whichexist in nearly any city or county. You, as a lieutenant in your local policeagency, have been assigned to your county-wide fusion center. The captain whooversees the unit informs you that your first task is to help identify allcritical targets in your city or county. Using your city or county as the areayou are reporting on, answer these questions:
- What structures in your county or city do you feelshould be listed as critical targets? Why? What makes them a target?
- Might local politics come into play when developingthis list, especially if someone’s business is (or is not) included? Ifso, how will you deal with it?
- What should your fusion center do once your list iscompiled?
Needs bad and good of post, list reference, our discussion firstthen individuals response
The biggest factors of terroristic threat are the John Martin Reservoir,Highway 287, 385, 50, and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroadsystem. The secondary factors that could be damaged by terrorists are thepipelines, feedlots, and the electrical stations.
The first three lists including the dam, highways, and railways would be atarget because they are a crucial part of commerce as well as the potential tocause extreme problems, loss of life, and inconvenience with very littleeffort. The secondary factors would interrupt commerce, but alsointerrupt food sources and factory production.
Local politics has come into play during times, like the July 4, 2015holiday, when the terroristic threat level was high. This increasedthreat level can decrease the access of citizens to these facilities. This is mostly based on an entertainment level, but inconvenience is nottolerated well by the local resident. The local politics should beprotecting the agriculture industry as it is the predominant source of incomefor this area. If protection of these assets should interrupt theagriculture’s access or ability to produce, then there would be a bigissue. Alternate access would have to be made to these resources as itwould limit their production. Education and information regarding theproblem would assist most with dealing with the limited access. Theresponsible agency could join the local Joint Terrorism Task Force which is afusion center (Peak, 2012). The fusion center can advise of localthreats and the assessed risk of a terroristic activity. The fusioncenter can also relay developed information to the appropriate agency. The best analysis should be completed so as to provide the best links to anynational resource or target. This would best be completed by shipping theinformation to the FBI for expert analysis (Peak, 2012).
Peak, K. J. (2012). PolicingAmerica: Challenges and Best Practices. Upper Saddle River: PearsonEducation, Inc.
