Multifaceted Approaches to Homeland Security

Catalog description

Preparedness and responsiveness have long been part of the law enforcement and military lexicon; however 9/11 expanded the terms' application and the number of people who hold responsibility for their implementation. The result is a growing interest surrounding the nature of the terrorist threat and how intelligence fusion is essential to prevention; the role of the military in civil society; cooperation among federal, state, and local agencies as well as the private sector in response to a catastrophic event; the importance of planning and exercises to improve the mitigation of such events. This course gives an overview of relevant perspectives and concepts related to these topics and develops a framework that demonstrates their interconnectivity. In addition to providing a conceptual understanding of key ideas, it familiarizes students with the roles played by various entities (e.g., law enforcement, intelligence organizations, the military, and federal, state, and local agencies) and the de facto framework in which they exercise their responsibilities. The course gives students an overview of intelligence and the importance of intelligence fusion as a counter-terrorism force as well as the need for collaboration among all relevant actors and the integration of actions and planning. Finally, it provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge and methodologies to real-world cases, practically assessing key components in mitigating the impact of future events.