Introduction
Biological attacks include the use of biological agents such as bacteria, fungus, and toxins from living creatures for intentional or threatened purposes to cause deaths or diseases to human populations, plants, and other animals. Therefore, biological agents can be considered as microorganisms, which affect the normal functioning of other living things by imposing diseases or even deaths. Biological agents attack continues to pose great threat majorly to the world population with majority concern being given to its ability to bring massive loss of lives to individuals.
It’s, therefore, a major concern for the law enforcement agencies and medical practitioners to develop effective plans that will help in countering the time critical nature of the biological incidents thus addressing the specific issues resulting from them. This plan, therefore, gives a guide to the law enforcement and other relevant practitioners a better understanding of the biological attacks and the response measures that can be implemented in order to counter the causative effects associated with the attacks hence reducing the vulnerability to the biological attacks due to improved preparedness.
Therefore, measures to be applied in order to recognize, prevent and to manage of this attacks are clearly outlined. Because of this plan, agencies should realize that improvements are needed in the mode of their training, research, integral components, and policies applied to achieve the perceived recommendations thus managing the biological incident attacks. Additionally, capitalizing on the advances in technology, medical sciences, and information systems will aid greatly in combating the biological attacks as displayed by the plan.
Biological attacks challenges
Biological attacks have been identified to possess uniquely the ability to inflict or cause a large number of unwarranted casualties over large populations with minimal logistical requirements in place. Biological agents can include either contagious or non-contagious agents thus the use of biological weapons, and their proliferation poses significant challenges to countries. Exposure to the agents can arise when one is near an attack or in the case of contagious agents when one is in contact with an individual who already has subsequently contracted the disease or attack.
The attacks are also attributed as a challenge because of their cost effective way of producing them with minimal logistics to be carried out and the use of the agents being very difficult to be detected when they are covertly disseminated. Studies show that when applied in attacks biological attacks are considered to have financial advantage to its counterparts with its cost of operations per Km2 estimated to $1 as compared to chemical weapons at $600/Km2 and chemical attacks which fall at $800/Km2 .
With it being difficult to distinguish between illicit intent uses of the biological weapons from the expanse legitimate use a unique challenge is encountered in obtaining specific warnings of impending attacks or imminent threats . Unlike other attacks, biological agents take longer periods to be recognized, with the identification of the specific agent being difficult since the diseases caused by the agents have different incubation periods. This, therefore, poses a great challenge to the government agencies in the identification of the attacks thus making it difficult in the advising and guiding of individuals on the measures to partake . Provision of required and appropriate Medicare also poses a challenge thus; individuals need to be prepared in taking personal measures to combat the menace despite the governments providing guidance and medical aid.
Types of biological agents:
Bacterial agents- These are single-celled or noncellular, free-living pathogens with spherical or rod-shaped shapes with a capability of forming spore. The spores are characterized by the ability to survive in different environments, and they are capable of destroying other bacteria’s. Treatment of bacterial attacks involves the use of specific antibiotics therapies .
Viruses- These are organisms, which are dependent on the presence of other living cells in order for them to grow, replicate and their general survival . The diseases arising from virus attacks can be treated by the use of antiviral medications or application of immune serum globulins.
Toxins- These are poisonous nonliving substances produced by plants, animals, and other living microorganisms. Due to their natural non-living characteristic toxins are considered non-volatile with less environmental hazards unlike manmade versions of chemical agents. Countering of the toxins can be applied by the use of antitoxins or specific pharmacological agents given that their effects develop faster in comparison to the biological agents .
Prevention of the attacks
With the human population being highly vulnerable to the attacks, which might be, imposed by today’s ambitious terrorists, therefore, an emphasis on vigilant planning as a counter measure. With the biological attacks differing in nature of their attacks and incidents, each will require unique resources, strategies, and tactics to counter its particular characteristics. Whenever these attacks arise, be it in the midst of an unfamiliar and dangerous situation, which might be because of natural disasters or acts of terrorism, it is considered to take certain measures to survive in these scenarios. Therefore, government agencies should help to educate the masses the appropriate responses to these attacks.
Role of law Enforcement agencies in attack prevention
Biological attacks pose a great challenge to law enforcement and thus they should apply varying strategies in combating the attack depending on the cause and level of threat. Their response should include coordination with medical officials, public health officials, and the public. The law enforcement's role may, therefore, include enforcement of public health orders, securing of the area under attack, control of crowds, removing individuals from harm’s way, carrying out investigations in contaminated scenes and securing of health facilities. The law enforcement should also take measures to ensure a proper balance of available resources in relation to the daily demands.
Preparing the law enforcement Department
The law enforcement should always be prepared for any large-scale emergencies that may arise from any attack regardless of whether the attack is intentional or naturally occurring. This should be achieved by having in place a biological all hazards planning with the aim of encouraging law enforcement officers on implications of biological attacks, the effective response measures, and additional partnerships that may be needed. Thus before an attack the law enforcement officers should be prepared with a control plan encompassing every critical aspect of what must be carried out in order to develop and maintain technical proficiency.
Awareness and education
Law enforcement agencies should engage professionals in the medical department in identifying and recognition of diseases caused by biological agents. This is because the professional will likely be among the first to recognize diseases such as anthrax, plague or smallpox that result from biological attacks hence . Early recognition of these diseases will save from the perils arising from late identification of these attacks to the human population. Law enforcement agencies should, therefore, maintain a fostering working relationship between these professionals in order to increase the chances of early detection and response to the biological attacks.
Intelligence gathering
With the acquisition of intelligence, being a crucial component to be used by law enforcers in the aid of combating biological attacks it should be highly prioritized. Access to information that is necessary for the protection of the public should be their mandate . It is, therefore, their role in assessing and identifying future threats and mapping the threats against their vulnerabilities and issuing a prior timely warning in case of impending attacks. Therefore, an efficient system should be created for conveying actionable intelligence and information that may be of threat.
In the event that there arises unusual diseases or patterns of illness, the law enforcement agencies should prompt possible use of available biological weapons in countering the diseases. The law enforcement should also involve the medical departments to be capable of advising on the most effective methods and procedures for the diagnostic confirmation of the disease . Therefore a process for establishing and training measures for laboratory diagnosis should be undertaken in order to predetermine an effective and appropriate diagnostic laboratory to deal with samples related biological attacks .
Commend scientific research
The law enforcement should jointly collaborate with the health department in conducting of research works that will enable new strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cases arising from biological attacks . This will include rewarding research efforts that will be in line for the production of preventive and diagnostic technologies to counter biological weapons.
Isolation precaution
In the event of confirmed or unconfirmed biological attacks, the management of victims should be well organized by the law enforcement agencies. Therefore, precaution measures should be carried out in order to reduce the likelihood of transmissions with law enforcement undertaking routine use of standard precautions .
Responding and Management of attacks
Community Awareness
In the event of a biological attack, the success of response undertaken will largely depend on the effective measures undertaken by the medical team. Appropriate response resources should, therefore, be utilized hence a perfectly initiated community outreach network could aid in easing the burden on the medical facilities and the gathering of incident information . In the event of biological attacks, authorities should, therefore, educate and advise citizens to remain at home and updates and any assistance regarding the incident will be received via the community outreach program.
Protecting of Law Enforcement Officers
In preparation for any impending attack, it is meaningful to have the law enforcement agency to have its officers educated about plans for infectious diseases control as one of their fundamental activities. These will include basic education about the modes of transmission of infectious diseases, and entry routes of communicable diseases. The education to the officers can be carried out by the involvement of partnership with relevant departments such hospital or occupational health programs which will offer proper training to the officers . These teaching points will enable cautiousness by the officers when dealing with victims during attacks thus protecting them from contamination. The officers should also be provided with Personal Protective Equipment and trained on the proper use of the equipment for effective control plans of attacks.
Mass Casualty Planning
During attacks that have a large-scale effect on a population due to a biological attack, many fatalities may arise and as a result, many deaths may occur . Due to a large number of such cases, the normal functioning of certain departments in the health sector will be exacerbated due to insufficient supportive infrastructure. Because of such scenarios, the law enforcement will be tasked with working with medical examiners prior to attacks in order to determine effective measure to be carried out as a response to such cases.
References
Davis, L. E., LaTourrette, T., Mosher, D. E., & Lois, D. M. (2003). Individual preparedness and response to chemical, radiological, nuclear and biological terrorist attacks. Santa Monica: RAND.
Edgewood Chemical/Biological center. (2004). Biological Incident Operations: A Guide for Law Enforcement . Maryland.
inglesby, T., O'Toole, T., & Henderson, D. (2010). Preventing the Use of Biological Weapons: Improving Response Should Prevention Fail. Clinical infectious diseases, 926-929.
National Security Council. (2009). National strategy for countering biological threats.
Richards, E. P., Rathbun, K. C., & Luna, A. (2006). The role of law enforcement in public health emergencies. Washington: Bureau of justice assurance.
