Homeland security is new and encompassed with many roles which are inclined to achieve the main goal: keeping the United States safe. The needs of homeland security have evolved due to consistent increase of issues that need to be addressed by the country (Lewis, 2014). This paper provides an insights on the functions that states and local police need to adopt to protect the country from any terrorist attacks. Homeland security is arguably important in avoiding and saving lives of many Americans (Lewis, 2014).
The state police carries out strategies designed by the homeland security in order to achieve the set objectives. Some of the functions that state police should carry out to minimize terrorism include; maintain records of any criminal activity, conducting investigations and tracking commerce records of some businesses (Lenin, & Chretien, 2015). Prosecution of criminals should only be conducted after a thorough investigation and identification of the criminals. Criminal records should be put in order to ensure that they are resourceful in tracking criminals or anyone affiliated to the jurisdiction of the state (Lenin & Chretien, 2015). Lastly, arresting and detaining suspects and conducting search is important to facilitate information gathering.
The state police functions are paramount in ensuring that suspects are held behind bars, investigation is conducted and the threat eliminated. Records are important for tracking suspects while investigating commerce transaction is vital in identifying suspects or possible funders of terrorism.
Local policing is important especially in this era where terrorism has made intelligence gathering complex, destabilized information sharing and right to privacy. Therefore, creating awareness, forging trustworthy relationship and transforming the homeland security is a promising intervention to minimize the unknown future of terrorism (Cherney & Hartley, 2015). Police officers apply community based policy resources and actions that have direct impact on terrorism. Some of these functions include; crime mapping, data collection and analysis of intelligence gathered from the communities. The police thereafter assess how prone terrorism is in the community.
These functions are collective efforts to fight terrorism. Individual and neighborhood utilizing crime prevention methods to counter terrorism enhances the fight against terrorism. Working with communities avails information that can help local police assess possible threats.
References
Cherney, A., & Hartley, J. (2015). Community engagement to tackle terrorism and violent extremism: challenges, tensions and pitfalls. Policing and Society, 1-14.
Lewis, T. G. (2014). Critical infrastructure protection in homeland security: defending a networked nation. John Wiley & Sons.
Lenin, V. I., & Chretien, T. (2015). State and revolution. Haymarket Books.
