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TERRORISM - A CHALLENGE TO THE POLICE

NCJ Number
66177
Journal
Canadian Police College Journal Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (1979) Pages: 201-213
Author(s)
M SCHREIBER
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
TERRORISM AND THE POLICE RESPONSE TO IT ARE DISCUSSED BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE OF MUNICH, GERMANY.
Abstract
TERRORISM IS A RELATIVELY RECENT CONCEPT. A TERRORIST IS ANYONE WHO TRIES TO FURTHER VIEWS BY FORCE AND INTIMIDATION. HERBERT MARCUSE'S APPLICATION OF MARXISM TO THE 1960'S PROVIDED INTELLECTUAL ROOTS FOR CONTEMPORARY TERRORISM. CONTEMPORARY HISTORY AND POLITICS PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM. TERRORISM IS A FORM OF ORGANIZED CRIME, BUT IS DISTINGUISHED FROM ORDINARY ORGANIZED CRIME BY SEVEN FACTORS. GREATER EFFECT ON THE PUBLIC IS ONE OF THESE; GREATER DEMANDS ON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IS ANOTHER; WHILE DAMAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT'S (IN THIS CASE THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY'S) IMAGE IS YET ANOTHER. REMAINING FACTORS ARE PROMOTION OF POLARIZATION OF PARTIES AND SOCIETY, INTRODUCTION OF JURISPRUDENTIAL, THEOLOGICAL, AND ETHICAL PROBLEMS, POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM SOME SOURCES, AND THE OBJECTIVE OF OVERTHROWING THE STATE. TERRORISTS OFTEN COME FROM THE INTELLECTUAL ELITE. THEY ARE TIGHTLY ORGANIZED AND BRUTALLY LIQUIDATE TRAITORS TO THEIR GROUPS. THEY USE EVERY CHANCE FOR PROPAGANDA. TERRORISM CAN BE SEEN AS AN EFFORT BY PSEUDOREVOLUTIONARIES TO OVERTHROW THE EXISTING SYSTEM THROUGH INHUMAN FORCE. IN GERMANY, BETTER MOTIVATION AND INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION OF POLICE ARE NECESSARY TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF TERRORISM. IN ADDITION, AGGRESSIVE PUBLIC RELATIONS WORK AND AN EXTERNAL EXAMINATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL FORMS ARE NECESSARY. POLICE ALSO NEED BOTH STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL TRAINING. CHANGES IN BOTH JUDICIAL AND POLICE LAWS ARE NEEDED, ALONG WITH WORK IN THE FIELD OF SUBVERSION BY THE POLICE. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)