| NCJ Number: |
204411  |
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| Title: |
Target: Los Angeles |
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| Journal: |
Homeland Defense Journal Volume:1 Issue:9 Dated:December 2003 Pages:28-32 |
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| Author(s): |
William A. Murphy; George Gascon |
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| Date Published: |
December 2003 |
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| Page Count: |
5 |
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| Publisher: |
http://www.homelanddefensejournal.com |
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| Type: |
Program/Project Description |
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| Format: |
Article |
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| Language: |
English |
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| Country: |
United States of America |
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| Annotation: |
This article describes the procedure and curriculum content used to train Los Angeles police officers in managing threats and
possible events that involve terrorist weapons of mass
destruction (WMD).
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| Abstract: |
The Los Angeles Police Department established a training design
team that included experts with extensive knowledge of terrorism
and the handling of WMD incidents. The design team established
the following training objectives: preparing officers to respond
safely and effectively during WMD incidents; preparing officers
to demonstrate the application of WMD and Incident Command System
procedures; preparing officers to differentiate between WMD
incidents and other terrorist and criminal incidents; instructing
officers in the knowledge of terms and elements associated with
terrorism; and preparing officers to review WMD ethical dilemmas
encountered by law enforcement agencies. Parameters were set for
the training in terms of the number of students to be trained,
the number of hours of training needed, the number of instructors
needed, and the duration of the training. One of the main
learning points of the training was based on the well-known WMD
acronym called SIN (safety, isolation, and notification).
Regarding "safety," first responders must be able to identify
quickly the signs of a WMD and protect themselves and others from
it. First responders must also "isolate" the WMD incident and
keep all unprotected personnel away from the scene. First
responders must "notify" appropriate public safety personnel who
will be responsible for handling the "hot zone," the area where
the WMD material was deployed. It is also important for law
enforcement students to recognize that a WMD incident is what is
known in the trade as a "homicide by HAZMAT," so law enforcement
personnel must follow all relevant homicide investigative
procedures once the area is rendered safe. In addition to
providing initial training of first responders, political support
is needed to purchase the expensive gas masks and personal
protective equipment, and ongoing training is required to keep
officers updated on the latest WMD procedures.
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| Main Term(s): |
Domestic Preparedness |
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| Index Term(s): |
Biological weapons; California; Chemical Weapons; Emergency services training; Nuclear terrorism; Police emergency planning; Police emergency procedures; Terrorist weapons |
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To cite this abstract, use the following link:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=204411 |
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