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Customized Modeling and Simulation Tool for Port and Airport Evacuation and Recovery: An Integrated Tool for Enhancing Preparedness and Response
"Effective planning for the evacuation of port and airport facilities during or in advance of an event, and for the recovery of normal operations after an event, requires a comprehensive understanding of the potential effects of response decisions, both on the facilities themselves and on the surrounding areas. Only through a coordinated, integrated planning and analysis effort can emergency managers accumulate the appropriate knowledge to make confident decisions. Response strategies that determine when, where and how passengers and employees evacuate must be objectively evaluated to assess whether sufficient resources have been allocated and appropriate practices put in place to minimize the risk of death and injury. Such evaluations must include consideration of the effects of and to existing conditions on roadways within and surrounding facilities. Further, because any evacuation consists of a combination of pedestrian and vehicle movement, the interactions between these factors must be considered. In a similar manner, planning for recovery requires a comprehensive analysis of end-to-end movements. In a seaport environment, this includes thorough examination of vessel capacities, tug and pilot resources, berth availability, and terminal throughput, all within the constraints imposed by geography, landside accessibility, and transportation network capacity. Until recently, this sort of comprehensive analytical effort has not been successfully undertaken. Through its project entitled 'Development, Implementation and Maintenance of a Customized Evacuation and Recovery Model and Simulation Tool (CMST),' the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey is developing and implementing such a solution. Working in concert with a contractor team led by Delcan Corporation, PANYNJ deployed this solution in July, 2012."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Belella, Paul
2014-04
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Recent Developments in Voice Biometrics: Robustness and High Accuracy
"During the previous few years, voice biometrics technology (aka speaker recognition) has overcome many obstacles that prevented its wide, trusted use. In particular, the research community has tackled difficult speaker biometrics problems in the context of defense and intelligence research programs. In this paper, we review the latest innovations in speaker recognition that resulted from two programs and show how these advancements support the case for adopting the use of speaker recognition by the community of biometrics users. […] In this work, we highlight SRI's innovations achieved during recent defense- and intelligence-related programs. First, we review the robustness of systems to noisy and reverberant environments as demonstrated under the IARPA [Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity] BEST [Biometrics Exploitation Science & Technology] program. Further, we show how speaker recognition technology has overcome the very hard challenges posed by the DARPA [Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency] RATS [Robust Automatic Transcription of Speech] program, which is focused on achieving high accuracies for speaker - and language-identification problems in extreme channel-degraded environments, such as that of push-to-talk radios. Finally, we highlight our pioneering work in mitigating the effect of audio compression on speaker recognition, showing results on a variety of codec families."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Lei, Yun; Lawson, Aaron; Ferrer, Luciana . . .
2014-04
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Homeland Security Affairs: IEEE 2013 Conference on Technology for Homeland Security: Best Papers
This webpage of the Homeland Security Affairs Journal provides links to the "Best Papers" of the IEEE [Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers] 2013 Conference on Technology for Homeland Security. The papers included in the list are the following: "Analysis of the Effects of Image Transformation, Template Selection, and Partial Information on Face Recognition with Time-Varying Expressions For Homeland Security Applications" by Iliana V. Voynichka and Dalila B. Megherbi; "A Customized Modeling and Simulation Tool for Port and Airport Evacuation and Recovery: An Integrated Tool for Enhancing Preparedness and Response" by Paul A. Belella and Bethann Rooney; "Recent Developments in Voice Biometrics: Robustness and High Accuracy" by Nicolas Scheffer, Luciana Ferrer, Aaron Lawson, Yun Lei, and Mitchell McLaren; "Maritime Detection of Radiological/Nuclear Threats with Hybrid Imaging System" by Anthony L. Hutcheson, Bernard F. Phlips, Eric A. Wulf, Lee J. Mitchell, W. Neil Johnson, and Byron E. Leas; and "Towards A Theory of Autonomous Reconstitution of Compromised Cyber-Systems" by Pradeep Ramuhalli, Mahantesh Halappanavar, Jamie Coble, and Mukul Dixit.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
2014-04?
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Tutorial: Risk Methods and Models
"This tutorial will introduce you to the building blocks of risk-informed decision-making practiced within the homeland security enterprise. Risk assessment is a fundamental tool used to determine level of risk, and how best to allocate limited funds to reduce risk. This tutorial traces the origins of probabilistic risk analysis during the 1970s, Stackelberg competition from the 1980s, Bayesian belief networks in the 1990s, and self-organized criticality of complex networked systems developed in the early 2000s. The risk story begins with probability theory and ends with black swans and networks. Along the way, the tutorial will introduce you to some of the pioneers of risk analysis."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Lewis, T. G. (Theodore Gyle), 1941-
2014-01
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Analysis of the Effects of Image Transormation, Template Selection, and Partial Information on Face Recognition with Time-Varying Expressions for Homeland Security Applications
"Facial recognition, especially with time-varying facial expressions and/or disguises, is crucial in many homeland security applications. The recent Boston Marathon attack is one example reminder of the importance of developing accurate and reliable facial recognition algorithms. While various face recognition algorithms have been proposed in the literature, unfortunately many of them still remain in their infancy. This is mainly due to their lack of high recognition rates in the presence of varying image face artifacts and conditions. In order to develop more accurate facial recognition systems there is a primary need to identify and, as much as possible, derive some of the causes that may affect some face recognition accuracy rates. The main contribution of this paper is the investigation and analysis of how and what factors, other than illumination noise, and occlusion, may affect the recognition accuracy rate of some of the most popular and currently widely used face recognition algorithms, namely, Eigenface-based, Fisherface-based and Direct Correlation-based ones. In particular, in this work we show the effects, on these facial recognition accuracy, of facial reasonable registration with or without off-the-plane face rotation, the type and number of individual's face template(s) selection, and the type and increasing amount of partial facial information contained in face images. Finally experimental results are presented to demonstrate the potential value and importance of each of these proposed factors on facial recognition."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Voynichka, Iliana V.; Megherbi, Dalila B.
2014-04
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Strategic Change and the Joint Terrorism Task Force: Ideas and Recommendations
From the thesis abstract: "The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were a watershed event in this country's history that significantly affected law enforcement agencies and organizations at all levels, including the FBI and the multidisciplinary Joint Terrorism Task Forces. The terrorist attacks served as a catalyst for evaluating cultural, psychological and organizational processes, policies and procedures that influenced the FBI and impacted the JTTF program. In 2006 a comprehensive study was conducted to investigate whether FBI provided JTTF members with the necessary tools to support their investigations. The study identified a number of deficiencies. In order to adapt and combat an emergent asymmetric threat, the JTTF must identify and analyze specific actions and best practices necessary to prepare, execute, and support strategic change and innovation and overcome obstacles that impede the process. It is also necessary to identify and implement best and/or smart practices, especially those plans, policies, and procedures that ensure the skills, experience, and expertise of task force participants are maximized and seamlessly integrated into the JTTF program. The implementation of standardized written procedures that detail roles, responsibilities, training, orientation, and access to databases and information sharing will better enable participants to efficiently contribute to the JTTF mission. Institutionalizing an innovative culture and framework that provides the flexibility to evaluate and develop necessary skills and competencies in participant stakeholders is essential for the future success of the JTTF program."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
D'Angelo, Anthony P.
2007-09
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Bio-Terrorism: Steps to Effective Public Health Risk Communication and Fear Management
"A potentially serious gap exists in the preparedness of the public health system to respond to terrorism: risk communication. Unless this system is better structured to provide American citizens with a clear understanding of the potential risks and hazards associated with a terrorist event - particularly a bio-terrorism event - citizens not only run the risk of taking inappropriate protective actions, but also of experiencing increased (and potentially debilitating) levels of fear. This thesis is based on a survey conducted of public health officials in an eleven state regions which found that significant opportunities for improvement exist in emergency preparedness planning. Of particular concern, was the states' limited risk communication planning. Nonetheless, there was a high level of confidence in the states' perceived level of preparedness to respond and communicate risks during a potential bio-terrorism event."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Jones-Hard, Susan
2004-06
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Domestic Intelligence Gap: Progress Since 9/11?
"9/11 was a strategic event and a mandate for change. The inability to 'connect the dots' led to significant debates to improving intelligence. Post-9/11 intelligence reforms led to significant organizational change. These changes and the emphasis on information sharing have also resulted in the significant application of resources. Reorganization and reform raise other questions -- particularly concerning domestic intelligence. First, are these changes improving security? Major changes lead to implementation challenges. Second, has information sharing improved? Information sharing carries multiple meanings, which lead to differences in expectations. Lastly, has intelligence oversight improved? Domestic intelligence remains a sensitive issue. This article examines the issue of post-9/11 reforms within the context of organizational mechanisms, information sharing, and intelligence oversight and how they stem from enduring community challenges since the founding of the peacetime intelligence apparatus in 1947. It also examines these issues within the context of transformation and identifies challenges for the future."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Burch, James A.
2008-05
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Proceedings of the 2008 Center for Homeland Defense and Security Security Annual Conference
"The 2008 Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) Annual Conference was conducted January 29-30, 2008, at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Its theme, Five Years of Meeting the Homeland Security Challenge, was tied to the fifth anniversary of the establishment of CHDS. More than 230 CHDS master's degree and Executive Leadership Program alumni, partners, sponsors and stakeholders participated in the event. The conference featured a keynote speaker; a question and answer plenary session with a panel of senior Homeland Defense and Security government executives; and three breakout sessions dealing with issues in Intelligence and Information Sharing, Border Security, and Public and Private Integration. These proceedings summarize the presentations and sessions from the conference."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Reed, Donald J.; Cox, Cynthia A.; Eaneff, Charles
2008-05
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What is Going to Move the Needle on Citizen Preparedness? Can America Create a Culture of Preparedness?
"The federal government has called for the creation of a Culture of Preparedness. A literature review confirms a variety of studies have found that citizens are woefully unprepared for disasters. Citizens are no more prepared now than prior to Hurricane Katrina. The thesis identifies two major hurdles for a Culture of Preparedness: (1) changing government itself to embrace citizen preparedness as a forward deployment of assets and to provide the necessary leadership and funding for preparedness efforts, and (2) changing the behavior of the American people to embrace and act upon the message of preparedness. The thesis reviews numerous federal documents highlighting the importance of citizen preparedness and juxtaposes stated policy to actual federal budget numbers. Lack of formal policy by state and local government is identified as a concern. Defining and measuring citizen preparedness have yet to be accomplished. A persuasive campaign to change human behavior has yet to be created that incorporates social marketing, cause marketing, psychology and sociology. Case studies including seatbelt usage and breast cancer awareness are identified as models. Israel is discussed as a Culture of Preparedness. Several recommendations and suggestions for developing a Culture of Preparedness are provided. Areas of further study are identified."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Conroy, Annemarie
2008-03
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Terrorist Threat: Implications for Homeland Security
"Since 9/11, the United States implemented radical changes to its counterterrorism strategy and capabilities. Recently, critics have called into question the current strategy for fighting a war on terror. This thesis provides a summary of the two most common competing criticisms of the U.S. counterterrorism strategy. On the one hand, critics argue that the threat has been exaggerated. On the opposite side of the spectrum, critics argue that we are engaged in a war between Islam and the West. An examination of the evidence used by these competing criticisms, combined with a review of existing U.S. strategies, provides a foundation for the construction of an appropriate response to terrorism. This review reveals evidence that the threat should be evaluated differently for domestic and international counterterrorist threats. Internationally, the U.S. engaged in a battle with a radical Islamic insurgency. Domestically, the terrorist threat is made up of terrorist operators who are engaged in a wide variety of criminal activity. Although the U.S. is unprepared for the external threat posed by radical Islamic insurgents, the post--9/11 enhancements to homeland security are appropriate to meet the current domestic threat."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Sobocinski, Thomas J.
2008-03
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Creating an Effective Multi-Domain Wide-Area Surveillance Platform to Enhance Border Security
"North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) lack persistent, multi-domain, wide-area surveillance (WAS) to conduct their assigned homeland defense and homeland security missions. Wide-area surveillance allows military operators to see vast expanses of the homeland. For example, it is the difference between a view of Texas and a view of the broad U.S. southern border -- from Texas to California. With WAS, the Department of Defense (DoD) would be able to see the big picture. Without WAS, gaps in radar coverage could allow potential terrorists -- or people transporting drugs into the United States -- to cross the border undetected. DoD or Customs would never see them. This thesis examines how NORAD-USNORTHCOM could and must achieve consistent, wide-area surveillance for the U.S. borders, both southern and northern. This can be achieved by combining the existing manned and unmanned radars with Over-the-Horizon Radars capabilities. By combining all three systems to form a family of radar surveillance systems, working as one consistent radar surveillance system, NORAD-USNORTHCOM will be more effective in homeland defense and homeland security missions."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Parsley, Randall S.
2008-03
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Significance of Consequence Assessment Applied to the Risk Based Approach of Homeland Security
"The purpose of this thesis is to challenge the risk based approach of homeland security practice to elevate the significance of consequence during the Homeland Security risk assessment process. The consequence variable must be afforded an equal to or greater value similar to threat and vulnerability. In doing so, local homeland security policies can be focused towards consequence mitigation when planning and determining how to reduce risk within a designated jurisdiction. Today's emergency preparedness risk environment has become increasingly more severe and complex, especially at the local level. The management of that risk is a fundamental requirement of local government which is expected to identify and anticipate areas of vulnerability and set in place a cohesive strategy across all disciplines to mitigate, reduce and eliminate these risks. The problem with this expectation is that federal guidance documents have a deliberate bias toward short term objectives which undermines a local government's long term commitment to the people it serves. Local agencies must be able to respond to emergencies in a way that minimizes the number of casualties or injuries during an incident that threatens members of their community and maintains services until the situation returns to normal."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Proctor, Richard B.
2008-03
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First Responder Problem Solving and Decision Making in Today's Asymmetrical Environment
"Today's first responders confront a common challenge, namely the lack of exposure to and experience with asymmetric threats (i.e., terrorism and natural disasters) in training venues that would enable them to develop familiarity with these novel situations. Different problem-solving strategies currently employed by today's first responders are described, along with situation awareness and how to best leverage first-responder experience. Literature on expert versus novice decision making, situation awareness, recognition-primed decision making, and scenario-based learning was leveraged to design the thesis experiment. Through scenario-based exercises, the thesis attempted to discover whether the decision-making skills of an experienced fire officer (expert) can be learned by newly promoted officers (novice). Results from this experiment provided insight and plausible remedies regarding today's asymmetric threats in the form of recommendations to enhance the first responder's ability to develop good situational awareness and decision making. The goal now is to use research results and recommendations as a springboard to develop training that helps a novice to effectively respond to asymmetric threats. Experiment results indicate that, by combining scenarios designed to expose novices to situations they may not experience during routine operations with timely expert feedback, an individual's decision-making skills and situation awareness can be improved."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Hintze, Neil R.
2008-03
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Homeland Security Planning for Urban Area Schools
From the thesis abstract: "Schools in the United States are at risk of a terrorist attack and the country is unprepared. The recent history of terrorist attacks illustrates that the methodology and audacity of terrorists is evolving and increasing. Terrorists no longer differentiate between civilians and military personnel, nor do they discriminate amid gender and age. While the thought of deliberately focusing an attack on children might seem unconventional, or even taboo, terrorism and terrorist tactics have fundamentally changed and terrorists are no longer fearful of taking such drastic action. This research indicates that we are unprepared and major improvements need to be made. Until serious and significant changes are made, schools remain vulnerable, unprotected targets of terrorist attacks. The consequences of inaction are enormous, being measured in the loss of lives of children. While a terrorist attack cannot always be prevented, there are actions that schools can take to enhance the safety and security of staff and students. This research culminates in specific recommendations for Maine School District 207 and highlights the strategic methodologies and practices that all schools can utilize and employ to become better prepared. A key recommendation is the inclusion of local response agencies starting with the emergency planning process."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Gjelsten, Craig A.
2008-03
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Examination of State and Local Fusion Centers and Data Collection Methods
From the thesis abstract: "This research will focus on fusion centers, particularly the expectation of state and local fusion centers and their role. How will fusion centers add to the national effort to protect the Homeland, while also providing a benefit to their local communities? This effort will seek to determine what role the state and local fusion centers should be concerned with and how they might add local value. With the increasing prevalence of fusion centers it will be important to determine how those fusion centers will be used and how they will collect the information that they will fuse, or analyze, and turn into an intelligence product. There are several questions before fusion centers such as, who are your customers, what is your product, how do you collect and analyze your data, how do you get information from emergency responders and actionable intelligence back to them? If the fusion centers can produce a timely, locally actionable, and relevant product to its customers in the form of strategic analysis to policy makers, tactical analysis to counter terrorism, tactical analysis to major criminal investigations, and situational awareness and reporting mechanisms to the emergency responder community then they will have established their value."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Nenneman, Milton
2008-03
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Examination of Four Successes in the Coast Guard's Innovation Program and Implications for Innovation within Homeland Security
"Government bureaucracies designed to maintain a stable, fair, and open society are increasingly being outpaced by changing technologies, emerging threats, and shifting priorities. Innovation offers homeland security leaders an effective mechanism to sense emerging patterns, determine positive directions, and rapidly drive process improvements. This thesis examines literature related to leadership, strategic planning, collaboration, and government innovation. It highlights the importance of leadership and collaboration and illustrates how a relatively small number of people can drive significant change. A review of the U.S. Coast Guard's innovation program and four successful projects generated by that program is provided to demonstrate how the literature applies to homeland security agencies. An analysis of the projects identifies how leaders can act in concert to enable government innovation and drive significant capability enhancements and process improvements. Recommendations and conclusions stress the importance of integrating innovation programs with education and process improvement programs and ensuring efforts are aligned with overall agency direction. The thesis also offers recommendations about how the Department of Homeland Security can improve innovation within homeland security by supporting greater collaboration and information sharing between innovators across all homeland security fields."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Kluckhuhn, Christopher
2008-03
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U.S. Army Special Forces and Homeland Security Operations
"Army Special Forces units are trained to conduct sensitive special operations including unconventional warfare, counterterrorism, direct action and strategic reconnaissance missions. Many of the unique skills and capabilities found in Special Forces units have potential applications to homeland security operations. Despite an absence of doctrine for domestic operations, Special Forces -- especially Army National Guard Special Forces -- are likely to be employed in future homeland security operations. This thesis examines potential homeland security missions for Special Forces. Additionally, given the unique first-responder role of the National Guard, this thesis analyzes potential policy changes needed to enhance National Guard Special Forces contributions to homeland security. The absence of doctrine for domestic Special Forces operations potentially adversely impacts Army National Guard Special Forces. Given the unique constitutionally mandated nature of the National Guard, state governors have the ability to activate their forces, including Army National Guard Special Forces, for homeland security operations. The absence of doctrine for domestic Special Forces operations can potentially lead to the misuse, overuse or illegal use of these strategic assets. Enhancing the National Guard's capacity to correctly use Special Forces in domestic operations will enhance the country's overall security posture."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
O'Connell, Douglas K.
2008-03
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Justice Secured: Implementing a Risk-Based Approach to Court Security
"A significant challenge to reducing pervasive security risks in judiciary operations is the lack of an objective method to evaluate and compare existing levels of risk in court facilities. This is particularly problematic when security funding enhancements are not supported by a standardized risk assessment methodology. This thesis proposes a risk-based approach to identify and reduce risk to court security operations. The primary thrust of this research effort is the development and testing of a risk assessment tool. Threat, vulnerability, and consequence elements of the risk assessment tool are identified and quantified. The tool is beta-tested using data from four California courts. The end result is a risk assessment tool which can serve as an integral part of a decision support system to help court security managers identify and reduce pervasive security risks."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Fisher, Sara K.
2008-03
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Revising the National Exercise Program
From the thesis abstract: "The National Exercise Program serves as the primary means for training national leaders and department and agency staff members. Additionally, it serves in promoting collaboration among stakeholders and partners at all levels of government with homeland security missions. Although the National Strategy for Homeland Security directs a National Exercise Program and DHS codifies this program in doctrine, it is continually a work in progress. This paper identifies and discusses four key areas which must be addressed in order to improve the National Exercise Program. These four key areas are Interagency Participation, Stability and Predictability, Funding, and Corrective Actions. These four areas are inter-related in that actions occurring in one area can have an impact in any one of the other three areas. Although DHS has established a framework for administering the NEP, many challenges remain before the NEP is fully integrated and institutionalized."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Gleason, Daniel P.
2008-03
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Reducing the Threat of Terrorism through Knowledge Sharing in a Virtual Environment between Law Enforcement and the Private Security Industry
From the thesis abstract: "Each day approximately 6,800 members of the private security workforce are deployed across Kansas City to provide protection services at venues, many of which have been identified as being critical infrastructure and/or key resources. While these guards are tasked with providing the first line of defense at these locations, there is currently no mechanism or protocol in place to facilitate a timely exchange of threat information between private security and the KCPD. To empower this resource as a terrorism prevention force multiplier the development of a web based virtual knowledge sharing initiative was explored in this study as a solution to provide 'one stop shopping' for consumers of homeland security related needs from the private security industry. The factors measured in this study indicate that private security leaders perceived significant value in the proposed initiative and that the current environment is one that would favor success. One factor that supports this finding was the strong positive bias displayed to the 'trust' factor, which was identified in this research as the lubricant of exchange relationships. While leaders did not demonstrate a high level of concern regarding the threat of a local terrorist act occurring in the next five years, the sharing of threat information did indicate that complacency could be reduced and the level of interest/value of participating be increased through the sharing of threat knowledge. Industry leaders also clearly indicated a universal belief that private security should have a role in the mission of countering terrorism to include critical infrastructure."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Gallagher, Jerry P.
2008-03
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CompStat Counterterrorism Strategy to Protect Train and Subway Systems
"Several successful terrorist attacks have occurred on train and subway systems around the world, and past attempts have been made to attack the New York City Subway System. It is clear that the train and subway systems within the United States remain a highly probable target of terrorist groups. Most systems are too porous and vast to protect every entrance and exit; even if this were possible, the physical screening of every passenger is just not feasible due to the volume of the passengers and fluid nature of the systems. This thesis recommends applying a CompStat Counterterrorism strategy to this threat. It applies those same techniques that were successful in reducing crime in New York, as well as many other major cities, and adjusts them to counteract the threat of a terrorist attack on train and subway systems across the nation. This strategy takes a proven, realistic, and sustainable approach to the current threat, while allowing the systems to operate normally. This thesis does not portend to ensure absolute security, but applies the same successful crime-reducing strategy to the current threat of a terrorist attacks on train and subway systems."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Winski, Peter A.
2008-03
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Developing the Bench: Building an Effective Homeland Security Undergraduate Program
"The current Homeland Security (HLS) workforce is aging, and the future need is growing. Academia has a significant role in the development of HLS future leaders. This thesis uses a meta-analysis to define what academia's role should include. The meta-analysis utilized a template of common HLS rubric, then used systematic study of existing core curriculum, topics in frequently used HLS texts, opinions of HLS leaders, opinions of Emergency Managers, and the opinions of community college students. The study of existing curriculum reflects the topical choices of current academic program directors, from which one could draw conclusions based on popular adoption. The topics in commonly used texts were categorized with the rubric template, and then scored by frequency. The three surveys consisted of a prioritization of the rubric template topics from very important to very unimportant. HLS leaders were queried to capture the leader's future view of workforce educational needs. Emergency Managers were queried to capture what the current practitioners view as important. And community college students were queried to identify what future students view as important in further education. The net result of the meta-analysis is a recommendation of nine specific topical areas, of interest to current or potential HLS undergraduate programs."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Winegar, Scott
2008-03
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Factors that Effect Interagency Collaborations: Lessons During and Following the 2002 Winter Olympics
From the thesis abstract: "Collaboration is a critical component of homeland security. During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Utah, 11,000 public safety officers came together from federal, state and local agencies and successfully protected the games. This collaboration ensured the safety of more than 3.5 million visitors to the state, including athletes and foreign dignitaries. Six years after the Games and the 9/11 terror attacks, however, law enforcement agencies at every level have, at times, struggled to successfully implement collaborations on a continuing and consistent basis. Creating collaborations that endure is an important issue for public safety organizations. What are the key factors or enablers that foster an environment in which collaborations can be sustained? Based on twenty-two interviews with law enforcement leaders involved in the 2002 Winter Olympics, several factors were identified that impact the effectiveness and endurance of collaborations. These factors include motivation, felt need, leadership, trust and social capital, and a formalized system of roles and procedures. Leaders play an important role in a collaborative effort. By implementing a strategic plan, for example, leaders can increase the level of motivation for collaboration, even if there is no immediate need for a collaborative effort. This study found that enablers for continued collaborations after the 2002 Winter Olympics included leadership, trust and social capital, and felt need. The major explanations for the discontinuation of other Olympic collaborations were lack of motivation or need, lack of leadership, lack of strategic planning and no mandated system."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Bertram, Christopher D.
2008-03
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Integrative Risk Management/Governance Framework for Homeland Security Decision Making
From the thesis abstract: "National leaders, federal legislation, and the Department of Homeland Security all endorse the adoption of a risk management framework as an application for homeland security decision makers. Risk Management Frameworks developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) contain the elements for building a robust risk management framework for homeland security decision-making. Yet no single framework is perfect or perfectly applicable to homeland security, mainly because of the uncertainty and complexity of terrorism. This leaves the decision-maker with a series of challenges, the most pressing of which is to manage risk in the ever evolving arena of homeland security. This paper analyzes the principles of decision making and links them with the risk management processes illustrated in each of the frameworks. The final product is an integrative risk management/governance framework and an evaluation of its utility in a sample context: the nation's passenger rail system. This study narrows the focus even further by conducting a threat analysis on the passenger rail system for the New York and New Jersey region, and applying the integrative risk management/governance framework against a hypothetical terrorist threat on that system."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Ponenti, Albert M.
2008-03
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Uniform Approach to National Suicide Bomber Incident Response and Recovery
"First responders in the United States are not adequately prepared to respond to a suicide bomber attack. Police, fire, and EMS are using protocols that do not anticipate the unique needs of a suicide bomber response. There is an urgent need to develop and implement a consistent approach for responding to suicide bombers. This thesis developed a Suicide Bomber Response Framework using International Association of Chiefs of Police training documents as the primary source, along with Technical Support Working Group training materials and recommendations from relevant national training institutions. A Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) full-scale exercise was then conducted for this thesis based on the newly written Framework to identify gaps between current standard operating procedures and operating procedures recommended by the Suicide Bomber Response Framework. Exercise evaluators identified a significant gap between standard operating procedures of first responders and the recommended response procedures in the Suicide Bomber Response Framework. The thesis argues that a unified suicide bomber response approach should be instituted nation-wide. The Suicide Bomber Response Framework would serve as the tool for responding agencies to develop consistent response plans necessary for this critical public safety concern."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Day, Dwayne
2008-03
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Fire Fighters' Ability and Willingness to Participate in a Pandemic
"Current estimates predict that 30-40 percent of the population will be infected with the flu virus during a pandemic. Fire departments should anticipate a higher attack rate for their personnel because of increased exposure risk. Additionally, many variables will negatively influence fire fighter participation rates over and above these attack rates. This thesis analyzes fire fighters' ability and willingness to participate in a pandemic through a comprehensive survey of fire fighters within the twelve National Capital Region fire departments. Issues that may influence fire fighters' ability and willingness to work include childcare, concern of family, adequate personal protective equipment, worker's compensation coverage, and availability of vaccines and antivirals. Collectively, these variables determine a workforce participation percentage (WPP) -- the share of fire fighters who will be able and willing to participate in a response during a pandemic. Results indicate that between 30-70 percent of the fire fighters will not be able or willing to work during a pandemic. Although a fire fighter's participation is situationally dependent, fire departments should take urgent steps to address five core areas. These are included in a set of recommendations. Ultimately, the priority recommendation is for fire officials and regional public policymakers to rise to the challenge of the complexity of these issues. Leadership in the face of this recognized pandemic threat, however, remains an elusive solution."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Delaney, John
2008-03
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Analysis of the Requirements and Potential Opportunities for the Future Education of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts
"The absence of law enforcement intelligence analysis programs in academia has created a serious gap in the Nation's ability to effectively protect itself from the terrorist threat. Academic institutions that teach analysis are primarily focused on foreign or national intelligence. Academia must begin addressing the need to educate law enforcement intelligence analysts. Through an examination of current intelligence analyst programs, surveys of law enforcement intelligence analysts, and research of U.S. and foreign law enforcement intelligence analyst programs, this thesis will explore how law enforcement analyst organizations and academia should provide law enforcement analyst instruction. Each chapter addresses a different component of the challenge in the education and training law enforcement analysts. This thesis also provides recommendations for future law enforcement analyst instruction."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Green, Prioleau
2008-03
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Securing the United States-Mexico Border: An On-Going Dilemma
"Illegal cross-border activity is a severe homeland defense and security problem along the international Southwest border. The issue of illegal human smuggling is not new to the United States-Mexico border, or to law enforcement agencies; however, the phenomenon continues to increase while smugglers adjust to law enforcement tactics. This paper is a synopsis of the thesis entitled 'Modeling the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector for the Deployment and Operations of Border Security Forces' which describes and identifies the fundamental dimensions of U.S. Border Patrol operations in the busiest, most vulnerable section of the border. This paper seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of the complex dynamics along the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector and highlights the primary challenges facing policymakers in developing innovative policies that will minimize illegal cross-border activity and secure the homeland."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Ordóñez, Karina
2008-05
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Caribbean Maritime Migration: Challenges for the New Millennium
"Caribbean maritime migration is a growing problem and a potential humanitarian crisis. As economic and political conditions worsen throughout the region, the numbers of migrants attempting to reach the U.S. by sea is growing exponentially, creating instability throughout the region and a significant threat to U.S. sovereignty and security. The threat itself is extremely diverse, ranging from complex criminal networks specializing in smuggling to unexpected surges in humanitarian migration. A successful strategy to meet this threat will rely on a number of elements, including strategic deterrence, coordinated interagency interdiction, and above all emphasizing safety of life at sea."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Watts, Robert B.
2008-05
