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Crossing the River: A Conceptual Framework for Response to Chaos
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis suggests that the existing protocols for initial emergency response to a chaotic event do not take advantage of the decision-making skills of front-line responders. Building from a foundation derived from the concepts of reductionism, holism and the Cynefin framework, a purposeful sample of real-world incidents was examined in an attempt to understand and demonstrate how front-line, emergent decision making can positively impact a chaotic emergency scene. From the research and sampling, a conceptual framework was developed that supports the implementation of a protocol that encourages front-line decision making. The research also identifies a point during the response that signifies entry into the chaotic domain. The REACT framework (respond, engage, act, communicate and transition) is proposed to empower first responders and give them the ability to respond to a crisis when there is not plan. The REACT framework is capable of being implemented at the lowest level of emergency response agencies. The utilization of this framework allows the decision-making skills of responders to develop incrementally. In addition, this thesis suggests that the framework serves as a mechanism to teach critical thinking and decision making." An 11-min, 1-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did= 722110]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Linthicum, David W.
2012-03
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Strategic Policy for Pandemic Vaccine Distribution
"The traditional public health model for mass vaccination, which is based on the assumption that workforce will be sufficient to mount a campaign, is flawed. Funding initiatives by Congress, while addressing certain inadequacies, have failed to consider workforce capacity that continued to decline resulting from state and local budget cuts. Thus, as the nation prepared for its first pandemic in 40 years and first of the twenty-first century, it found itself unprepared for a mass vaccination campaign. This thesis explores pandemic vaccine distribution, contrasting Department of Health and Human Service guidance with pandemic gap analyses and the recent H1N1 vaccination campaign. An analysis of the literature revealed that unresolved state and federal distribution issues contributed to distribution delays during the H1N1 call for mass vaccination. Policy analysis was used to evaluate public health and private sector vaccine distribution models, and a third hybrid model was proposed to improve support for public health emergencies. Adoption of the hybrid model will enhance the vaccination process from production through distribution along with administration to support U.S national security interest in biosecurity. The hybrid model offers a strategic solution for pandemic vaccine distribution and proposes a new approach for efficient, rapid distribution of biological countermeasures." A 11-minute, 8-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did= 723426]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Russo, Thomas P.
2010-09
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New York City Urban Search and Rescue Team (NY-TF1): A Case Study of Interagency Effectiveness
"Since September, 2001, the New York City (NYC) emergency services have striven to more closely align their component disciplines into one coordinated and collaborative effort. Despite improvements in emergency management, the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and New York City Police Department (NYPD) are still separate operational entities. An evolution in the terrorist threat challenges NYC emergency agencies and finds them unprepared for a complex terror event. Terrorist seek to divide first-responder efforts at such an attack. Evidence from the Mumbai attacks indicates an optimal response to a similar incident requires an unprecedented level of first-responder synergy. This thesis asserts that the synergistic elements in the New York City Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (NY-TF1) are applicable to the interagency challenges in the FDNY-NYPD response relationship. The methodology of this thesis is a single case study of NY-TF1 involving set of seven key leader interviews. Each discipline provided three levels of leadership confirmed the assertions of this thesis. The seventh interview, the senior civilian administrator for the New York City Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (NY-TF1), also supported this study's findings. The conclusions of this study are drawn from commonalities in the data collected. The FDNY and NYPD can achieve an emergency services synergy adapting NY-TF1 organizational designs and systemic processes into the greater response relationship." An 8-minute, 48-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did= 723432]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Duggan, Joseph, Jr.
2011-03
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Community Preparedness: Creating a Model for Change
"Although the United States has made great strides in improving its capacity to respond to and mitigate large scale incidents resulting from acts of nature or deliberate acts of man, the development and improvement of community resiliency and preparedness has lagged behind. National surveys have shown that our nation's residents are not as prepared as they believe they are or know they should be, and reveal a national population that is largely unprepared and potentially vulnerable to a catastrophic event. Attempting to improve upon low preparedness levels, the Citizen Corps Personal Behavior Change Model for Disaster Preparedness (PDP) was introduced as a tool to assist in the design of outreach/social marketing preparedness programs. This thesis examines the underlying theoretical constructs of the PDP Model and identifies their limitations and gaps. The Community/Individual Integrated Model, which provides for an integration of individual and community-based behavior change models, is proposed and compared to the original PDP Model. It is suggested that, through the use of this model, a coordinated and matched approach between an individual and his/her community can develop a preparedness program that maximizes social relationships and moves the entire community, not just individuals, through the behavioral stages of change." A 6 minute, 29 second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=20949]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Campasano, Nicholas
2010-03
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New Role for Emergency Management: Fostering Trust to Enhance Collaboration in Complex Adaptive Emergency Response Systems
"In spite of publications such as the '9/11 Commission Report' and a revised incident command system, effective interagency collaboration at emergency incidents within New York City has not been fully achieved. This thesis explores how the development of these collaborative efforts may be dependent on social factors, such as interorganizational trust, and whether emergency management agencies are well positioned to assume a leadership role in fostering and implementing trust-building programs in the furtherance of collaborative agency partnerships. The methodology for this study involved data collection and thematic analysis derived from an interview process, which involved senior management of seven public safety agencies, in order to draw conclusions on the role of trust and provide recommended strategies for fostering inter-organizational trust. The conclusions drawn from the following research support the concept that trust, operates as a catalyst in the fostering of inter-organizational collaborative efforts, enhancing the components of effective interagency partnerships, such as communication, as well as providing for increased problem solving capacities. Additionally, that the 'leadership in building trust' concept is complex, primarily reliant on establishing a trust in the collaborative process itself, and embraces the need for a collective synthesis of various agency skills to effectively meet homeland security challenges." A 6-minute, 57-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did= 29434]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Currao, Thomas J.
2009-12
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Introducing the Future Now: Using Memetics and Popular Culture to Identify the Post 9/11 Homeland Security Zeitgeist
"What effect did the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 have on American culture? One outcome was the emergence of 'homeland security' as a new institution, concept, and method. But what does this mean as part of a broader historical narrative of cultural change following 9/11? This thesis uses a combination of both classic and contemporary theories to gain perspective on how the public perceives homeland security--Zeitgeist theory and memetics. By examining small clues found within American popular culture, called memes, the reader is able to see how ideas related to homeland security have been transmitted, varied, or faded away. What may appear to be random events found in American popular culture can be considered part of a larger dynamic at work called the 'Zeitgeist' and may provide the first glimpse into a future that 'currently exists, but is just not widely distributed yet.' The themes found within the homeland security Zeitgeist--patriotism, victimization, fear, and absurdity--provide insight into how Americans perceive homeland security and awareness of emerging cultural patterns that affect their lives. Opportunities for further research are suggested related to cultural evolution, memetics, popular culture analysis, strategic communications, and homeland security." A 7- minute, 33-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=36642]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Boyd, Judith K.
2008-03
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Regional Security Assessments: A Strategic Approach to Securing Federal Facilities
"The 18 critical infrastructure sectors identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security form a vast and complex network of interdependent assets that supports the functioning of nearly every aspect of business, government, and commerce. The disruption of even one critical infrastructure sector by a terrorist attack or natural or manmade disaster is likely to have cascading effects on other sectors. As the Sector-Specific Agency for the Government Facilities Sector, the Federal Protective Service conducts recurring facility security assessments for approximately 9000 federal facilities. These federal facilities are interconnected in varying degrees of complexity and form a network of multi- or bi-directional connections between assets, within or between many types of systems, and within or across critical infrastructure sectors. This thesis presents a Policy Options Analysis of a cross-sector approach for protecting federal facilities across the United States. These options seek to expand the security assessments conducted by the Federal Protective Service to include interdependency analysis at the operational and strategic levels. These options may also serve as a model for other cross-sector security assessment methodologies that may be adopted by other critical infrastructure sectors." A 5-minute, 57-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did= 29435]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Consolini, Todd
2009-12
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Tell Me What I Need To Know: What Mayors and Governors Want from Their Fusion Center
"Mayors and governors who represent high threat, high population density urban areas need strategic, decision-making advantages and, as such, should be significant users of fusion centers. These chief executives desire to understand the operating environment for their jurisdictions where daily risks and threats emerge from the complexities of an integrated world. Paradoxically, as will be outlined through this thesis, there is a lack of robust engagement between fusion centers and mayors and governors. While this thesis does not suggest executives know nothing about their fusion centers, the lack of direct and regular engagement is problematic given that top elected officials are responsible for leadership and funding decisions that prevent, mitigate, and respond to threats to their jurisdictions. Without engagement, fusion centers struggle to meet executive expectations, and mayors and governors miss critical opportunities to leverage their fusion centers. By addressing this engagement and expectations gap, fusion centers will be better situated to help these busy chief executives develop adaptive long-term strategic approaches for preventing, preparing, responding to and mitigating threats and all hazards in their jurisdictions, where they ultimately are held accountable by their constituency." A 7-minute, 55-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did= 31118]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Chen, Yi-Ru
2009-09
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No Dark Corners: Defending Against Insider Threats to Critical Infrastructure
From the thesis abstract: "An adversary who makes a frontal attack can be anticipated or repulsed. An adversary who attacks from within, however, cannot be so readily countered. This study intends to identify defenses against trust betrayers targeting critical infrastructure. Using a Delphi method, the study develops insights of experts from more mature arenas of defense against insider threats, such as workplace violence and counter-espionage, in order to assist infrastructure stewards with defending against the insider threat to critical infrastructure. The findings uncover flaws in institutional defenses that adversaries can exploit, with infiltrators posing a greater threat than disgruntled insiders. Resulting recommendations run counter to accepted wisdom. These recommendations shape the contours of a No Dark Corners approach that applies and extends seminal theories of Newman's Defensible Space and Kelling's Fixing Broken Windows. No Dark Corners replaces a laser for a flashlight. The laser is a narrow beam of workplace monitoring only by corporate sentinels, or security specialists. The flashlight is a broader beam of employee engagement and monitoring on the front lines at the team level. There are no easy answers. No Dark Corners shows promise in filling the gaps in traditional insider defenses to deliver the victory of ownership over surprise." A 13-minute, 51-second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=31117]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Catrantzos, Nicholas
2009-09
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'Someone to Watch over Me?' Privacy and Governance Strategies for CCTV and Emerging Surveillance Technologies
From the thesis abstract: "Responding to concerns of terror around the world, law enforcement agencies are rapidly moving to utilize a range of surveillance technologies to address the threat. While the lead technology in this area is closed circuit television (CCTV), other technologies like radio frequency identification (RFID), global positioning satellite (GPS) technology and biometrics are also being expanded for use in monitoring human activity. These systems share common features and can be interrelated and controlled with developing computer technologies. They can also be used by government for a range of other purposes. However, use of these technologies has implications for individual privacy. This research examines the nature of privacy and existing legal protections. It also investigates a range of approaches to govern the use of these developing technologies. It is a critical governmental function to administer the use of that technology to ensure that it is related to appropriate government purposes and that individual civil rights are protected. To be successful, that governance scheme will have to address key privacy concerns while remaining flexible enough to adapt to changing technology. Informed by this research policymakers will be better able to develop effective governance strategies." A 7-minute, 43-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=36620]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Zoufal, Donald R.
2008-03
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Integration of Virtual Public-Private Partnerships into Local Enforcement to Achieve Enhanced Intelligence-Led Policing
From the thesis Abstract: "In light of the recent emergence of fusion centers and centralized intelligence units, and the move to develop intelligence capacity within local law enforcement agencies in the United States, intelligence-led policing (ILP) is well-positioned to be on the nation's law enforcement agenda for the next decade. ILP relies on robust data collection from a wide range of sources to create intelligence products that can influence decision makers, and ultimately, impact the criminal environment. Virtual public-private partnerships (VP3s) offer local law enforcement agencies an effective and efficient way to leverage a vast and resourceful private sector for the purpose of enhancing ILP. A VP3 can exponentially enhance data collection capacity, facilitate the utilization of the private sector as a force multiplier, and provide the means by which local policing agencies can begin to instill a culture of preparedness in the citizens they serve. This thesis includes case studies of three VP3s -- Citizen Observer, NYPD Shield, and the Nassau County Security/Police Information Network (SPIN). In addition, virtual communities and social capital are examined with an eye towards the potential impact on crime, homeland security, and ILP. The findings of this thesis form the framework for a VP3-enhanced model of intelligence-led policing." A 7-minute, 33-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=36618]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Simeone, Matthew J., Jr.
2007-09
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Multi Attribute Decision Analysis in Public Health - Analyzing Effectiveness of Alternate Modes of Dispensing
From the thesis Abstract: "Local emergency planners are creating mass prophylaxis plans to prophylax entire populations within forty eight hours in order to reduce mortality after a bioterrorist attack. The Points of Dispensing (PODs) used in prophylaxis are central to an area's mass prophylaxis plans, but they are insufficient because of their staffing and security constraints. Several alternate modes of dispensing that have similar attributes and are considered best practices are presently being implemented in local health departments (LHDs). The purpose of this thesis is to develop models to evaluate alternate modes of dispensing using multi-attribute value function (MAVF), an approach that supports multi-attribute decision-making by taking into account the trade-offs a decision-maker is willing to make between attributes. Two models are created for Los Angeles County (LAC). The models showed that in LAC, the door-to-door option, pharmacy option, civil service option and Kaiser Permanente option work best. The study finds that alternate modes of dispensing can be useful in filling the gaps in the POD-based approach by increasing critical resources or lowering the pressure on existing resources." A 6-minute, 10-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=36619]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Khan, Sinan
2007-09
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Can You Lead Me Now? Leading in the Complex World of Homeland Security
From the thesis Abstract: "This thesis focuses on a theory of leading and the activities and processes used to move a bureaucratic, public agency to a higher level of fitness in the contexts of dynamic equilibrium and the edge of chaos. The main claim is that leading and all of its components -- thinking and sensemaking, storytelling and demonstrating the right ideas, and organizing action and shaping collective movement -- are required for an organization to address the complex, coordinating problems of homeland security. This research is exploratory using the methodology of grounded theory. An in-depth analysis of a single case was used to test a theory of leading in complexity. Descriptive examples are provided of the activities identified in the process of leading. The findings supported the theory of leading and offered some suggestions for leading the work of homeland security. The analysis demonstrated that leading is a process that weaves in a non-linear way from thinking to sensemaking to demonstrating the "right ideas" and identities to organizing collective movement and back around to thinking. It is a process without ends and a process that shows how to accomplish organizational change in the realm of complexity and chaos." A 9-minute, 1-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=36617]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Joyce, Nola
2007-09
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Practitioner's Guide to Trust and Legitimacy
From the thesis abstract: "The policing profession has evolved since the formalization of police forces in the late 1820s. Much of the change revolves around the community taking an interest in how the police conduct themselves and how they interact with the public. As the public demands more from the police, the police need to strive to gain trust and remain legitimate. This is easier said than done. Due to the breakdown in the social safety net, more and more police officers are called upon to assist those who are suffering from a mental illness. This intersection often tragically results in officers using force, or deadly force on these individuals. When this happens, many in the community lose faith in the police and trust is weakened or lost. In this paper, trust and legitimacy between the community and the police is examined. The argument is made that the police need to have trust and legitimacy with the public they serve in order to be effective in fighting crime as well as terrorism. Three aspects are examined that have the potential to build trust: The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) civil rights investigation of law enforcement, the strategic production of press releases and the creation and use of a mobile smart phone application as a means of connecting to the community. By abiding with the DOJ recommendations, thinking strategically about the production of press releases, and leveraging technology to build relationships, it is argued that law enforcement can build trust and legitimacy. With trust and legitimacy the public will assist, cooperate and obey the police. This relationship and collaboration is vital if law enforcement is to be successful in maintaining public safety and prevent terrorism." A 10-minute, 21-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=747922]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Walsh, Patrick A.
2013-09
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Benefits of Collaborative Processes for Establishing All Hazard Incident Management Teams in Urban Area Security Initiative Regions
From the thesis abstract: "In 2008, consistent with past practice, the Phoenix Urban Area began a collaborative process to establish three All Hazards Incident Management Teams (AHIMT) with a three-year timeline for project completion. In 2013, one team is functional and the other two AHIMT are not yet deployable. This research constitutes a case study of the 2008 Phoenix AHIMT process, and seeks to identify challenges and obstacles to collaboration. The findings of this case study of collaboration in the Phoenix Urban Area found that participants in the process viewed positively the emphasis by leaders on collaboration, the frequency that collaboration took place, and the benefits that arose from mutual collaboration. There is minimal agreement among participants about how much collaboration has taken place in developing the AHIMT program. The benefits of collaboration are believed to include the sharing of resources, developing positive relationships with other agencies, reducing operational costs, and providing a common framework for identifying and solving problems. These findings support the following recommendations for using collaboration in regional initiatives: an overall program strategy document that addresses the need for and commitment to collaboration, governance, personnel, competency, remaining relevant, and an exercise schedule." A 6-minute, 34-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=747923]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Abbott, W. Thomas
2013-09
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Perfect Storm: The Religious Apocalyptic Imagination and Personal Disaster Preparedness
From the thesis abstract: "Using the Citizen Corps' Personal Disaster Preparedness (PDP) Model as a framework, this thesis examines the relationship between religious apocalyptic beliefs and disaster preparedness motivations in the United States. Four focus groups were convened with members of the American public who reported holding religious beliefs that included an end-times doctrine. Findings include the following: 1) estimations of likelihood, impact and response efficacy were not significantly influenced by religious end-times beliefs; 2) beliefs in biblical prophesy did not alter the cognitive heuristics that have been shown to influence personal risk assessment; 3) spiritual beliefs motivated spiritual preparedness while material or secular concerns motivated actual completion of FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency]-recommended preparations; and 4) millennialist beliefs provided high spiritual self-efficacy, but it did not correlate with high material self-efficacy, which is essential to material preparation. Recommendations are made for leveraging high spiritual self-efficacy in millennialist faith groups to further DHS's [Department of Homeland Security] mission of disaster resiliency. Suggestions include building a Threat/Efficacy profile specific to the religious populations that holds strong eschatological beliefs, with distinctions between pre-, post- and amillenialism, as well as Christian and non-Christian populations." An 8-minute, 28-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=704310]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Albertazzi, Anne Marie
2011-12
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Tailoring Violent Extremism Prevention: A Targeted Intervention Method
From the thesis abstract: "The threat that emanates from violent extremism in the United States has shifted from large-scale networked cells to lone-wolf attackers. These violent extremists vary in ethnicity, race, age, religion, and motivations, and their path to radicalization is not linear. However, the majority of Department of Homeland Security programs designed to combat violent extremism still focus exclusively on the Muslim population and on community-based approaches. This thesis identifies two separate but related deficiencies in current countering violent extremism (CVE) programs: first, their inability to prevent attacks perpetrated by individuals who have been interviewed by law enforcement but did not become subjects of a formal investigation, and second, their inability to provide early intervention for individuals who are vulnerable to radicalization. This research proposes a multi-disciplinary, comprehensive model to prevent violent extremism at every intervention point, leveraging law enforcement capabilities, neighborhood policing models, and more robust threat assessment methods." The CHDS Viewpoints in Homeland Defense and Security video link for this thesis is available at: https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=821245
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Mourad, Mourad
2018-12
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No Failure of Imagination: Examining Foundational Flaws in America's Homeland Security Enterprise
From the thesis abstract: "Current United States (U.S.) policy vis-à-vis the nation's homeland security enterprise is built on a fatally flawed foundation. It is based on a top-down, federal-centric model rather than on a constitutional model that develops capability for resilience, response, protection and preparedness for crises. The issues leading to this flawed foundation go back to the inherent constitutional tension between the federal and state governments. Historically, when confronted by national-level crises, the federal government has based its actions and mandates on flawed metapolicy addressing all possibly related issues, rather than directing effort at solving the major crisis at hand. In so doing, the preemption of power, and the coercion through funding and regulation have been results unto themselves. The crisis that encapsulates homeland security today is as wide and amorphous as the crisis confronting America at the time of the Great Depression. Both crises involve Constitutional, social, financial, and political issues of extreme complexity. In addition, both resulted in significant expansion of federal prerogatives. This thesis seeks to examine the metapolicy behind the reaction to such severe and yet amorphous crises and to suggest courses of action that--within the bounds of existing political reality--can redirect today's homeland security enterprise in a more effective manner. The research looks at historical and legal concepts, and conducts an in-depth review of similarities between the New Deal era and the modern homeland security era." A 14 minute, 17 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=704314].
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Freed, Judson M.
2011-09
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Homeland Security Organizations: Design Contingencies in Complex Environments
From the thesis abstract: "Protecting America from terrorism, natural disasters, and other threats has never been more important or as complex an endeavor as it is today. From asymmetrical warfare to economic meltdown, the environments are increasingly unstable, dynamic and complex, yet many U.S. homeland security organizations are designed around a 19th century model created for the Industrial Age. Information Age challenges demand new ideas for organizational design. Traditional mechanistic and hierarchical bureaucracies must be re-examined. This thesis explores case studies that include an intelligence organization fighting bioterrorism and a military unit battling insurgents in asymmetrical warfare. Case study research was selected to examine 'how' and 'why' questions related to organic organizational design in dynamic and complex environments. Organic designs provide a better fit because they leveraged three critical capabilities for these environments: communication dissemination, sense-making, and timely conversion of information to action. This fit is accomplished through elements, such as decentralized decision authority, emergent leadership, low specialization, low formalization, use of liaisons, and a reliance on performance controls, which in turn, contribute to decentralized allocation of decision rights, unconstrained patterns of interaction, and broad distribution of information. Organizations of the future will benefit from the insights that emerged from this research." A 19 minute, 30 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=704318].
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Madia, James D.
2011-09
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Creating a Learning Organization for State, Local, and Tribal Law Enforcement to Combat Violent Extremism
From the thesis abstract: "This is a proof-of-concept project for an online law enforcement learning organization dedicated to combating violent extremism (CVE), specifically, counter-radicalization techniques to be implemented by state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. Although there are many different forms of violent extremism, examples in this paper reflect those threats from Islamic violent extremism. Even so, this proposed law enforcement learning organization model could be used to facilitate countermeasures against all forms of violent extremism. The paper proposes utilizing an asynchronous online discussion format for state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to enter into dialogue about counter radicalization as well as to provide resources for law enforcement training cadre and command staff. This learning model concept will augment current CVE counter-radicalization strategies in the United States, allowing for greater dialogue, information, and idea sharing. Additionally, two curriculum options are presented to augment the learning organization concept. The project's foundation is within the online asynchronous discussion and related instructional design body of research."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Powell, John Eric
2016-09
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CHDS Thesis Series: Al Qaida's Strategic Culture [video]
From the Video Description: "Noel Lipana addresses the gap in literature on al-Qa'ida's 'strategic culture'; that is, the way that the group's theological, historical and psychological beliefs determine the strategic decisions they make. As al-Qa'ida is a global movement, this information is useful for counterterrorism forces at work both domestically (battling homegrown Islamic radicalism and immigrants pursuing a radical agenda) and abroad." The duration of this video is 4 minutes and 27 seconds.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Lipana, Noel
2011-08-10
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Saving the Savable: Using Bystanders to Increase Survival from Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) in New York City
From the thesis abstract: "Every year in America, thousands of people needlessly die following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Because first responders in New York City (NYC) have difficulty arriving soon enough, cardiac arrest survival rates lag significantly behind jurisdictions around the country. One successful approach used elsewhere to increase OHCA survival rates is encouraging bystanders to perform CPR [Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation] prior to first responders' arrival. Regarding bystanders as the first first responders requires a shift in thinking as well as an understanding of the modern bystander. This thesis examines the people, policies, and technology that are available-some of them already tested in other jurisdictions-and presents specific recommendations for NYC. Bridging the gap from the time a person stops breathing until the arrival of first responders may not be as difficult as it seems." A 13 minute and 38 second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.chds.us/ed/saving-the-savable-using-bystanders-to-increase-survival-from-out-of-hospital-cardiac-arrest-in-nyc/]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Leeb, Frank A.
2016-03
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Different Shade of Blue: An Evaluation of the Civilian Detective Concept and Its Impact on Police Capabilities
From the thesis abstract: "Financial distress and shrinking police candidate pools have diminished cities' abilities to protect the public. This thesis examines the manner in which cities have adapted by using civilians to perform the duties of sworn detectives-specifically, whether this practice enhances cities' contributions to public safety. Nine law enforcement organizations across the country that applied this policy were analyzed. It focused on cost implications, impacts on investigative and emergency response capabilities, job qualifications, training standards, scope of duties, and overall efficacy. Similar themes include the ability of cities to reduce costs and to achieve equivalent work output from civilian personnel. Dissimilar themes surrounded the reasons cities adopted the policy and how they trained the personnel. From the analysis, this thesis determined that the use of civilian personnel does enhance cities' contributions to public safety. This thesis also identified a need for a uniform national framework for policy adoption and for state peace officer accrediting commissions to develop guidelines for training and certification." A 15 minute, 21 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=808962]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Green, David B.
2016-03
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Flight Plight: An Examination of Contemporary Humanitarian Immigration from Honduras, Cuba and Syria to the United States with Considerations for National Security
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis examines contemporary U.S. immigration for humanitarian populations from Honduras, Cuba, and Syria. Humanitarian immigration refers to refugees, asylum seekers, and those who are forcibly displaced from their homelands. The study explores how the United States can balance its identity as a nation of immigrants with its increasing security concerns within forced migrant populations. The research describes various philosophies of and motives for migration and the United States' role as an international destination for refugees. The study also provides a comprehensive review of all U.S. humanitarian immigration programs available to forced migrants from Honduras, Cuba, and Syria. These unique reviews, or case studies, are introduced with descriptions of each country's social, political, and historical context for migration and feature fictional scenarios in which immigrant families interact directly with country conditions and the U.S. humanitarian immigration programs available to them. Finally, the thesis reviews national security concerns presented by humanitarian immigration programs and explains how national priorities and legislative remedies can temper public fear." An 8 minute, 28 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=808963]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Ventura, Catherine Schroeck
2016-03
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Armed to Learn: Aiming at California K-12 School Gun Policy
From the thesis abstract: "Although the idea of a school shooting strikes fear in the hearts of school administrators, school employees, and parents, there is no agreement on whether arming employees is a sound strategy to counter this threat. There is a wide gap in viewpoints between gun control advocates who want tighter gun control and constitutionalists who believe as strongly in the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Whether or not to implement a weapons policy is an issue every school superintendent or school authority may need to face sooner or later. This research does not seek to answer the question of whether school districts should arm their employees. Rather, it seeks to provide a framework for each educational agency to explore, contemplate, and determine its course of action based upon risk-management principles that take into account the values, goals, and capabilities of the community in which the policy would apply. Possible outcomes include the policy options of MoreGuns (allow teachers to be armed), BanGuns (no one is armed), or SomeGuns (trained security or law enforcement can be armed but not teachers). This research is intended to stand as a resource for stakeholders such as legislators, parents, and employees; to equip them to engage in the policy debate; and to empower their participation in making informed decisions about school-district weapons policy." An 8 minute, 36 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=808966].
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Jones, Catherine Wilson
2016-03
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Proposed Cosmology of Identity in the Sociotechnical Ecosystem of Homeland Security
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis explores how identity and technology interact in the context of terrorism and conflict. This relationship is important to understand because technology can be designed to shape identity and drive behavior. This ability to manipulate identity through technological means has ethical implications for technological innovation and design and can lead to emerging threats in homeland security. This thesis uses the position of soldier as a template to develop an understanding of the most basic social functions, which are technologically dependent. Following the analysis, the thesis builds a framework called the sociotechnical ecosystem based on artifact, mobility, communications, information, and network structures. Finally, this thesis proposes a new conceptual model to provide a mechanism for analyzing the influence a technological environment can exert on social identity." A 17-minute, 11-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.chds.us/ed/sociotechnical-identity-influences-threats-to-security/]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Gerard, Sevan D.
2017-12
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Fracking: Unintended Consequences for Local Communities
From the thesis abstract: "The advent of hydraulic fracturing and the ability to bore horizontal wells have changed the energy industry for better and worse since 2005. Advancements have dramatically increased the extraction of oil from shale, but the controversial process, commonly known as 'fracking,' has transformed North Dakota's Bakken into a major producer of oil that has affected global oil markets. The questions asked in this thesis are as follows: What are the effects of unconventional shale oil exploration on local communities? How can they prepare for, prevent, mitigate, and recover from the socioeconomic impacts associated with shale oil exploration? What happened at the Bakken served as a case study to evaluate the holistic impact of fracking on the environment and socioeconomics of local communities at the epicenter of shale oil production. This study included an evaluation of crucial environmental issues: water consumption, water quality, air quality, wastewater disposal, and seismic activity in western North Dakota. Socioeconomic concerns comprised population growth, housing availability, employment rate, community growth, taxes, infrastructure needs, and crime rate. An analysis of these impacts leads this thesis to six offer recommendations that local decision makers should consider as they strive to implement risk-reduction strategies and policies for their communities." A 17 minute, 6 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=808940]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Stangeland, Chad David
2016-12
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21st Century Strategies for Policing Protest: What Major Cities' Responses to the Occupy Movement Tell Us About the Future of Police Response to Public Protest
From the thesis abstract: "The study of a law enforcement response to a national movement is a homeland security issue. How America polices its population establishes the benchmark for how it treats the world and is worthy of exploration. What can the experiences of four major U.S. cities, in their response to the Occupy Movement, tell us about using emergent strategies for policing protest in the twenty-first century? In the fall of 2011, the Occupy Movement protests swept across the United States in a matter of weeks. Activists demonstrated against income inequality and the state of the economy, and they established camps in major urban areas, occupying public spaces. I conducted case studies of New York City; Oakland, California; Portland, Oregon; and Dallas, Texas, and analyzed the results. That analysis revealed common themes, including a lack of negotiated management, restricting access to traditionally open public spaces by the police and the use of emergent practice in the complex adaptive environment of demonstrations. From this analysis, I am able to provide strategic recommendations for city and police leaders in dealing with protests in the twenty-first century utilizing a sense-making framework that will assist leaders in strategic planning for protests for large and small cities alike." A 10 minute, 35 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=752924]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Geron, Stephen Max
2014-03
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Fighting Tomorrow's Fire Today: Leveraging Intelligence for Scenario-Based Exercise Design
From the thesis abstract: "There is a great opportunity for collaborative learning when agencies conduct emergency preparedness exercises together. If different members of the community contribute to the development of these exercises, then this learning benefits the entire population. As it stands, preparedness exercises are being conducted with minimal regard to recommendations from previous exercises and real-world events. Along with the incorporation of intelligence into these exercises, the objectives should promote a more inclusive design process based on focused relevance, encouraging agencies to view themselves more as members of the greater community rather than individual entities. Terrorist organizations learn from past failures as well as successes, and emergency responders should strive to parallel this learning in order to develop tactical improvements. Emergency responders need to promote the idea of intelligence-driven exercise design in order to support community resilience through collaborative training. Municipalities should spearhead this effort, supported financially by the private sector. With this fusion of intelligence and collaborative exercise design, we can learn from the fires of yesterday and prepare for the emergencies of tomorrow." A 6-min, 9-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=752925]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Healy, Thomas F.
2014-03
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Management of the Severely Mentally Ill and Its Effects on Homeland Security
From the thesis abstract: "As a result of the events of September 11, 2001, law enforcement agencies nationwide have been assigned a plethora of terrorism prevention and recovery related duties. Many federal documents outline and emphasize duties and responsibilities pertaining to local law enforcement. The prevention of acts of terrorism within communities has become a focal point of patrol activities for state and local police agencies. Simultaneously, local law enforcement is dealing with the unintended consequences of a policy change that in effect removed the daily care of our nation's severely mentally ill population from the medical community and placed it with the criminal justice system. This policy change has caused a spike in the frequency of arrests of severely mentally ill persons, prison and jail population and the homeless population. A nationwide survey of 2,406 senior law enforcement officials conducted within this paper indicates that the deinstitutionalization of the severely mentally ill population has become a major consumer of law enforcement resources nationwide. This paper argues that highly cost-effective policy recommendations exist that would assist in correcting the current situation, which is needlessly draining law enforcement resources nationwide, thereby allowing sorely needed resources to be directed toward this nation's homeland security concerns." Supplemental statistical information for this thesis may be found at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=797023]. A 15 minute, 10 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link:[https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=704313]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Biasotti, Michael C.
2011-09
