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Reality of the Homeland Security Enterprise Information Sharing Environment
From the thesis abstract: "Responding to recommendations from the 9/11 Commission, Congress created the Information Sharing Environment (ISE) with the passage of the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. Linked to the creation of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and championed by that office's program manager for the ISE, the ISE has contributed to national intelligence reform by attempting to improve information sharing across the federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal domains. Given the rise in domestic terrorist attacks and the progress of intelligence reform over the last 16 years, this thesis explores an analysis of the ISE's effectiveness and an examination of alternative means of information sharing to address the remaining information-sharing challenges brought to light in attacks carried out between 2014 and 2017. Alternative information-sharing techniques have been used by our nation's special operations forces and by our largest police force, the New York Police Department. The best practices of organizations such as these may be leveraged by the ISE to further future intelligencesharing reform."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Brown, Michael E.
2017-12
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Role of Mental Illness Identification and Screening in Firearm Background Checks
From the thesis abstract: "Highly publicized mass shootings, and often the corresponding commentary on the perpetrator's mental health, lead many to question how such a person could have acquired access to a firearm. Mental illness, broadly speaking, is a prohibiting criterion for individuals to purchase a firearm, yet there are several examples of individuals who have a history of mental illness and are able to legally pass a firearm background check. This thesis examines the tenuous relationship between mental illness and violence, and evaluates federal and state laws to assess the prohibited criteria. Individuals with mental illness who go untreated and have co-occurring disorders are at an increased risk of violence, yet may never enter into the courts or are not involuntarily committed to a mental institution. This research concluded, therefore, that statutes need to change by placing less emphasis on involuntary commitment to mental institutions and instead adopt a risk-based approach that restricts firearm access by individuals with a mental illness who may present a risk of violence once they are identified. Legal, procedural, and clinical implications are explored to ensure that individuals' Constitutional rights are protected while mitigating risk and maintaining a primary goal of ensuring effective treatment."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Barklage, Kevin M.
2017-12
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Police Reforms: Identifying the Potential Adverse Impacts and Challenges to Law Enforcement Agencies
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis examines the issue of police reform and considers whether a causal connection exists between the reforms being implemented by law enforcement agencies and the issue of police disengagement or de-policing. The two most salient reforms, the 'Final Report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing' and the 'Police Executive Research Forum's Guiding Principles on the Use of Force', are currently in the process of being adopted and implemented in many law enforcement agencies, which is a process that will take many months if not years to complete. To provide some insight into how these reforms will affect these agencies, three case studies examined police departments currently under federal supervision from either the Department of Justice or the federal court to determine how they impacted officer activity. These studies considered the reform process along with the individual reforms adopted in each agency and examined the levels of officer activity to determine how they were impacted by these reforms. These results were then examined in the context of current research and officer surveys to assist in interpreting the reported declines in officer activity. These findings have possible implications for law enforcement agencies that adopt the reforms in the 'Final Report and Guiding Principles.'"
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Timpf, Mark L.
2017-12
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Regaining the Trust of the American Public: A Law Enforcement Initiative
From the thesis abstract: "While Americans remain confident in law enforcement, there are profound fractures in the relationship between the police and certain communities across the United States. Law enforcement shootings of unarmed individuals--particularly African Americans--inadequate police response, and the subsequent civil unrest raise disturbing and often volatile concerns for public safety. This thesis asserts that, as an industry, law enforcement is experiencing a nationwide crisis. Although law enforcement has been unable to successfully navigate the dynamics of reputation management during a crisis, companies in the private sector have identified effective frameworks, paradigms, and best practices for successfully regaining--and, more importantly, maintaining--the public's trust. Consequently, this paper seeks to determine how law enforcement can apply crisis and reputation management techniques developed by the private sector to effectively regain the trust of the American public. The thesis provides law enforcement executives with an opportunity to learn from the private sector and put the most critical lessons learned in crisis and reputation management into practice."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Alvarez, Micole C.
2017-12
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Pre-Incident Planning for the Los Alamos National Laboratory
From the thesis abstract: "The Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD) provides emergency response services to the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The laboratory places high expectations on the delivery of these services; over a twenty-year period, however, multiple third-party evaluators identified problems with the LAFD's preincident planning process. This thesis investigated pre-incident planning improvement methods and found that the LAFD plans for the Los Alamos National Laboratory lacked information and collaborative efforts. A review of related literature and best practices from other national laboratory sites and accredited fire departments provided potential solutions. This research recommends that the LAFD establish a working group to improve the pre-incident planning process at Los Alamos National Laboratory, using the best practice examples as guidelines."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Hughes, Troy L.
2017-12
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Prospective Vigilance: Assessing Complex Coordinated Attack Preparedness Programs
From the thesis abstract: "State and local first responders in the United States lack a common strategic approach to prepare for complex coordinated attacks (CCAs). Inconsistent terminology and insufficient guidance from all levels of government and academia complicate matters. State and local agencies face three main barriers to CCA response preparedness: First, the United States has not experienced a CCA like those in Mumbai or Paris; this renders the threat low probability, if high consequence, and thus low priority. Second, preparedness funding in the United States is declining across the board; only high-priority, high-probability events receive necessary funding and attention. Third, if a CCA were to occur today without a unified response plan, first responders would attempt to bring order to chaos; but because this type of event is qualitatively different from those for which responders have trained, such a response could prove to be disastrous. This thesis analyzed and assessed federal summary reports from current preparedness programs. It surveyed program participants about the programs' value and use. When combined with the federal report examination, the survey results revealed that even without a national CCA strategy, these programs increase participants' preparedness and resilience, and first responders may be adapting to the current threat environment. Three recommendations are provided to help address the findings and augment state and local first responder preparedness before a CCA occurs."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Goff, Jared B.
2017-12
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Software Requirement Specifications for a Social-Media Threat Assessment Tool
From the thesis abstract: "Police officers are often the targets of threats, both verbal and written. Twitter and Facebook allow the communications of these threats quickly, anonymously and in high volume. Law enforcement agencies become overwhelmed trying to determine which are the most serious, since they have limited investigators. Identifying threats that have a high likelihood of violence is also very subjective. How can risk assessment of these threats be improved? As an answer to this question, a software-requirement specification document details a new software that starts the threat assessment process earlier. This software incorporates a social media and language sentiment analyzer, criminal history information and threshold, and confidence scoring to alert law enforcement of threats likely to end in violence. Twitter and Facebook posts that reach a predetermined score alert investigators of a high probability threat on which investigators can focus their efforts. During the development of the software proposal, this thesis finds that implementing this software could improve law enforcement intervention to threats communicated over social media."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Barnett, Craig T.
2017-12
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Dashboards for the Fire Service
From the thesis abstract: "The purpose of this thesis is to examine how fire service agencies can best apply the principles of Business Intelligence (BI) toward constructing dashboards to improve agency performance. To accomplish this project, action research principles were applied to construct a first-generation model of such a dashboard. The model dashboard(s) constructed contains program measures and information that fire agency supervisors at different levels may use to improve subordinate performance and to support decision-making. It does appear possible for fire departments to apply modern BI principles toward improving fire department performance. Since the dashboard developed only represents the first generation of this process, it is recommended that further research focus on how to improve such dashboards through iteration and to examine the effects of such dashboards on agency performance to see if they are truly useful."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Butsch, Alan L.
2017-12
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Active Shooter Response: Defensive Tactics and Tactical Decision-Making for Elementary School Teachers and Staff
From the thesis abstract: "This study analyzes characteristics of Run, Hide, Fight and defensive tactics and tactical-based decision-making tools that can be modified and applied to enhance depth and breadth of preparedness. Specifically, the research focuses on law enforcement and military tactics and tactical decision-making tools that could be taught to teachers and school staff for use in elementary school settings. Research sources include government operation manuals as well as literature from experts in the fields of defensive tactics and tactical decision-making. While much of the tactical advice and techniques described may seem intimidating to the non-military or non-law-enforcement professional, they are not. The tactics provide basic guidance in mindset, movement, and self-protection strategies that have the potential of improving the likelihood of survival of students, faculty, and staff alike. Findings from the research are categorized as pre-action (mental preparation and situational awareness), action (defensive tactics and tactical decision-making techniques), and re-action (ongoing situational awareness, action analysis and modification). Additionally, the findings support the following recommendations: provide training to teachers and school staff on options-based responses (including defensive tactics and tactical decision-making), empower teachers to protect students by any means necessary, and establish reconnection procedures in the event of an incident."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Whitney, John A., IV
2017-12
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Arizona Border Wall Case Study
From the thesis abstract: "Illegal immigration is a popular topic. Obtaining operational control of the southwest border and adding infrastructure was deemed necessary and important when Congress voted for the Secure Fence Act in 2006. This thesis determines how much, and where, additional infrastructure should be added. How effective can a border wall or fence be in securing the U.S.-Mexico border? Under what circumstances are walls and fences effective? When are other types of security measures more effective? The Yuma and Tucson sectors are examined to determine the current border infrastructure's effectiveness using arrest and geographical data. Current border infrastructure, the complete wall system's cost, and results realized in reducing illegal crossings are reviewed. Government documents, congressional testimonies, and think-tank analyses are analyzed. This thesis focused on barriers and tactical infrastructure on the southwest border. It found that a wall or fence is a viable option to improve the security of some border sections. The Yuma sector is already under operational control and is lower priority. The Tucson sector is higher priority and needs additional infrastructure. It is recommended that all urban and rural zones under 80 percent effectiveness be upgraded to modern fencing, while very remote areas below 80 percent effectiveness remain exempt if zone activity stays low."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Bristow, Justin Alexander
2017-12
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Cyber Federalism: Defining Cyber's Jurisdictional Boundaries
From the thesis abstract: "Cybersecurity was once a federal government responsibility because cyber had limited impact on state and local entities, but today's cyber risks to critical infrastructure and public services affect all levels of government. This thesis explores the current state of cybersecurity in the United States and examines what role each level of government--federal, state, and local--should play in protecting against and responding to a significant cyber incident. It evaluates current state and local cyber capabilities and outlines the capabilities these governments must develop to play a larger role in this growing homeland security mission. The research concludes that state and local governments should have an important role in cyber preparedness and cyber incident response, but many of these entities lack the capabilities necessary to play a meaningful role. Furthermore, current policies fail to provide clear jurisdictional boundaries between levels of government. Therefore, this thesis recommends that the nation develop a legal framework to improve jurisdictional boundaries, prioritize cyber investments at the state and local level, and improve cyber education. These steps will strengthen state sovereignty and improve the nation's cyber posture."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Rosner, Eric
2017-12
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Crisis Leadership and Complex Crises: A Search for Competencies
From the thesis abstract: "A vast amount of research examines leadership within a single organization, in a routine setting. Less research exists regarding leaders in multi-agency, chaotic, uncertain, and complex environments. To reduce the existing research gap in the study of leadership competencies, this study focused on leaders' actions and decisions during complex crises involving a multi-agency response. This thesis applied the meta-leadership framework to law enforcement leaders' actions during three contemporary homeland security crises. While this study found the meta-leadership model to be useful, the model failed to stress the importance of key elements that significantly affect leadership during crises, such as experience, technical skills, and training, as well as additional competencies discovered within the case studies. Thus, in lieu of developing a specific crisis leadership model, I recommend that agencies endeavor to understand the common crisis leadership competencies and strive to train and develop experienced crisis leaders. Agencies that lack practiced crisis leaders should consider having experienced crisis advisors available during such events."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Saltz, Michael E.
2017-12
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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."
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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Black Flags of Their Fathers: The Islamic State's Returning Foreign Fighter Youths and the Implications for U.S. Domestic Security
From the thesis abstract: "The Islamic State's strategic resources are dissolving as fast as they once appeared. The fear is that, as the Islamic State deteriorates, it will expand its operations outside the region through the use of returning foreign fighters. Evidence suggests that Islamic State children are subject to indoctrination and training that give them the tools to plan, organize, and execute terrorist attacks. These children also have the motive, means, and opportunity to attack the West while in the West. This thesis contains both quantitative and qualitative analyses that help assess the dangers that Islamic State returning foreign fighter youths pose to the domestic security of the United States. Three significant findings emerged out of this work. First, avenues exist for youth fighters indoctrinated and socialized by the Islamic State to plan, conduct, and execute terrorist operations in the United States. Second, youth fighters of the Islamic State share similarities with the child soldiers of other armed groups that influence whether they will have the propensity to engage in future terrorist attacks. Lastly, U.S. policies are geared toward addressing the humanitarian crisis that emerges out of the use of child soldiers, yet we treat the child soldiers of terrorist organizations like criminals. These findings have long-lasting implications for U.S. domestic security."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Tani, John J., Jr.
2017-12
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Born of the Troubles: Lessons in Trust and Legitimacy from the Police Service of Northern Ireland
From the thesis abstract: "Trust and the establishment of legitimacy are essential to building strong relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Distrust of the police can lead to a lack of community involvement and, in some cases, a perception of the police as an occupying force. American policing has faced recent challenges regarding trust, legitimacy, and accountability resulting in calls for police reform. This thesis answers the question of whether the police reforms outlined in the Report of the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland, or the Patten Report―for the purposes of establishing trust and legitimacy and implemented in Northern Ireland―are applicable as a possible model for American policing. This thesis provides a qualitative analysis of the Patten Report and its reforms as well as the Police Service of Northern Ireland's implementation of recommendations. An appreciative inquiry approach was used to examine application to American policing and comparison to The Final Report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. The conclusion is that the Patten Report provides a model for policy makers in the United States. Application of lessons learned from Northern Ireland and the Patten Report will enhance American policing's ability to build trust, legitimacy, and strengthen this nation's homeland security."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Murray, John Charles
2017-12
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Countering Violent Extremism Policy in the United States: Are Cve Programs in America Effectively Mitigating the Threat of Homegrown Violent Extremism?
From the thesis abstract: "Despite a continued threat of violent extremism, current efforts to develop and implement nationally led programming to counter violent extremism in the United States are ineffective. America's current countering violent extremism (CVE) strategy suffers from a lack of scale and foundational scientific support, and contains no system of metrics to evaluate its success. This thesis conducts a comparative policy analysis between the United States' and the United Kingdom's CVE strategies to identify their respective strengths and, in doing so, to determine which UK policies may be leveraged to improve the American CVE strategy. In furthering the discussion surrounding American CVE efforts, this thesis surveys several models from social science to demonstrate the value of incorporating scientifically supported research into future CVE policy discussions. Concluding the comparative analysis and discussion of scientific theory, the thesis closes with a series of policy recommendations and implementation plans for consideration. Based on the research presented, it is recommended that the United States adopt nationally led, locally implemented CVE policies like those found in the United Kingdom's 'Prevent' strategy, and that improved strategies are grounded in social science research."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Stewart, Craig M.
2017-12
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Combating Prejudice: Understanding Media Prejudice Toward Muslims and Advocacy Organizations' Efforts to Combat It
From the thesis abstract: "Prejudice toward Muslim and Sikh Americans, at times violent, continues in America despite advocacy organizations' efforts to combat it. Some scholars have suggested that this violence is due to a gap in firsthand interactions between Muslim and non-Muslim Americans, a critical void often filled by a prejudicial media. This thesis investigates underlying causes of media prejudice toward Muslim Americans and how well advocacy organizations are addressing this issue. Specifically, the thesis examines the reasons behind American media's promotion of prejudice in civil society, focusing on civil society groups that may be responsible for promoting stereotypes. The thesis suggests that Orientalism and efforts by fringe organizations contribute to media prejudice. Three main recommendations can be drawn from the thesis. First, advocacy organizations need to reach wider audiences to effect change based on intergroup contact theory, which promotes interaction among different groups. Second, advocacy organizations need to address fringe organizations directly. Third, advocacy organizations need to work with media advertisers to promote change and introduce new programs specifically to help normalize relationships between Muslim Americans, Sikhs, and other Americans."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Teitelbaum, Jay F.
2017-12
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Border Patrol, Social Media, and Transnational Messaging
From the thesis abstract: "Since the U.S. Border Patrol was established in 1924, agents have been an integral part of the community and have worked to educate the public on the Border Patrol mission and how they can support it. Outreach campaigns began with such programs as D.A.R.E. [Drug Abuse Resistance Education], Red Ribbon Week, and No Mas Cruces. The campaigns were conducted via schools and traditional media such as radio, television, and print. In 2003, Border Patrol's Public Affairs Office was absorbed into the newly created Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency. While Border Patrol conducts public affairs, the messaging is controlled by CBP. The prevalence of social media has provided an inexpensive, high-capacity way for Border Patrol to conduct community engagement. However, CBP retains the authority to approve social media use in an official capacity and only allows Border Patrol to use social media under the CBP umbrella. This thesis argues that Border Patrol should be allowed to use Border Patrol-specific social media accounts for community engagement and to educate the public on the Border Patrol mission. Furthermore, engagement should occur with Canadian and Mexican citizens in their native languages when possible and applicable."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Christie, Kathleen Ann
2017-12
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How the Democratization of Technology Enhances Intelligence-Led Policing and Serves the Community
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis examines how the democratization of technology can enhance intelligence-led policing and serve the community. The research compares the models of community policing and intelligence-led policing and considers how the leveraging of social media platforms and personal surveillance cameras can improve police intelligence collection and enhance relationships with the community. While research supports intelligence-led policing to be effective in crime reduction, intelligence-led policing may also produce unexpected benefits when coupled with mainstream technologies serving as a bridge to the people living in those communities. These technologies can create collaborative opportunities and roles of empowerment for citizens' personal safety, thus potentially increasing police legitimacy and fostering more democratic and participatory communities. By incorporating the best of community policing, such as its goals of relationship-building and improving police legitimacy, with the crime reduction capabilities of intelligence-led policing, we might call this community-enhanced intelligence-led policing. With this combination of values and positive outcomes, law enforcement may achieve the desired benefits of each model."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Canaday, Johanna
2017-12
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Marijuana, the Straight Dope: Guidance for Federal Policy Reform
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis explores the increasingly popular push by states to decriminalize and legalize marijuana and the resulting problems that raise concern about maintaining the current federal marijuana policy. This thesis conducts an analysis of various policy options to resolve conflicts that arise between recently enacted state legislation and federal criminal statutes, U.S. compliance with international treaties, and public safety. Utilizing Bardach's eight-step method, this thesis compares three possibilities for policy recommendation. The first option is to maintain the status quo, or to continue a policy of relaxed federal enforcement. The second option is one of strict enforcement, essentially rolling back marijuana laws in the states and mandating compliance with current federal law. The third option is one of balancing the desires of the states while ensuring treaty compliance and public safety by rescheduling marijuana. The research shows that a rescheduling of marijuana, from Schedule I of the Controlled Substance Act to Schedule III, would protect marijuana's access to those with a medical necessity while ensuring compliance with international counter-narcotics accords and enable the drug's availability for research purposes."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Baker, Erik D.
2017-12
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Millennials in the Fire Service: The Effectiveness of Fire Service Recruiting, Testing, and Retention
From the thesis abstract: "Modern-day fire service methods' ability to effectively attract and retain millennials is in question. Stale marketing and static testing processes may be contributing to smaller hiring pools and the inability to reach recruits with the skillsets needed to replace experienced firefighters lost through attrition. Millennials are looking for employment in organizations that complement four-year college degrees and offer immediate inclusion and growth. These traits may be misaligned with the fire service business model. Through a customized survey, this thesis gathered data needed to explore the challenges plaguing fire service attraction and retention. The research concluded: 1) the fire service is not attracting the number and quality of applicants that it once did, 2) the generational traits of millennials do not fully align with the business model of the modern fire service, and 3) parents direct their children toward the college education many of them did not have themselves. These issues are preventing the fire service from replenishing the profession with the quality and quantity of talent needed to ensure continuity of response at the local level"
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Neal, Scott F.
2017-12
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Indications and Warning Methodology for Strategic Intelligence
From the thesis abstract: "Today's U.S. intelligence community lacks the human-centric focus needed to develop a forwardlooking intelligence estimate. Using a comparative research model, this thesis explored how gray zone indicators used by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command translate into modern indicators for the intelligence community, and sought similar applications for the homeland security enterprise. The research found that, for homeland security, implementing a human-centric indications and warning methodology that focuses on the actor as the key security challenge can help provide advance warning for a planned attack or can indicate a bad actor who is inspiring others to take action."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Kimmelman, Susann
2017-12
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Follow the Silk Road: How Internet Affordances Influence and Transform Crime and Law Enforcement
From the thesis abstract: "A new category of crime has emerged in the border environment that is disrupting criminal typology. This new 'hybrid' category intermixes physical and digital elements in ways not possible in the past. Internet technologies are facilitating this criminal evolution by affording perpetrators anonymity, efficiency, and distance. New criminal uses of the Internet have resulted in investigative challenges for law enforcement, especially concerning the illegal movement of people and goods. This thesis mapped the evolution of hybrid crime using cases from the Silk Road and Silk Road 2.0, viewed through the lenses of stigmergy and affordance theory. While the research identifies challenges for law enforcement, it also uncovers methods for countering hybrid crime. I found that while criminals are opportunistic in perceiving new affordances to commit crime, law enforcement can be equally capable of countering them by removing technological barriers. Law enforcement can break down these barriers by changing mindsets, implementing smart enforcement, and relying on expertise from public-private partnerships."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Jerde, Ryan D.
2017-12
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Humans, Intelligent Technology, and Their Interface: A Study of Brown's Point
From the thesis abstract: "The integration of self-driving vehicles introduces a unique and unprecedented human-machine interface that brings promise and peril. Several socially constructed theories try to explain this human-intelligent machine interface and predict how the future will look. This thesis offers a counter-narrative called Brown's Point that suggests an alternative way of thinking about this relationship. The first Autopilot fatality offers a window into the human considerations needing attention as these intelligent machines, such as self-driving vehicles, combine with humans. How can the human-machine interface be optimized to ensure it offers the most benefit and safety for humanity? This thesis investigated the causal variables that led to the first Autopilot fatality by using Joshua Brown's interface with the technology before and during the accident. I combined the findings from the accident investigation with various heuristics regarding the human-machine interface, theories from cognitive psychology, and sociological constructs to determine how Brown came to trust a machine he knew was fallible."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
White, Jackie L. J.
2017-12
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Mitigating Insider Threats in the Domestic Aviation System: Policy Options for the Transportation Security Administration
From the thesis abstract: "The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) defines insider threat as the risk posed by workers with inside access and knowledge to exploit vulnerabilities in the nation's transportation systems. In recent years, insiders have been leveraged by criminal and terrorist organizations to further nefarious plots in the aviation system. This thesis examines policy options for TSA to mitigate insider threats in the domestic aviation system and discusses the effectiveness of TSA's insider threat programs. This thesis also explores whether TSA can be more effective at insider threat prevention with additional intelligence collection authorities. The insider threat programs of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United Kingdom's MI5, and federal defense contractor Lockheed Martin are analyzed to identify alternative solutions. At their core, insider threat policies center around three primary areas: security programs, counterintelligence programs, and organizational culture. TSA should establish its own counterintelligence program while continuing to fine-tune its security programs. Integrating counterintelligence and security programs enhances an organization's ability to detect and prevent insider threats. Finally, taking additional steps to establish a strong security ethos within the airport environment will help further 'harden the target.'"
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Bean, Brian S.
2017-12
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Not Just Another Piece of Equipment: An Analysis for Police Body-Worn Camera Policy Decisions
From the thesis abstract: "In the United States, law enforcement agencies are rapidly deploying body-worn cameras (BWCs) to increase organizational transparency and foster positive community relations. Proponents of the technology see BWCs as a tool to ensure police legitimacy and eliminate abusive conduct. Preliminary evidence identifies several benefits of using BWCs, such as: reduced citizen complaints, increased cooperation, and lower civil liability. However, emerging evidence suggests that the devices may be achieving the intended goals but with unintended consequences. BWC use may inadvertently increase use of force incidents and reduce the time that the police spend on de-escalating a situation. This thesis employs qualitative research methodology to examine how BWCs affect the ambiguous nature of police decision-making, as well as the effects of BWC use on the public, thereby investigating solutions for the frayed police-public relationship. By analyzing current data available on BWCs, examining information on human decision-making including heuristics, and completing a comparative analysis of a similar police technology--the vehicle dashboard camera--the thesis finds that BWC use can have different and changing impacts on police behavior, suggesting that variables related to human factors alter the dynamics of BWC use. The thesis provides recommendations that cover independent agency BWC evaluations, organizational training, limits on discretionary officer recording, and the practical application of automated camera systems."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Sacca, Giacomo
2017-12
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Fire as a Weapon: High-Rise Structures
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis identifies an emerging problem space, high-rise pyro-terrorism. Although modern urban environments are vulnerable to sophisticated arson, and terrorists and lone-wolf attackers have exploited that vulnerability, neither practitioners nor the academic community have addressed the unique threat posed by arson. This thesis fills that gap by showing, first, that a good reason exists to believe that terrorists will use arson against high-profile urban targets in the future; second, that existing regulatory strategies may be sufficient to guard against accidental fires and opportunistic arson, but have weaknesses that sophisticated attackers can identify and exploit; and third, that the approach to urban firefighting must be modified to protect first responders, improve life safety in cases of pyro-terrorism, and facilitate effective collaboration with counter-terrorism forces. This thesis is valuable for an academic audience because it identifies the most pressing gaps in the literature on pyro-terrorism and explains their significance. It is also valuable to practitioners because it highlights vulnerabilities that can be addressed immediately, in a proactive rather than a reactive way."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Sheppard, Adrian Bernard
2017-12
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Fire Department Perspective: Crowd Dynamics and Safety at Outside Events
From the thesis abstract: "Fire departments often respond to incidents at crowded events with no prior planning or coordination with other agencies. The result can be decreased safety for patrons at the events. The purpose of this thesis is to understand causes of injuries at crowded, outside venues and what could make these events safer. This thesis asks how fire department personnel can plan for the safety and care of large crowds at outside venues. The research design includes a review of literature on crowd dynamics and example incidents. Using root cause analysis, this thesis analyzes four case studies: 1989 Hillsborough soccer match, 2011 Reno Air Race, the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and 2014 Travis Air Force Base Air Show. The success of the Reno Air Race and Boston Marathon rescue personnel in taking care of injured victims can be attributed to careful planning by stakeholders before the events took place. This thesis recommends that before large, crowded events, stakeholders establish relationships and that all stakeholders participate in careful planning and realistic training. This planning and training should include interoperability of communications, roles for volunteer staff, and ways to prevent and decrease overcrowding. Finally, this thesis recommends strategies to educate event patrons on safety."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Griggs, Rick
2017-12
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U.S. Refugee Policy in the Era of Homeland Security: A Comparative Government Analysis
From the thesis abstract: "U.S. immigration and refugee policy reform has stalled due to competing national narratives. Claims that refugees harm the U.S. economy and national security are in direct conflict with the country's historical national identity and values, and this is apparent in the public discourse. This thesis explores the validity of these claims and provides a comparative analysis with Canada and Germany, both of which are democratic Western societies facing similar issues. It answers the question of what U.S. policy makers can learn from the refugee policies of Canada and Germany and makes 11 recommendations for the United States based on this analysis. This thesis finds the claims that refugees negatively impact a country's economy and national security in the United States, Canada, and Germany to be unfounded. Basing U.S. refugee policy on unfounded claims harms U.S. standing and credibility in the international community as well as deprives it of the economic and safety benefits of admitting and properly integrating refugees into U.S. society."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Kuczera, Reiss
2017-12
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Arctic: A Wait and See Approach to Defending the Homeland
From the thesis abstract: "When it comes to the Arctic, there is no lack of planning, debating, studying, or shortage of opinions as to what the U.S. should or should not do in this region of extremes. Should the United States spend billions on icebreakers that when completed may not have ice to break, ignore the region and hope the rest of the world follows suit, or worse, militarize the region for an unknown future threat? Given the budget-constrained environment and lack of threat to the U.S. national security from the Arctic, is there another option or method to allow policy makers to envision a different future for the Arctic, one requiring them to wait and do nothing, knowing with some certainty that taking no action is the right decision at this moment in time? Using scenario planning, this thesis examines four future scenarios for the Arctic and evaluates the strategic patience and persistence strategy introduced in the 2015 National Security Strategy to understand better the costs, risks, and benefits of doing little or nothing in the Arctic. Given the uncertainties in the Arctic and faced with greater threats to the homeland, the strategic patience and persistence strategy is a viable approach to pursue in the Arctic, which allows the U.S. to achieve its national Arctic goals."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Hegedusich, William
2017-12
