Hard Won Lessons: Problem-Solving Principles for Local Police

INTRODUCTION: COUNTERING TERRORISM BY EMPOWERING POLICE

When policymakers talk about how to counter terrorism, they tend to cite distant causes, such as resentment of the West, that cannot be quickly changed. Often neglected are the nearer and more immediate factors—things that can be easily influenced, here and now. In fact, effective countermeasures to terrorism are lying all around us, waiting to be picked up by local police. That is what this manual is all about.
The war on terrorism must be fought on many fronts: overseas, at our borders, and on the Internet. But one of the most critical battlegrounds is our cities. Without sensationalism, we can say with confidence that terrorists are in our cities now, planning attacks on them.

Routine police work is one of the most important tools for identifying and neutralizing the terrorists in our midst. The very nature of their duties puts law enforcement officers in neighborhoods, sensitizes them to anomalies, and yields counterterrorist data valuable to other agencies. Properly trained and equipped, local police can recognize the ordinary crimes that terrorists often commit in preparation for their attacks—and can intervene to stop terrorists, before the terrorists can strike.

To consider how to train and equip themselves for this mission, nearly a hundred of America’s leading local law enforcement officials convened in Boston on October 24–26, 2004. The participants, including police chiefs from some of the country’s largest cities, shared and discussed principles by which local law enforcement can develop the best counterterrorist practices. This document distills their ideas.

1. Police should adapt and use against terrorists the general problem-solving techniques they used to reduce urban crime in the 1990s.
2. Police should partner locally with the private sector.
3. Police should innovate effective intelligence-sharing techniques, such as fusion centers, so that information can be brought to bear in a timely manner.

This paper describes each principle in turn. It then presents a case study, showing how all the principles have been effectively integrated in Los Angeles. Along the way, a number of suggestions are made as to how information technologies can maximize efficiency and help pinpoint enforcement targets.
The information provided here is intended to stimulate thinking about creative problem solving, not to limit you to a standardized process that is appropriate for every problem. Nor can the strategies outlined here be considered comprehensive. Because the war on terror is a national and international struggle, the efforts of local law enforcement must be integrated with those of other agencies, and even other nations.
But America’s genius has been and will always be its empowerment of local institutions. Local police, when held properly accountable, are sources of new ideas and innovations. Empowering local commanders on the ground to make tactical decisions is how you win wars. Empowering local police to act as the front line for homeland security is how we can win the war on terror.

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