Fear Reduction

1. Fear Reduction Presented By TEXAS REGIONAL COMMUNITY POLICING INSTITUTE

2. Training Overview • Instructor Introduction • Student Introduction

3. Goals of Presentation • First: placing the fear of terrorism in perspective, and • Secondly: developing a plan of action; Including risk assessment of the community, a review of local planning and the process for plan development.

4. Performance Objectives • What is terrorism and what do terrorists want • Terrorism risk (group exercise) • Personal Disaster plan worksheet • Community Vulnerability Assessment • Review of Local emergency management plans • Disaster Supply Kit (group exercise),

5. Performance Objectives continued • Overview of Terrorism 101-an attack and response to the attack • Town Hall meetings and presentations….

6. What Is Terrorism • The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

7. Elements Of Terrorism • A violation of criminal law • The use or threat of violence • The use of intimidation or coercion.

8. What Do Terrorists Want • Public fear • Publicity • For the public to think that their government is powerless.

9. What Do Terrorists Do? • Deploy and activate bombs • Possess and use weapons • Commit arsons • Commit burglaries • Commit thefts • Involved in fraud and money laundering • Commit vandalism,

10. What Do Terrorists Do? • Commit murders and assaults • Commit extortion • Commit kidnapping • Hijack airlines • Commit cyber attacks • Use biological and chemical weapons • Commit assorted interstate violations….

11. Terrorism Risk group exercise • Each card has a cause of premature death • Rank order them from most to least likely • Old age is not one of the causes. • Participate ranking, and • Civilian ranking

12. Terrorism Risk rank ordering • 1. Cancer • 2. Heart disease • 3. Prenatal diseases and birth defects • 4. Automobile accidents • 5. Suicide • 6. Homicide • 7. AIDS • 8. Poisoning • 9. Drowning • 10. Terrorism.

13. Fear Model Real risks News media Perceived Risks FEAR Memorable Imaginable

14. Distorted Information More Fear no no yes Can I take action to reduce risks? FEAR Will it work? yes Less Fear

15. Terrorism Risk civilian issues • Generally citizens overestimate the threat of homicide and terrorism • Citizens overestimate (or underestimate) automobile accidents and AIDS • Citizens underestimate poisoning, heart disease and cancer.

16. Terrorism Risk facts • During the worst year of terrorism in American History (9/11/01), only 2 percent as many years of life were lost to terrorist attacks than to cancer • During the last ten years, Israel has had the worst terrorism problem. However, more Israelis died swimming in the Mediterranean or their backyard pools in the last ten years than in terrorists attacks….

17. Personal Disaster Plan • Fact: In 1996 a National survey said that 72% of Americans did not feel as though weapons of mass destruction could be used on the United States and 66% were not much worried that terrorists would attack in a public place • Needless to say, that belief has changed.

18. Personal Disaster Plan (citizen response) • Question: Imagine a citizen walking down the street and a car bomb goes off one-half block behind them. They are not hurt, but had they been walking a little slower or running a little bit later, it might have gone off right in front of them. • How would they respond to this incident?.

19. Personal Disaster Plan (citizen response?) • Shock, stunned, confused and disoriented • Panicky and fearful • Withdrawn, uncommunicative • Nervous, unable to sit still • Angry, hostile • In denial.

20. Personal Disaster Plan (not their response) • Sharp • Clever • Patient • Careful • Logical • In control.

21. Personal Disaster Plan • Question: Why aren’t citizens sharp, patient and logical after a car bomb? • Answer: The incident causes their brain chemistry to change • Question: Why do most police officers respond more effectively to these types of incidents? • Answer: Training.

22. Personal Disaster Plan (worksheet) • The Disaster Plan Worksheet will help to train your citizens to be better prepared to respond to emergencies of all types….

23. Community Vulnerability Assessment • Which targets in your respective communities are at greatest risk of attack? • Ponder this thought while we discuss this section.

24. Community Vulnerability Assessment • What types of terrorist organizations are there and who are you most threatened by? • Ponder this thought as well.

25. Community Vulnerability Assessment (types of organizations) • Foreign Terrorists: Their intent is to cause broad social change which include political, religious and racial/ethnic views and beliefs.

26. Community Vulnerability Assessment (types of organizations) • Foreign Terrorists: Al Qaida, Islamic Jihad and the like are interested in targets that are high profile cultural symbols. They believe that there should be a single, religious-oriented nation of all Muslims. And, they like to maximize the body count.

27. Community Vulnerability Assessment (types of organizations) • Domestic Terrorists: Included in this group are the “special interest” terrorists, which focus on such things as environmental issues, animal rights, and anti-abortion. As well are there groups that fight against State and Federal governments and groups that have religious or racial cause.

28. Community Vulnerability Assessment (types of organizations) • Special Interest groups: The environmental Liberation Front (ELF), spike trees to prevent them from being chain-sawed; they sabotage construction equipment and set fire to the facilities of their political opponents. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF), attack animal labs, fur manufacturers, etc. Pro-life terrorists, like the Army of God, fire bomb abortion clinics and planned parenthood offices.

29. Community Vulnerability Assessment (types of organizations) • Most political terrorism is from the far right-militias and anarchists like Posse Comitatus, or individuals like Timothy McVeigh. While others like the Branch Davidians, Aryan Nation and Christian Patriots are based on religious and racial beliefs, they now actively share a right-wing ideology, which target government buildings, IRS processing centers, newspapers, etc.

30. Community Vulnerability Assessment (type of organizations) • Racial Separatists (IE.:Aryan Nation, Christian Patriots) wrap a broad political agenda around their white supremacist beliefs, but focus attention mostly on the Satanic conspiracy of bankers and Jews. So banks and synagogues are obviously a part of their target list.

31. Community Vulnerability Assessment (FBI’s Five-Point scale) • Known to operate in the jurisdiction (1-point) • Engaged in terrorist activity in the past (1-point) • Has announced terrorist intentions (2-points) • Has capacity to acquire, store, deliver WMD (2-points) • Has chosen specific targets (4-points).

32. Community Vulnerability Assessment (identifying your targets) • Lets go back to the very first slide in this section…It said- Which targets in your respective communities are at greatest risk of attack? • What are they?.

33. Community Vulnerability Assessment (potential community targets) • Jail, courthouse, other law enforcement • Federal buildings, Military complexes • Airport, railroads, roadways • Shopping malls, tourist attractions • Schools and stadiums • Electric power plants • Water and sewer plants • Other.

34. Community Vulnerability Assessment (assessment factors) • Visibility • Criticality • Political value • Access • Presence of hazardous materials • Site population capacity • Potential for collateral casualties.

35. Community Vulnerability Assessment (rating the site) • In each of the seven categories, assign from 0-5 points identifying the vulnerability of the site, with a maximum of 35 points for each site • Depending on the rating, this will determine the vulnerability of the site, your need for concern, and what level of crime prevention tactics you may need to employ….

36. Local Emergency Management Plan • Your jurisdiction is operating under your individual plan, or under the County plan in which your jurisdiction falls within • Annex V, Terrorist Incident Response, is already in existence and assurances should be made to make certain that it is up-to-date • Annex P, Hazard Mitigation, is a new annex and requires significant research and documentation of all property and infrastructure costs within a jurisdiction. It identifies your Mitigation Action Plan (MAP).

37. Local Emergency Management Plan (current resources) • FEMA • TDEM • TEEX • U.S. Department Homeland Security • Port Authorities • Hospitals • Schools/universities • Airports • Utility departments and companies.

38. Local Emergency Management Plan (Austin, Texas Model) • Civil Defense Battalion • http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/civildb.htm • This plan consist of four companies of volunteers to handle special tasks, thus freeing officers for other work.

39. Local Emergency Management Plan (Austin Model) • Company “A”(Aviation Detail) • Assigned to the Aviation Police • Information dissemination to airport visitors • Assist in getting housing and/or transportation for stranded passengers in the event of a crisis or a closure of the airport.

40. Local Emergency Management Plan (Austin Model) • Company “B” (Homeland Security supplemental Services) • Daylight perimeter of City facilities • Parking and building access control for City facilities • Assist with special events • Daylight patrol in areas with multiple offenses of similar type.

41. Local Emergency Management Plan (Austin Model) • Company “C” (Headquarters Detail) • Greet visitors at main police station • Tagging abandoned/junked vehicles • Answering phones and providing information • Make copies and distribute information as needed.

42. Local Emergency Management Plan (Austin Model) • Company “D” (Homeland Security) • Former police officer may receive special assignments • Activate phone tree to call in volunteers and provide information to the community • Supplement 3-1-1 call takers and provide information • And, 9 other duties….

43. Disaster Supply Kit • These are items that FEMA and the American Red Cross have determined should go into such a supply kit. • The idea is that this kit is packed and ready to immediately go in the event of a disaster or other type of evacuation • Review the list and determine ten things that you don’t have. Where will you go hand get them?….

44. Terrorism 101 • The purpose of this overview is to reacquaint you with some of the possible weapons and how your citizens should respond to them. This information will make it possible for you to have a 5-30 minute conversation with a concerned citizen, providing them with information that allows them to be better prepared.

45. Terrorism 101 (categories of weapons) • Chemical • Biological • Radiological (CBRNE) • Nuclear • Explosive • (B-NICE-included incendiaries-now excluded).

46. Terrorism 101 (chemical) • Nerve • Blister • Blood • Choking • Irritants.

47. Terrorism 101 (chemical-route of exposure) • All are distributed as a gas or mist • Inhalation is the primary route, however ingestion and skin contact is possible • N95 masks should filter these out.

48. Terrorism 101 (nerve agents) • Example- sarin gas (Tokyo subway) • Disrupt nerve transmissions • Causes uncontrolled drooling, muscle spasms and paralysis • Usually it is colorless and odorless • Kills small animals and insects (warning).

49. Terrorism 101 (blister agents) • Example-mustard gas (used by Germans WWI) • Causes blisters, eye irritation and breathing trouble • May smell like mustard, garlic or onions • Highly persistent-will penetrate clothing and stay on wood, leather, rubber and paint • It can take up to 24-hrs to show itself • It can stay active in soil for years.

50. Terrorism 101 (blood agents) • Example-cyanide gas • Interferes with the ability of blood to transport oxygen • Kills through asphyxiation • Smells like burnt almonds, peach kernels • Extremely toxic and fast-acting.