Joint Terrorism Task Force What it is A Joint Terrorism Task Force, or JTTF, is an anti-terrorist program formed by various law enforcement agencies that include: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, U.S Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation and Security Administration, U.S Secret Service, Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, state and local law service, and specialized agencies such as the railroad police. The JTTF engage in surveillance, monitoring, and interrogations in their pursuits. History In 1980, the first Joint Terrorism Task Force was established in New York City. It first began with ten FBI special agents and ten detectives from the New York City Police Department. The establishment of this Joint Terrorism Task Force was a result of the increasing numbers of terrorist bombings during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Then in 1993, the Houston FBI Division initiated its JTTF. Prior to 9/11, the US had 35 Joint Terrorism Task Forces. In 2...
On 26 February 1993 at 12:17, a yellow RYDER van detonated on level B-2 of the World Trade Center North tower. What was first believed to be a below grade transformer explosion turned into an extensive test of New York Cities Incident Command capabilities. Everyone involved had an intricate part in handling this situation. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was able to get all support assets there promptly to assist in rescue operations. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discovered information on the vehicle used. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) used all of the intelligence gathered to apprehend and convict those responsible. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted cleanup of chemical and biological hazards that were left behind from the blast. Numerous agencies worked together to solve the first terrorist attack on American soil and clean up a disaster of epic proportions.
The Beginning The Fusion Centers started in New York in 2002 under the direction of Raymond Kelly. He used the abilities of technology to help combat terrorism, founding the need for Fusion Centers. At a cost of over eleven million dollars, the Real Time Crime Center(RTCC) in New York goes through millions of complaints, arrest records, and 911 calls that go back ten years in order to give the NYPD officers the information to stop or investigate terror threats or attacks. They distribute this information to all their and surrounding agencies that they collaborate with. After the 9/11 attacks against the United States, these agencies have become more important and available.
After the fear of terrorism grew in the United States do to the Al Qaeda 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the US Government found a need for a centralized department that umbrellas all other agencies when it comes to homeland security. The U.S. Government found this umbrella agency with the passage of the Homeland Security Act by Congress in November 2002, the Department of Homeland Security formally came into being as a stand-alone, Cabinet-level department to further coordinate and unify national homeland security efforts. (Homeland Security) With the creation of the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the government had a pinpoint location for the collection and gathering of intelligence, control of policies that effect national security, and a no fail mission. The Department of Homeland Security started to engulf other agencies and created many more, a total of 22 agencies now fall under the DHS. The DHS is control of all areas that deal with national security which included but are not limited to coastal and boarder protection, domestic terrorism, international terrorism, protection of the American people, protection of key infrastructure, protection of key resources and respond to natural disasters.
September 4, 2001, just a week before the attack on the World Trade Centers. A teletype regarding known facts about a suspected Islamic extremist, Zacarias Moussaoui, was sent to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Customs Service, the State Department, the Immigration and Naturalization Services, and the Secret Service.
National Security Agency/Central Security Service The National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS) was established in November 1952 to provide a cryptologic organization for the civilian and military leaders of the United States and to provide them with timely information. The National Security Agency (NSA) coordinates, directs, and performs highly specialized activities to produce foreign intelligence information and protect United States information systems through two main missions, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Information Assurance (IA). The Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) mission uses cryptologic machines to break foreign codes to find out what they know and what they are doing. The biggest accomplishment publicly known was when they broke the Japanese military code in World War II and learned that Japan had plans of invading Midway Island.
Since September 11, 2001, the criminal justice system has improved its methods to secure our nation from terrorist attacks. These improved methods can be summed into four kinds of categories and actions. The first key action the department of justice took was protecting America through investigation and criminal prosecution. The next changes were legal which were made to enhance the counter-terrorism efforts and help with investigation and prosecution. Then there are the structural changes to the operations of agencies to enhance counter-terrorism efforts....
“What if free people could live secure in the knowledge that their security didn’t depend upon the threat of instant U.S. retaliation to deter an enemy attack?”
The Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act, also known as the STEP Act has been challenged with criticism. During the 1980s California’s high level of gang activity created concern in the local communities. Due to the high concern legislations began being written. The STEP Act, although concerned with a reduction in gang crimes began perceived by many as applied disproportionately against minorities.
On Sep 11, 2001, al Qaeda threatened the United States (U.S.) national security, and we are still combating terrorism. Since that time, al Qaeda and other extremist groups have also been endangering some of the U.S. allies. Realizing the magnitude of this international fight, the U.S. needs help from its partners to counter violence worldwide.
Fusion centers play an essential role in the fight against terrorism by providing a central point so that various criminal justice agencies can coordinate activities both during the investigation of potential terrorist activity as well as in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. Fusion centers are hubs that share information and provide comprehensive and suitable access, analysis, and dissemination that no other single partner can offer. In addition, The National Network of Fusion Centers brings critical perspective and value to homeland security and law enforcement that no other federal or local organization can replicate.
The well-known Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was formed in the U.S in 1935. The FBI formed when the Bureau of Prohibition and the Bureau of Investigation combined to form one job. Since 1935, the FBI 's mission has been to investigate crimes that involve a violation of the federal law and to find justice in these crimes. The FBI was extremely active during the Gangster Era and had a wide spectrum of who was committing federal crimes. Criminals such as the infamous John Dillinger, who was the first Public Enemy Number 1 and was on the FBI 's most wanted list. In attempts to put an end to the surplus of organized crime involving the gangsters of the era, the FBI implemented various plans. One of those plans was positioning agents in
Over the course of the history of the United States of America, the country has had struggles with its own borders and the protection of those borders. Illegal immigration is a big problem and the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and cash over our borders into our country has evolved into a bigger problem. The United States has over seven-thousand miles of border to cover each day. That is quite a bit of land, but the only problem with this is there is a lack of manpower to cover every single mile of border. The US shares its borders with Canada and Mexico. All along these borders are small communities and cities that are occupied by US citizens. This means that these cities and communities require the protection of our Homeland Security Agency.
The U.S. Secret Service was authorized by this statute to establish a nationwide network of Electronic Crimes Task Forces (ECTFs). The idea of the ECTF network is to bring together not only federal, state and local law enforcement, but also prosecutors, private industry and academia. The common purpose is the prevention, detection, mitigation and aggressive investigation of attacks on the nation's financial and critical infrastructures. Secret Service investigates identity crimes which is defined as the misuse of personal or financial identifiers in order to gain something of value and/or facilitate other criminal activity. The Secret Service archives criminal complaints, assists victims in communicating other relevant investigative and consumer protection agencies and works with other federal, state and local law enforcement and reporting agencies to identify criminals. Identity crimes includes the
The other federal department I mentioned was the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations or USAF OSI. The purpose of the USAF OSI is to identify, exploit, and neutralize any criminal terrorist threats, intelligence threats against the United States Air Force, the US Government and the Department of Defense. The United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations is a department within the Department of Defense. The USAF OSI has jurisdiction not only nationwide but internationally as
Terrorism will happen again regardless of how prepared the U.S. thinks it may be. This means that it is the country’s job to ensure that there is a continuation of measures that should be taken to fight against terrorism. Others believe that the U.S. is fully prepared for another terrorist attack and that enough has been done. The question at hand is, should the U.S. still be concerned about terrorism. The United States needs to be concerned about terrorism to prevent tragedies like 9/11 from happening again, to address problems with domestic terrorism, and to improve homeland security.