Cj340 Kaplan Unit 8 Essay

How has terrorism impacted the police mission in the U.S.? What disagreements exist regarding the appropriate law enforcement behavior which fights terrorism but maintains personal liberties? The American ideals of liberty and justice came under attack on September 11, 2001, when fundamentalist Islamic terrorists from the international terrorist network known as Al Qaeda committed mass murder and destruction in pursuit of worldwide tyrannical power. Since then, the mission has a heightened focus on national security. “Survivors of the World Trade Center atrocity speak in awe of the police and firefighters who went to the rescue of victims stranded in the Twin Towers. Again and again survivors have said, ‘They were going up the stairs when we were coming down.’” (Delattre, 2011) For police to meet the challenges of terrorism prevention and first response to terrorist acts, they require expansive new training, inter-agency coordination and intelligence sharing, federal security clearances, and a clear understanding of terrorists and terrorism.

There are numerous conflicts between protecting personal liberties and fighting the war on terror. Surveillance of the internet in search of terrorist connections and networks (i.e. keeping track of Google sites visited by ordinary citizens) takes away personal liberty and privacy that some thought went too far, although under President George Bush, he reported that the FBI had many leads to al Qaeda networks.

The TSA has implemented the searching of hand bags and luggage before boarding planes and getting an x-ray (that display personal and private areas) have become routine. In the name of national security and combating terrorism, is it worth giving up these personal liberties? Some think not, while others err on the side of safety. “’Homeland defense’ from terrorism requires police to undertake a larger mission. Where police departments have to commit their personnel and budgets to new...