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Our first
priority must always be the security of our nation. . . .
America is no longer protected by vast oceans. We are
protected from attack only by vigorous action abroad, and
increased vigilance at home.
--President George W. Bush, State of the Union Address,
January 29, 2002
Since 9-11 all of us have realized that o ur Homeland is vulnerability to terrorism and we want to
know what we can do to prepare ourselves from any future security threats. The Homeland Security Specialist program
prepares you for a career as trained safety and security workers in businesses, airports, home building associations,
stadiums, public safety, work as security police officers, FBI, Secret Service, State Police Officers, Drug
Enforcement Officer, US Marshall's, Special Agents, Customs Investigators, and Diplomatic Security and Homeland
Security Special Agents.
Homeland Security Specialist
Department of Homeland Security
On November 25, 2002, President Bush signed the "Homeland Security Act of 2002" into law. The Act
restructures and strengthens the executive branch of the Federal Government to better meet the threat to our homeland
posed by terrorism. In establishing a new Department of Homeland Security, the Act for the first time creates a
Federal department whose primary mission will be to help prevent, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism
on our soil.
The creation of the Department of Homeland Security is the most significant transformation of the
U.S. government in over a half-century.
The Department of Homeland Security has a clear and efficient
organizational structure with four divisions:
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear
Countermeasures and
Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection.
People depend on police officers and
detectives for security to protect their lives and property. Law enforcement officers, some of whom are State or
Federal special agents or inspectors, and now Homeland Security Officers perform these duties in a variety of ways,
depending on the size and type of their organization. In most jurisdictions, they are expected to exercise security
authority when necessary, whether on or off duty. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 65
percent of State and local law enforcement officers are uniformed security personnel.
Uniformed police
officers who work in municipal police departments of various sizes, small communities, and rural areas have general
law enforcement duties including maintaining regular patrols and responding to calls for service. They may direct
traffic at the scene of a fire, investigate a burglary, or give first aid to an accident victim. In large police
departments, officers usually are assigned to a specific type of duty. Many urban police agencies are becoming more
involved in community policing-a practice and homeland security in which an officer builds relationships with the
citizens of local neighborhoods and mobilizes the public to help fight crime.
Police agencies are usually
organized into geographic districts, with uniformed officers assigned to patrol a specific area, such as part of the
business district or outlying residential neighborhoods. Officers may work alone, but in large agencies they often
patrol with a partner. While on patrol, officers attempt to become thoroughly familiar with their patrol area and
remain alert for anything unusual. Suspicious circumstances and hazards to public safety are investigated or noted,
and officers are dispatched to individual calls for assistance within their district. During their shift, they may
identify, pursue, and arrest suspected criminals, resolve problems within the community, and enforce traffic laws.
Public college and university police forces, public school district police, and agencies serving
transportation systems and facilities are examples of special police agencies. There are more than 1,300 of these
agencies with special geographic jurisdictions or enforcement responsibilities in the United States. More than 75
percent of the sworn personnel in special agencies are uniformed officers, and about 15 percent are investigators,
under the Homeland Security Act these officers are now on call to fight acts of terrorism.
Some police
officers specialize in such diverse fields as chemical and microscopic analysis, training and firearms instruction,
or handwriting and fingerprint identification. Others work with special units such as horseback, bicycle, motorcycle
or harbor patrol, canine corps, or special weapons and tactics (SWAT) or emergency response teams. About 10 percent
of local and special law enforcement officers perform jail-related duties, and around 4 percent work in courts.
Regardless of job duties or location, police officers and detectives at all levels must write reports and maintain
meticulous records that will be needed if they testify in court.
Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs enforce the law
on the county level. Sheriffs are usually elected to their posts and perform duties similar to those of a local or
county police chief. Sheriffs' departments tend to be relatively small, most having fewer than 25 sworn officers. A
deputy sheriff in a large agency will have law enforcement duties similar to those of officers in urban police
departments. Nationwide, about 40 percent of full-time sworn deputies are uniformed officers assigned to patrol and
respond to calls, 12 percent are investigators, 30 percent are assigned to jail-related duties, and 11 percent
perform court-related duties, with the balance in administration. Police and sheriffs' deputies who provide security
in city and county courts are sometimes called bailiffs.
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Keywords : Homeland Security , Police Officers
, Custom Inspectors ,border protection ,immigration
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