The domestic preparedness cycle best explains what the police role is in regards to homeland security (Cordner, 2016). This cycle consists of prevention, protection, response and recovery (Cordner, 2016).
Prevention deals with terrorism, trans-national crime, and natural disasters. Natural disasters cannot be stopped, but measures can be taken to reduce damage and loss of life (Cordner, 2016). Technological and industrial accidents fall under prevention with great significance as these accidents can cause considerable loss of life (Cordner, 2016). Law enforcement has a secondary role in these accidents while folks such as pilots and scientists play a primary role (Cordner, 2016). However, police have a significant responsibility with prevention of crime and terrorism (Cordner, 2016). Working with the community can be an invaluable method to obtain critical information to assist in prevention (Cordner, 2016). Of course, police can also receive critical information from actual intelligence sources such the FBI and CIA (Cordner, 2016).
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For example, if there is an elevated risk of a threat, then police will be deployed appropriately to that specific area to prevent an attack or crime (Cordner, 2016). Some locations are permanently designated as a high-risk area such as certain infrastructures deemed to be critical to national security such as U.S. ports (Cordner, 2016). After the 9/11 attacks the U.S. Coast Guard had tactical teams, which conducted boarding’s of foreign flag commercial ships before entering certain ports such as the Houston Shipping channel in Texas. This demonstrates how prevention and protection worked together. Also, there are private security organizations that have primary roles in protection so the burden does not solely fall on law enforcement (Cordner,