The Effect of Counter-Terrorism Policy: An Analysis of Local Law Enforcement Agencies

The purpose of this qualitative study is to establish the type of connection that occurs between national counterterrorism strategy and policy, and local law enforcement counterterrorism operations. I hope to establish through a literature review exactly what influences U.S. national strategy and policy for counterterrorism using the National Strategy for Counterterrorism (June 2011) as a core document, and through interviews of local law enforcement (Colorado Springs Police Department, a County Sheriff's Department in Colorado, Los Angeles Police Department Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau, and Department of Defense Law Enforcement organizations) how local counterterrorism operations are performed and how they support the national counterterrorism effort. The data in the literature review and from interviews will help determine findings and future research efforts on this topic. The findings from this study could potentially assist federal agencies and organizations involved in counterterrorism and Homeland Security in determining what critical issues need to be included in a national strategy to assist all involved organizations perform their mission efficiently.;Keywords: homeland security, counterterrorism, strategy and policy, local law enforcement.