When disaster strikes, civilian drone pilots swoop in
Drone pilots can help in emergencies, but they have to be properly trained.
Read MoreTerrorism and psychopathology: Where do we draw the line?
It is unclear how to distinguish between authentic terrorism and mental illness. Decision-makers need to more diligently correlate counterterrorist policies with causal factors.
Read MoreHurricane Florence emergency response: 160 swift boats, 2,800 Guardsman, and the Waffle House is open
Even in the face of massive mobilization, and the dramatic news coverage these storms inspire, thousands of residents chose to stay in the storm’s path.
Read MoreA ‘spotter’ foiled the Amsterdam train attacker. What is that?
By Deanna Zammit This week in Amsterdam a jihadist knifeman was stopped thanks to the vigilance of a security expert that Dutch police call a “spotter.” According to this BBC report, the spotter took note of the attacker’s strange behavior almost the moment he got off the train and called colleagues to confer. “While they … Continued
Read More‘It’s not a sunset tour’: School resource officers in the active shooter age
It’s been a solemn year for school resource officers. As students poured out of classrooms last week, they wrapped a school year fraught by two high-level school shootings—one in which the officers were hailed as heroes; another in which the officer was branded a ‘coward.’ Smaller events were stopped by school officers in Maryland, Illinois, … Continued
Read MoreWhile you were working: Active shooter training goes to Hollywood
You’ve come to the end of another week, so sit back and catch up on the important stories you may have missed. Police officers in St. Louis, Mo., are training in an active shooter simulator—five screens that create an environment the officer has never encountered. Officers get modified versions of their service weapons, then the … Continued
Read More‘They don’t fit’: The ABC’s of spotting an active shooter
Last week, just days before a 17-year-old gunman killed 10 people at a Texas high school, the FBI released its latest active shooter report. The bottom line: 2016 and 2017 were 140 percent deadlier than the years before. 2016 and 2017 were the years that active shooters opened fire at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, … Continued
Read MorePreparing the global citizenry for the risk of mental injury
By Edward H. Taylor, Ph.D. Protecting a country in part depends on its citizens understanding the motivation and purpose of Terrorist organizations. Without an informed population prevention and recovery after an attack is more chaotic, and requires a longer recovery period. Unlike disconnected “lone-wolves,” organized terrorist cells aim to defeat governments, destroy the dominant cultures, … Continued
Read MoreIt takes a community of best practices to combat terrorism
By Martin Cronin The murderous fanatics of the so-called Islamic State, or Daesh, are not shy about telling us how they plan to attack our public or why. Their tactics and their rationale are readily accessible on the internet and they make for a chilling reading and a wake-up call to all our global citizens. … Continued
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