Homeland Security - HS 101

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the concept of homeland security. The course will define and explain homeland security. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will be thoroughly analyzed and its mission will be investigated. This course will also address chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive devices and the use of these weapons of mass destruction. The importance and basic elements of a planned response, methods used to prevent the importation of weapons of mass destruction into the U.S. and what can and is being done to prevent another large-scale terrorist incident in the United States will be covered.

Prerequisites

(A requirement that must be completed before taking this course.)

Course Competencies

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• Outline the essential characteristics of national and international acts of terrorism.
• Construct a historical timeline reflecting significant terrorist threats and events in the United States and globally.
• Demonstrate effective and clear verbal communication skills to convey factual information in order to coordinate law enforcement agencies.
• Compose a historical timeline reflecting methods and outcomes used by national and international law enforcement and military agencies to counter and combat terrorism.
• Classify the roles, functions of, and interdependency between local, federal and international law enforcement and military agencies to counter and combat terrorism.
• Differentiate between ethical and unethical attitudes and actions regarding the execution of Homeland Security practices.
• Identify the characteristics, ideologies, motives and behaviors of various extremist and terrorist groups that foster and support terrorist, criminal activities.
• Interpret forensic evidence to reconstruct crime and terrorism.
• Craft effective strategies to generate useful information for local, national and international law enforcement agencies.
• Solve problems as an individual and in a coordinated team setting.
• Write clear, concise and accurate reports to provide factual information, accurate data analysis, and sound recommendations.

Course Schedule