10 years after 9/11
It’s been 10 years since the terror attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and aboard Flight 93, but we still feel their impact. Nearly 3,000 lives ended on September 11, 2001, and Police1 would like to honor those involved and explore how policing has changed since evil penetrated US soil on that tragic day.
As we mourn those lost and eulogize the heroes, we must not forget that a terrorist culture exists, regardless of race, religion, or national identity
What used to be our full time job is now just part of it
Whether the killers are domestic or international in origin, we must endeavor to never repeat any errors we made in our anticipation, preparation, or response to horrific events
Sept. 11 was a convergence of the worst possible problems in communication technology
I had no idea what the day would bring, but I knew the United States had been attacked on its own soil and we were at war
We didn’t have much of an operational plan, other than to stay highly visible and patrol the most populated and largest buildings in the city
Is the warrior spirit only in vogue when events of this magnitude happen? What about the warrior spirit that lives on every day in the men and women who have chosen to pursue a career in law enforcement?
We always look for guns and drugs, but do we know the myriad other things which might be right under our noses and could be used to injure huge numbers of people?
The connection between criminal activity — whether one might consider it ‘organized’ or not — and terrorist organizations has history that continues to this very day
SWAT
Close-quarters battle (CQB — also known as close quarters combat, or CQC) was fundamental in taking down Osama bin Laden and is the cornerstone of American SWAT officers everywhere
Throughout history there have always been (and always will be) those in this country willing to risk all and sometimes sacrifice all for others
We’ve had dozens of attempted attacks by radicalized Islamist terrorists here in the United States since 9/11, and only in the case of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was there any degree of ‘success’ on the part of the attacker
New 10-year anniversary patches are designed to be worn as a sign of unity on the uniforms of firefighters, EMTs, police officers, and armed forces personnel
Among the nearly 3,000 Americans to be murdered on 9/11, were 23 New York Police Department officers and 37 Port Authority officers