The Tennessee Department of Correction recently announced that its probation and parole officers will soon be carrying guns. Beginning in July, Tennessee officers will begin undergoing training to carry 40-caliber Glocks, with all officers in the department armed by 2018. 

Equipping probation and parole officers with firearms is becoming an increasingly common practice and many states arm these officers as a matter of officer safety. After all, probation and parole officers are out in the community, visiting parolees on their “home turf”, which puts officers in vulnerable and often dangerous situations. In many cases, these officers are in the community alone, and do not have direct support from fellow officers. Therefore, it’s critical for officers to be able to protect themselves from the often violent offenders they’re tasked with supervising.

Rob Stallworth is a Deputy Chief Probation and Parole Officer for the Virginia Department of Corrections in the Manassas, Virginia Field Office. His career spans more than 15 years with the department where he has served in various positions such as Gang Specialist and Academy Adjunct Instructor. 

“I worked in the gang unit for several years and there were plenty of times I went into a gang member’s home by myself,” he said. “Not one time was I NOT nervous about being inside of the person’s turf.”

The Cost of Arming Officers
Of course, there’s an expense associated with training and arming officers. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety, for example, estimates that it costs approximately $7,500 to train each officer, which does not include the cost of the firearm. In Alabama, they estimate it costs about $90,000 for the first year a probation and parole officer is hired, which includes a vehicle, weapon, training, salary and benefits, according to the article. The cost drops in subsequent years after firearms are purchased and training completed.

In the end, Stallworth says he believes the benefits of arming these officers far outweigh the costs. “I have some strong opinions about it, but that’s because I’ve been there,” he said. In Virginia, officers have the option of being armed and must go through a rigorous approval process that includes a psychological test and strict training. “If they do not comply with the training regime, they do not get to keep their weapon, but they still have to do the same job as if they still had it,” he said.

As long as there are strict policies in place about the possession and use of weapons, arming probation and parole officers is a matter of officer safety. “An officer who carries that sidearm is more likely to go home at the end of their shift,” said Stallworth. And that’s the most important thing.

In today’s world of planning for all types of threats and hazards, cross-training, and multi-agency responses, the need for educated and experienced emergency management personnel is on the rise. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a modest growth of 3,900 positions (more than a 12% increase) by 2020.[1]

Individuals with a law enforcement or military background should consider this type of position because they have been trained to work in high-stress environments, have adaptive critical thinking, teamwork and leadership skills, as well as problem-solving and multi-tasking abilities. Individuals with training in logistics, communications, or personnel management also have important skills that would translate well into an emergency management role.

Emergency and disaster management personnel must be ready to deal with a variety of hazards and incidents, both natural and man-made. Formal education in this field has evolved over the last 10 years and has become a necessity for those looking to take leadership roles in both government agencies and private-sector positions.

Those with prior experience or skillsets needed in this line of work can also use that background to aid them in their education. Prior training and abilities will translate into proficient students with real-world experience to draw on as they prepare for their next career transition.

I found both my law enforcement and fire service experience to be very beneficial in my educational goals within emergency management. The skills and training I brought with me helped to focus my studies on areas I was interested in and made my interactions with my peers more meaningful. It provided insights into how I could contribute to leadership initiatives within emergency management.

There are many different avenues and levels of emergency management work. During the pursuit of higher education, students can expect to be exposed to and research a wide variety of issues and topics that will better prepare them to transition to serving the public. Courses range from disaster planning to terrorism response, risk management, incident command, and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) hazards.

With agencies using an adaptive approach to incident management, the ability to be engaged and flexible while dealing with various components and personnel is critical to success.  I found that my passion for the work and desire for quality training and education came from my drive to provide quality service to those in need. My background allowed me to understand the different components of response and interface with responding agencies more efficiently. I could keep a critical eye on improving the system, while engaging the response and understanding the roles and expectations of those around me.

If you are someone who has a passion for helping others, can think quickly and creatively, and are looking for a challenging and rewarding field, I highly recommend that you to consider contributing your experience to a career in emergency and disaster management. 

About the Author:
Professor Hoback serves as adjunct faculty in the School of Public Service and Heath. He has more than 20 years of experience in public safety and is a retired Lieutenant (O-3) with the U.S. Coast Guard. His experience includes tactical law enforcement, emergency response, incident command, anti-terrorism, narcotics, and homeland security. He has held leadership roles, written training and response plans, is a firefighter with advanced training, and a member of the International Association of Emergency Managers. His passion for serving others is matched only by his passion for training and educating others to do the same. Contact him at giles.hoback@mycampus.apus.edu or follow on www.twitter.com/DisasterProf.

You’ve made the step to pursue formal education in emergency and disaster management. You’ve been learning all your life but have you taken the time to identify the skills required to be a successful EDM student? I’m going to provide some thoughts on what it takes to be prepared for EDM coursework. I define preparedness as those pre-course, or pre-milestone (e.g. mid-term paper), activities that lead to success. These include planning, organizing, visioning, reading, and writing.

Planning
Regardless of the organization you work for, or position you hold, you likely spend much of your time planning. Whether you are part of a specific first response activity, emergency support function, non-related function, or managing your home, you have—or are working on—contingency plans for just about everything you do. Being a successful student requires the same approach and mindset. In developing your plan you need to schedule your work, classroom, research and family time to develop a balance where nothing is sacrificed. Using current software for time and task management helps streamline long existing time management methods and will allow you to quickly prioritize your milestones.

Organizing
Get organized for your courses by developing a file system and back it up. Don’t just dump your files. There are only 168 hours in the week so organizing your files will save some of this valuable time for use in other areas. Use virtual space to store and backup your files. If you haven’t already, you should invest in bibliography and style management software. Learn to use it; this software will help you format your papers and citations in forum posts. I’m not saying that you don’t need to pick up the latest style guide and know it front-to-back, but life sure is easier with the right software.

Vision
Having a clear vision of what you want out of your education will contribute directly to your success. Take some time to identify what success looks like to you. Spend some time mind-mapping your success and create specific objectives to achieve those goals.

Reading
If you haven’t spent time in the library lately, you need to. Emergency and disaster management has often been described as an uncomfortable mix of many disciplines so there is always more to learn. The library research databases at AMU offer virtual 24-hour librarians and, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, there is a large staff of fully qualified librarians ready to help. Read related peer-review journal articles, particularly the ones you don’t necessarily enjoy, as a great way to improve your critical thought. The library also has tools to help you to do better research, cite and reference appropriately, and write better.

Writing
You need to spend a lot of time writing. The only way to become a better writer is to spend time doing it. Much of your education is centered on your ability to communicate through writing, so get good at it. Continuously improve your skill at articulating your thoughts and ideas through words on paper.

About the Author:
David Munro is an adjunct instructor at the APUS School of Public Service and Health and is the Director of Emergency Management for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. His career in incident and emergency management at the federal, local, and tribal government levels spans over 20 years. David has a Ph.D. in Public Policy with a homeland security specialization, holds an MBA, and is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM^®).

This whole 3D-printing evolution is new to me, but apparently it’s not very new at all. According to this  article, the technology has been available for a long time. What’s new, actually, is that it’s just now becoming affordable to the consumer market. Just last week, I was on a five-hour flight and found myself browsing through Sky Mall magazine where I ran across an ad for a 3D printer (only $1,299!). I remember thinking to myself: “What in the world would I need a 3D printer for? I mean, it’s cool and everything, but would I actually use it?”

Well, apparently I lack imagination because a lot of people are saying yes to this technology (to the tune of $1.7 billion). These 3D printers can open the door for the average person to start creating and manufacturing products on their own, without any middlemen. While 3D printing holds so much potential for entrepreneurs and small businesses, there are certainly concerns about putting this power into the hands of people.

Case in point: Creating 3D-printed guns.

Yesterday, the first fully 3D-printed gun was test fired in Texas, as reported by Forbes Magazine.  The weapon is made up of 16 pieces, 15 of which have been printed by a 3D printer, thus it is almost entirely plastic. This brings up the first concern for law enforcement and security professionals: Standard screening equipment senses metal. While many of the new screening devices in airports look for any object on a person’s body, the majority are still metal detectors. Granted, this weapon shot .380 rounds (which I’m assuming are metal), the overall ability to detect these guns would be greatly reduced.

This gun is far from perfected, but the creators of this weapon plan to make the blueprints available on the Internet. That means anyone with a 3D printer could theoretically “print” one of these guns.

I’m wondering:
What consequences could this technology have in terms of firearm regulation? Are there other issues law enforcement agencies should be concerned about? Discuss.

In general, there is no formula for a career in emergency management. Take Dr. Karen Cieslewicz for example. She is a licensed general surgeon and physician in the states of Maryland and Michigan. She is also a professor at American Military University, teaching courses in Emergency and Disaster Management. She has been involved in many aspects of Emergency Management and Disaster Medicine, serving in the VT Civil Air Patrol as a Captain in the Medical Corps, Critical Incident Stress Management in Pennsylvania; Maryland Volunteer Fire Department; and the Medical Director for Safety and Technical Rescue Association in Michigan.

American Military University caught up with Dr. Cieslewicz and asked her about the benefits of having a background in medicine and how it has made her a better emergency manager. She also weighs in on some of the most important aspects of the emergency  management profession and what you should be doing to stay on top of the field. Take a listen:

Cell phones are proving to be one of the most dangerous weapons inside correctional facilities. “In prisons across the U.S., one of most popular items smuggled into facilities are cell phones and smart phones,” said Mark Bridgeman, President of the North Carolina Gang Investigators Association. “This connectivity provides an opportunity for gangs to continue running their operations from within prison walls.”

This is an epidemic in correctional facilities across the country. For example, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found a rise in inmate deaths in the state can be largely attributed to the use of cell phones by gang members within and outside prison walls, according to this news article. Of the nine inmates and one corrections officer killed last year, the GBI says seven were prison gang related. The three killings in 2013 are also gang-related, reported the paper.

The Georgia Department of Corrections has acknowledged smuggled cell phones are a major problem and revealed that as many as 10,000 have been confiscated from prisoners in a year, according to this article.

While cell phones can allow prisoners to conduct gang-related business from within prison walls, when phones are recovered it can also provide significant amounts of intelligence for corrections officials. “We can download all the data from the device and get an entire network of individuals in one shot,” said Bridgeman.

Intelligence gathering continues to be a primary focus for correctional facilities across the country in an effort to stem this rising violence. Bridgeman, who is only three classes away from getting his Master of Arts in Intelligence Studies from American Military University, said that each correctional facility in North Carolina has an intelligence officer who is responsible for collecting information about individual prisoners and vetting their gang affiliations.

However, effectively sharing that information can prove to be the most challenging part. While partnerships between correctional agencies and law enforcement agencies have improved in recent years, much work still needs to be done. “Corrections have been an underutilized resource within the law enforcement community,” said Bridgeman. “There is now starting to be a blend between corrections intelligence in law enforcement cases where there hadn’t before, but it’s still an evolving process.”

It’s important to build better, streamlined networks. For example, the National Gang Intelligence Center is a repository where officers can report information and help connect the dots. Bridgeman said that the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations is also a great resource to help bring local and national law enforcement and corrections officer together. When it comes down to it, it’s still a lot about individual relationships, said Bridgeman. He said there have been numerous examples of cases getting solved during member association conferences and meetings. “We have to work smarter, not harder,” he said. “Communication is a key component of that.”

The interesting thing about being an emergency manager is the variations within the field – a professional can work for local, state, or the federal government or in a variety of private sector industries. There are many practitioners who hail from one of the established response disciplines of fire, EMS, or law enforcement. Craig Fugate, the FEMA Administrator comes from a fire background. Add to this mix those with military backgrounds from any of the five services (including the Coast Guard) and the plethora of job specialties available through the Department of Defense, and emergency management appears to be a hodge-podge of personnel with different skill sets.

This is a good thing.

Why are there such a large number of people from diverse backgrounds in emergency management? The opportunities are numerous in this field. If you want to be an emergency manager, having the ability to communicate ideas–regardless of how abstract or defined–to another person or a group of persons is a critical skill. If you think being an emergency manager means sitting in a room in front of a computer all day you are sadly mistaken.

I equate an emergency manager to a jack of all trades; someone who does not necessarily know the answer, but knows where to find the answer. Many times this means asking a colleague or associate or a contact made during the course of a planning meeting, exercise, training session or chamber luncheon.

Every aspect of life is the purview of the emergency manager regardless of title. Keeping a business open; helping citizens before, during, and after a disaster; reacting to an act of terrorism; assisting the needy; and teaching future emergency managers are all emergency management responsibilities.

So what are the most important skills for an emergency manager?

• The ability to communicate
• The ability to adapt to change
• The ability to network

Probably the best example of a document describing what an emergency manager should be is the FEMA course “Fundamentals of Emergency Management” Independent Study 230.b from May 2011. In my mind, the most important part of this course is the part regarding the Principles of Emergency Management. This information can be found in unit 2 of the course guide.

An emergency manager must be patient, and an emergency manager must be professional. Some of this can be taught in school, but some must be learned through experience. This is not just an occupation, it is a calling, continuous education and sharing of knowledge is part of the game.

About the Author
Daniel Hahn is the Plans Section Chief for the Santa Rosa County Florida, Division of Emergency Management. Daniel was named the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association (FEPA) 2009 Emergency Management Professional of the year. Daniel earned his master’s degree in Emergency and Disaster Management with American Military University. He is working on a doctorate in business administration with a specialization in homeland security policy and leadership. Daniel is an active member of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).

Murphy’s Law states: “If anything can go wrong, it will” (Avidor, 2013). The history of emergency and disaster management is replete with mistakes made from complacency, lack of preparation, and little or no communication with available resources.

In downtown Calgary, Alberta Canada last year, an explosion not only knocked out internet and power but cut communication utilities to include the city’s 911 emergency lines and 311 information lines (Kheterpal, 2012). Chaos and confusion hindered emergency response communications and operations at all levels. It is a good example of the unexpected occurring and a lack of preparation hindering the effectiveness of law enforcement and first responders.

Threats from unknown and unforeseen natural and man-made incidents like earthquakes and lone-shooter incidents stress the need for coordination with law enforcement officers (LEOs) at all levels. In many situations, the first and last line of defense lies with the responding LEOs. Coordination with law enforcement for disaster preparedness and response is a critical element in any tactical response plan. Integrating law enforcement command, control, and coordination (C3) requires clear structure, continual evaluation and training, and an independent response uninhibited by bureaucracy. It is the boots on the ground emergency managers making the tough choices and providing the necessary communication to save life and property at a moment’s notice.

Over the last decade, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has restructured its planning and mitigation for disaster incidents requiring federal response. Some of these changes provide for the assignment of a Senior Federal Law Enforcement Officer (SFLEO) that would coordinate law enforcement efforts (FEMA, 2008). Identifying a clear command structure can ease confusion when Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) are affected by disaster. It is a way to mitigate Murphy’s Law, making maximum use of response efforts.

Security training and exercises are critical elements that aid stakeholders and first responders during vulnerability assessments. County, state and federal resources are stressed by the actual cost of conducting the training. The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA have been providing funded training through Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services (TEEX). These courses are available at no cost online as well as in person at scheduled conferences.

Times may change but natural and man-made hazards will continue to abound in the intricate and demanding world we live in. Emergency management offices can provide the necessary foundation to build a contemporary and planned emergency response framework that is simple in design and independent in function. Clear communication in response planning and training with law enforcement agencies will help first responders to effectively protect life and property.

About the Author:

Grant Adkins is a part-time adjunct faculty member with American Military University. He has served more than 20 years in the U.S. Military as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician. He resides in Southern California working full-time for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as an Explosives Specialist.

Works Cited
Avidor, R. (2013). All the Laws of Murphy in One Place. Retrieved from Murphy’s Law Site: http://www.murphys-laws.com/murphy/murphy-laws.html

FEMA. (2008). What’s New in the National Response Framework. Retrieved from FEMA: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/whatsnew.pdf

Kheterpal, G. (2012). Shaw’s Communication Nightmare: Disaster Management Gone Wrong. Retrieved from The Telecom Blog: http://www.thetelecomblog.com/2012/07/16/shaws-communication-nightmare-disaster-management-gone-wrong/

TEEX. (2013). National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center. Retrieved from Texas A&M Engineering and Extension Service: http://www.teex.com/nerrtc/

I was a 19-year-old cadet with the Metropolitan Toronto Police when I was exposed to my first major public event: Two Toronto concerts at Maple Leaf Gardens as part of the Rolling Stones’ 1972 North American Tour. It seems quite amazing when one thinks of all the modern Stones concerts in Toronto and the extent to which they are part of a normal event-planning routine. But in 1972, after the release of Exile on Main Street and on the heels of several wild concerts in the United States and Vancouver, planning for the Toronto event seemed as comprehensive as any grand military operation during World War II, which, come to think of it, had only ended a mere 27 years before.

As I cadet, I had the weekend off; my real police career still two years away. I was, however, able to obtain a copy of the operational plan which I pored over for hours. It was a very thick document , listing the assignments of hundreds of Metropolitan Toronto Police officers in precise detail. Every task was spelled out and I was fascinated by the way in which the officers were given their details: A master plan had been carefully typed out and published for distribution within the police force. Police officer assignments where listed on pages in such a way that they could be torn from the parade sheets and handed to the officers for ready reference on the street following role call and briefings. And for the record, Canada’s largest municipal police force had two photocopiers at the time, both of them located safely within police headquarters where every print-job was logged and counted.

I wasn’t surprised, in those days, when I read the direction that indicated that only police officers above the rank of sergeant would carry side-arms. Police constables, the front-line crowd-control uniform personnel were to be in uniform-of-the-day, but with a full Sam Browne belt with handcuff pouch only. This directive was driven by the concern that officers would be in close contact with large, possibly unruly crowds, and it was believed the potential for officers being disarmed was quite high. The obvious solution was to have the officers leave their guns locked up safely back at their stations. Of course, 40 years later, police officers’ pistols are much more secure, but one can imagine the reaction today if street cops were directed to leave their weapons at the office. This does speak, however, to the extent to which times and methods have changed.

In the years that followed, I was directly involved in many public events and emergencies that required an organized police response: Visits by Pope John Paul II, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Lady Diana, Nelson Mandela, and back-to-back visits by President George H. W. Bush at Toronto’s SkyDome for the Blue Jays season opener and the MLB All-Star Game. Each of these events drew very large crowds and various levels of required security. The introduction of new technology alone made each operation more effective, but also much more complex and expensive.

Many of the people who managed these events were selected because of their demonstrated capacity for being organized and methodical. There were no courses and very little policy to rely on to prepare for major events but, over time, vast repositories of information and after-action reports became available for ready-reference by those who would study the fine art of event management.

In spite of all that has occurred and all that has been learned, some recent events have drawn public attention. The Vancouver Stanley Cup riot(s) and, for example, the unfortunate St. Patrick’s Day riot in London, Ontario in 2012. Combined with concerns raised at the 2012 G20 event in Toronto, there were calls for event management and emergency response personnel to gather to review methods and lessons learned with a view to developing enhanced approaches to major event management and emergency response across Canada.

To support this effort, the Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police convened the first ever Operational Planning and Management of Public Safety Events Workshop in Toronto in February 2013. As an outcome of this meeting, conference organizers have summarized and published a draft document highlighting many of the important issues that emerged during various break-out sessions.

This draft document can be found on the CITIG and CACP Web sites and it is available for review and feedback. For those who are just beginning their careers in event management and for those veterans who have weathered the storm, there is something for everyone and your contribution to this important public service is welcome and appreciated.

As I recall, the Rolling Stones’ 1972 visit to Toronto was uneventful. Some people theorize that by the time they got to Toronto, the tour was winding down and so were the Stones and their entourage. But we were ready.

It is not always what caused a multiple casualty incident that matters. What matters is the ability of the community to respond effectively. Effective response begins with planning, training, and exercising community emergency systems. Today’s emergency management response systems include more than traditional public safety and emergency services. Emergency preparedness must include the effective integration of private sector partners such as healthcare systems.

Emergency managers focus much of their efforts to ensure continuity of services and to secure the resources for healing when crisis occurs. It is always difficult to talk about pain and suffering. However, emergency managers prepare for the response to and recovery from multiple casualty and mass-fatality incidents.

In addition to those who are not injured but need basic human needs, emergency planners need to work with healthcare providers to address the needs of the injured. In a multiple casualty incident, the stabilization, treatment and transport of the injured to hospitals and other alternate care facilities is essential. A general service ambulance can only address the needs of one to two patients each. Depending on the size of the incident a large strike team of ambulances will be needed, usually requiring a large-scale regional response.

To effectively address medical surge needs during a multiple casualty scenario, community, public health, and healthcare emergency planners must fully discuss patient management in general and standards of care in particular.

There are a number of relevant questions, including the following, that should and must be asked to help healthcare professionals and emergency planners develop an effectively integrated multiple-casualty and mass-fatality management strategy:

1. Has regional Emergency Medical Systems taken the steps needed to structure EMS multiple casualty Incident Management Teams that include a planned command and management structure, a comprehensive risk analysis, and an assessment of available resource categorizes basic life, advance life support, and mass-care assets?
2. Have regional hospitals and healthcare systems networked with EMS and emergency management professionals to assure that patients can be triaged and transported to appropriate healthcare facilities based on the patients’ needs and the available medical resources?
3. Does the community’s emergency operations plan identify multiple casualty management strategies likely to be employed based on the size and scope of the incident?
4. What are the relevant laws, rules and regulations addressing patient standards of care? How will standards of care be modified by a declared mass casualty incidents?
5. How will hospitals interact with local public health and medical examiner?

A hospital’s primary function is, and will always be, to care for the sick and injured. Many hospitals do not have the capability to address decedents. And decedents from the incident should not be brought to the hospital, if pronounced. Medical examiners must also have strategies for forensic triage in the field since many multiple casualty and mass fatality incidents may also be crime scenes.

The emergency planning process for multiple casualty and mass fatality incidents must address not only the handling and processing of patients and deceased victims. Emergency planners must also plan for the special needs, cultural requirements and personal feelings of the families and friends that will also flood healthcare facilities to be with their loved ones.

Public information that needs to be disseminated should include such topics as patient flow and general care, patient status by gender and age, number of patients transported and treated, and the medical capabilities to address the needs.

When addressing information needs for decedents, pay particular attention to provide information on the handling of decedent remains and belongings, the mandate of dignity for decedents, and protection of the overall health of the community.

The lack of an efficient public information process may very quickly lead to public distrust along with a perception that government may be interfering with the legal and/or rights of the families or giving priority to the investigation over the needs of the patients, the deceased, or their families.