The DHS plays five critical roles. Firstly, the department seeks to forestall the occurrence of terrorist acts in the United States and to enhance security within the country. The government has also tasked the department with the management of the nation’s borders, alongside securing them. The department further seeks to put the country’s migration rules into effect, by administering and enforcing their provisions. The department also seeks to contain cybercrime, a form of crime that entails theft or destruction of resources, information, or money through computers, the internet or computer networks. Cybercrime also encompasses cyber vandalism and cyber bullying (Department of Homeland Security (DHS) n.d.).
Major functional areas and major agencies responsible for DHS responsibilities
The department of homeland security encompasses several departments. The Directorate for National Protection and Programs (DNPP) is one of the divisions, charged with identifying and averting risks. The Directorate for Science and Technology (DST) is another branch, tasked with research and development to identify technologies through which to protect the nation. The Directorate for Management (DoM) handles the department’s financial issues such as procurement, accounts, salaries, budgeting and appropriations. The office of Health Affairs (OHA) prepares for any health issues that may arise within the country, and plots appropriate responses. The Office of Policy Formulation (OPF) on its part formulates and coordinates the department’s policies and rules. Other departments include the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (OIA), which uses information to assess the current security situation and to forecast potential threats, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), which deals with training for law enforcement officers and the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO). In addition, it has other divisions such as the Transport Security Administration (TSA), which seeks to protect the nations transport system to ease commerce and portability, the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS). Others include the United States Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE), the Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA), and the United States Coast Guard (DHS, n.d.).
To what extent are these seamless functions and agencies?
To ensure harmony when discharging its mandate, the department has an Office of Operations Coordination (OOC) monitors the state of the countries security on an ongoing basis, coordinates all activities within the department, and liaises with other stakeholders including state governors, law enforcement officials, and homeland security advisors in all the states (DHS, n.d.).
Basically, how do all these agencies assess the threat? How are the threats to the US formulated?
The agencies asses threats based on an assortment of factors and models, and grade them according to the degree of possible harm, the impacts on the people and the economy, the probability of occurrence, and the extent of vulnerability and preparedness. Formulation of threats takes a multifaceted approach and takes a cross departmental system encompassing professionals from different sectors and geographical locations (US Government, 2002).
Please draw upon 9/11 Commission Report assessment of the threat to the US. How did the creation of DHS address the Report findings?
The creation of the DHS addressed the findings of the report in several ways. It identified the vulnerabilities the commission had highlighted, and deployed specialized units to deal with the specific threats. There was increased funding to the department, and it broadened its scope to encompass more areas that it identified as potential threats to national security. The department also responded by taking on a wider mandate, and introducing stringent policies aimed at precluding the occurrence of the threats identifies (Kean, & Hamilton, 2002).