NationStates Jolt Archive

I just saw something on CNN that is guranteed to turn some heads. In light of the recent subway threats in New York, the NYPD has stepped up security. Conspicuously absent is the FBI, Homeland Security, and the myriad of state and local agencies that should coordinate efforts with NYC. They don't need to be there. New York seems to have it all under control.
Before 9/11, only a handful of cops worked full time on the counterterrorism unit. Today, there are 1,000, with ample reserves in other parts of the force. Those reserves are being mobilized today, and are blanketing the city in many ways, from suprise patrols to mobile helicopter command centers that are able to watch anything in the city.
Most eye popping of all is the extent that NYC has taken matters into their own hands. They use their own intelligence network, with offices in France, Jordan, Singapore, and others. If they pick up a threat pertaining to NYC, the first person it goes to is the police commissioner, not the president.
New Yorkers have always been self-sufficient people. Yet I never would've thought that they'd bother with such extensive counter-terrorism measures. Perhaps I underestimate the impact 9/11 had on the city, but either way, I am proud of them. If we could get a few of those guys to run the Dept. of Homeland Security, we'd move that terrorist warning thing from yellow to blue in no time.

The FBI is too busy playing thought-police to do anything important, and Homeland Security is too busy sucking in money like a fiscal black hole - money goes in, but nothing ever comes back out.

Effective policing ought to take care of most concerns - the Dept. of Homeland Boondoggling is just a repository for political cronies and a whole lotta wishful thinking.

Screw the ever-expanding military. Support your local sherriffs.

Screw the ever-expanding military. Support your local sherriffs.
Believe me, your local law enforcement and sheriffs have way too little support and are probably understaffed. If I recall, I think Alabama is planning to expand to somewhere around 120 state law enforcement officials, only 1000+ to go.

Empowered local goverment picking up federal slack? Who would have thought that centeralized goverment isn't the answer to everything?

The NYPD is much less conspicuous on the subways anyway. Less rubbernecking goes on, at least.. having a bunch of FBI-jacketed agents running around would mainly cause confusion, I'd bet.

Believe me, your local law enforcement and sheriffs have way too little support and are probably understaffed. If I recall, I think Alabama is planning to expand to somewhere around 120 state law enforcement officials, only 1000+ to go.
Not where I live... second-highest per capita ratio of cops to citizens of any city centre in North America. Frankly, we need to bring our cops down to Earth a bit here...

Empowered local goverment picking up federal slack? Who would have thought that centeralized goverment isn't the answer to everything?
New York has a reason to be more involved in counterterrorism than many other cities. For example, has anyone ever heard about a terrorist plot on LA or Chicago?
But NYC has two things going for it: it's big, and its rich. It's able to maintain a network like this for that reason. Not all local governments can do that. That's why a centralized government is needed to protect people. The Dept. of Homeland Security, despite its faults, is simply having growing pains.

I just saw something on CNN that is guranteed to turn some heads. In light of the recent subway threats in New York, the NYPD has stepped up security. Conspicuously absent is the FBI, Homeland Security, and the myriad of state and local agencies that should coordinate efforts with NYC. They don't need to be there. New York seems to have it all under control.
Before 9/11, only a handful of cops worked full time on the counterterrorism unit. Today, there are 1,000, with ample reserves in other parts of the force. Those reserves are being mobilized today, and are blanketing the city in many ways, from suprise patrols to mobile helicopter command centers that are able to watch anything in the city.
Most eye popping of all is the extent that NYC has taken matters into their own hands. They use their own intelligence network, with offices in France, Jordan, Singapore, and others. If they pick up a threat pertaining to NYC, the first person it goes to is the police commissioner, not the president.
New Yorkers have always been self-sufficient people. Yet I never would've thought that they'd bother with such extensive counter-terrorism measures. Perhaps I underestimate the impact 9/11 had on the city, but either way, I am proud of them. If we could get a few of those guys to run the Dept. of Homeland Security, we'd move that terrorist warning thing from yellow to blue in no time.
Kudos to NYC! Let's just hope they don't actually start their own foreign counter-intelligence network. ;)

New York has a reason to be more involved in counterterrorism than many other cities. For example, has anyone ever heard about a terrorist plot on LA or Chicago?

LA, every day. I swear, our newscasters and politicians are praying for one every night... they're obsessive. Whenever there's no real news, it's some nutty speculation. Everyone wants those federal funds. ;)

I think the upper ranks of the NYPD believe the federal government is either criminally negligent at best or willful collaborators at worse when it comes to counter-terrorism. The federal government has to worry about the entire national communications, industrial and transportation infrastructure. They can't possibly devote all resources to NY despite it being a major port and financial hub.

All the agencies in the Department of Homeland Security that are supposed to cooperate with each other are in fact protecting its own turf, its next annual budget. They may even have ulterior motives in the globalist game. I think the NYPD and many other local agencies realize this. The feds knew about Ramsey Yousef during the 93 WTC bombing, they knew there was a Middle East connection during the OKC bombing and TWA 800 (http://www.peterlance.com/) and they knew about Mohammed Atta before 9/11. (http://www.homelandsecurityus.com/ablesavage.asp)

New York has a reason to be more involved in counterterrorism than many other cities. For example, has anyone ever heard about a terrorist plot on LA or Chicago?
But NYC has two things going for it: it's big, and its rich. It's able to maintain a network like this for that reason. Not all local governments can do that. That's why a centralized government is needed to protect people. The Dept. of Homeland Security, despite its faults, is simply having growing pains.
No Homeland Security is a moronic department created by moronic Political Leaders. It adds another hand in the Left hand Right hand debate, it stalls out Emerency planning with their control issues. It's just designed to suck money and to make the ignorant Populace feel 'safer' There I say it clearly: The Department of Homeland security was created to make people who don't understand the truth about 'safety' feel safer.

LA, every day. I swear, our newscasters and politicians are praying for one every night... they're obsessive. Whenever there's no real news, it's some nutty speculation. Everyone wants those federal funds. ;)


http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0001WHXM0.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

:p

Interesting that I just watched "The Siege" again. Very well-done movie, but protrayed a possible conflict between the military and the FBI over a Martial Law declaration. I seriously doubt that would ever happen.

Interesting that I just watched "The Siege" again. Very well-done movie, but protrayed a possible conflict between the military and the FBI over a Martial Law declaration. I seriously doubt that would ever happen.

Isn't there a Stephen Segal movie with a similar title?

Isn't there a Stephen Segal movie with a similar title?

The Siege (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133952/)
Under siege (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105690/)

Not where I live... second-highest per capita ratio of cops to citizens of any city centre in North America. Frankly, we need to bring our cops down to Earth a bit here...
Ship them to Alabama, kill two birds with one stone.

No Homeland Security is a moronic department created by moronic Political Leaders. It adds another hand in the Left hand Right hand debate, it stalls out Emerency planning with their control issues.
I fail to see why this will always be the case.

Kudos to NYC! Let's just hope they don't actually start their own foreign counter-intelligence network. ;)
Give it time. ;) We have a few Int offices in other countries now.

Give it time. ;) We have a few Int offices in other countries now.
Things will get real messy, however, when the FSB and MI-5 start showing up at City Hall.

Things will get real messy, however, when the FSB and MI-5 start showing up at City Hall.
Well, like Putin said, they reserve the right to kill anyone, anywhere. New rules of the game.

Well, like Putin said, they reserve the right to kill anyone, anywhere. New rules of the game.
They can kill whomever they want. They'd just have to live with the consequences. And don't ever assume that they can kill New Yorkers and get away with it.

They can kill whomever they want. They'd just have to live with the consequences. And don't ever assume that they can kill New Yorkers and get away with it.
Well, if they're tehrrists, they'd be doing you a favour, no?

Well, if they're tehrrists, they'd be doing you a favour, no?
Got a point there.

Well, if they're tehrrists, they'd be doing you a favour, no?
How so?
Edit: I think I know what you mean. Well, let me give you a cynical answer for your cynical mind: New York makes me rich. Or rather, it makes my grandpa rich. God bless him, he's only retiring now at his old age, and was able to do so with dignity. He owns an apartment building, and no one who had rental experience wanted it, because of ever-increasing taxes, heating costs, etc. That is, no one but a New York investment group. I'm not at liberty to disclose the amount, but they paid far more than what we asked for.

bump

I just think, if the US can kidnap people off the streets of Italy without informing the authorities, and/or send them to another country for abusive interrogation (these things have happened) in the name of the War on Terror, it should not complain too much about other countries doing their part on its soil. Common enemy and all that.

New Yorkers have always been self-sufficient people. Yet I never would've thought that they'd bother with such extensive counter-terrorism measures. Perhaps I underestimate the impact 9/11 had on the city, but either way, I am proud of them. If we could get a few of those guys to run the Dept. of Homeland Security, we'd move that terrorist warning thing from yellow to blue in no time.

Self sufficient my ass. Our food comes from New Mexico, our water comes from upstate, our money comes from all over the world. New York made itself the gateway to the continent very quickly in the nation's history. Despite a waterway known as "Devil's Pass" it was still the favorite entry port for incoming goods.

This makes New York well aware of how much it depends on outsiders, and how no city, state, or person is truly independent. It's probably why the city is full of so many liberals and Ann Coulter thinks that if we were the first target of an invasion we'd all surrender. We don't think that killing everyone outside our borders is a good idea, because that's where we get all our stuff.

That's probably what leads the NYPD to have it's own intelligence network. Not really its own, but shared with other centers that have come to the same realizations about the need for cooperation.

Reality demands that we recognize that a powerful Federal Government can't be depended on if other states are going to keep putting it in the control of people who think it shouldn't exist, but we still recognize the importance of keeping other states and other nation-states stable and prosperous, even if it means paying out more in taxes than we get back (exact opposite of most so-called "Red States"). Prosperous neighbors make better trading partners. Just like a prosperous working and middle class make a better consumer base.

New Yorkers know that New York is not an island. Well, they think it is, but only in the literal sense. Figuratively they know that it is an apex of trade among apices. If there aren't enough hypotenuses to go around, then an apex is just a pointy bit.

New York has a reason to be more involved in counterterrorism than many other cities. For example, has anyone ever heard about a terrorist plot on LA or Chicago?
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Yes I beleve there were a series of threats in LA that or SanFran I will look it up