ABSTRACT
This chapter defines terrorism and discusses the history and motives of terrorism. It describes the different domestic terrorist groups and the role and responsibility of first-line supervisors when managing terrorist threats. The chapter discusses the functions of local law enforcement in identifying potential terrorist targets. It also describes the conception and responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The chapter explores the types of situations in which police officers may be vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Terrorism falls into two categories: domestic and foreign. Domestic terrorism is carried out by persons who are citizens of the country against whom their attacks are targeted. Foreign terrorism is carried out by citizens of another country who target other countries. Local police are typically the first responders to a terrorist attack. A primary goal of the DHS and the FBI is to help train, equip, provide intelligence and support local law enforcement in preventing and responding to terrorist attacks.
