Terrorist and Criminal Attacks: Prevention, Prevention, Prevention

Terrorist and Criminal Attacks: Prevention, Prevention, Prevention

Once the terrorist or criminal attacker is moving to the target with their weapons in hand or boarding the aircraft with their homemade explosives (HME) after days, weeks and months of planning, the possibility of stopping the attack without loss of life is very low.

Prevention is the best tool in trying to prevent and stopping terrorist and criminal mass violence incidents from occurring. Information sharing, situational awareness, pre-incident indicators (PII) are the best tools available to public safety agencies to assist in this effort. Disrupting these incidents during their planning stage when possible is the best and most effective option available.

All that can be done at this point is to try and minimize the casualties and end the attack as quickly and safely as possible. Counter terrorism is the offensive measures taken to prevent, deter, and respond to a terrorist incident or a threat of a terrorist incident and prevention is the best option available.

Most of the information sharing that is needed can take place at an unclassified security level by local, regional and state public safety agencies. Information sharing can be a valuable tool. This can take place at any level of government such as local, municipal, county, regional, state and federal.