http://www.hlswatch.com/2008/09/15/bipartisan-call-to-address-hls-priorities/ News and analysis of critical issues in homeland security today. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:25:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 http://www.hlswatch.com/2008/09/15/bipartisan-call-to-address-hls-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-120778 William R. Cumming Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:42:13 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/2008/09/15/bipartisan-call-to-address-hls-priorities/#comment-120778 Doctors (PhDs) Carafano and Heyman are smart people and anything they write or say should be considered fully. AS to FEMA, IKE is enough of a real test in both TEXAS and LOUISIANA (oddly) to find out what improvements have been made since Katrina. AS to other items listed all important and not that easily dealt with. Personally I think DHS needs a fundamental rethinking with some of the non-HS programs, functions, and activities being considered for transfer elsewhere--(e.g. FEMA's flood mapping program to the STATES for inland/rverine flood mapping and to NOAA/USGS for Coastal Mapping). Also it is very apparent that the Drug Enforcement Administration should have been part of DHS orgininally and DOJ will just have to rekon with a new gorilla in the law enforcement community. The original rationale for DHS was domestic intelligence and odd how that has worked out (Or not?). The law enforcement (Gun & badge & and 20 years and out retirement system) predominates in DHS (over 80,000 of the FTE positions). So perhaps an item for a new administration is a thorough review of Title 18 (the US criminal code) and how it needs to be revised or modified. Also some activities might require decriminalization. The federal law enforcement community if you exclude certan groups like the US Marshall service is not all that big. Even the FBI with only 12,000 of its 35,000 staff being Gold Badge agents has tooth to tail problems. The labs and IT operations in FBI are still not what they should be. Glad you picked up the report-Jonah! Time will tell! Doctors (PhDs) Carafano and Heyman are smart people and anything they write or say should be considered fully. AS to FEMA, IKE is enough of a real test in both TEXAS and LOUISIANA (oddly) to find out what improvements have been made since Katrina. AS to other items listed all important and not that easily dealt with. Personally I think DHS needs a fundamental rethinking with some of the non-HS programs, functions, and activities being considered for transfer elsewhere–(e.g. FEMA’s flood mapping program to the STATES for inland/rverine flood mapping and to NOAA/USGS for Coastal Mapping). Also it is very apparent that the Drug Enforcement Administration should have been part of DHS orgininally and DOJ will just have to rekon with a new gorilla in the law enforcement community. The original rationale for DHS was domestic intelligence and odd how that has worked out (Or not?). The law enforcement (Gun & badge & and 20 years and out retirement system) predominates in DHS (over 80,000 of the FTE positions). So perhaps an item for a new administration is a thorough review of Title 18 (the US criminal code) and how it needs to be revised or modified. Also some activities might require decriminalization. The federal law enforcement community if you exclude certan groups like the US Marshall service is not all that big. Even the FBI with only 12,000 of its 35,000 staff being Gold Badge agents has tooth to tail problems. The labs and IT operations in FBI are still not what they should be. Glad you picked up the report-Jonah! Time will tell!

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