Changing Perceptions of Homeland Security
Shifting the way we see ourselves within the effort.
People want to be involved with efforts they understand and trust. As citizens of this country are asked to join the Homeland Security effort through the See Something Say Something campaign, we need to consider how the homeland security is perceived and whether or not we’ve created an ‘in group’ worth joining. Do we demonstrate competency, collaboration and effectiveness? Are citizen’s civil liberties considered when policy and programs are developed? When people think about Homeland Security (HLS) a variety of things come to mind. As the media tends to focus on the negative, FEMA, The Patriot Act, and the NSA, are a few things that may stand out. Interestingly, however, the most recent PEW survey indicates that the Department of Homeland Security, (DHS) gets a 66% approval rating,[1] making it the fifth highest ranked federal office identified in the survey. This can be attributed to many things, such as the rapid closure on the Boston bombing case, the vastly improved response to Hurricane Sandy over Katrina, and a relatively quiet 12-year period after 9/11.
One could suggest, based on these survey results that the general sense is that our Homeland Security efforts are succeeding. However, when you ask someone what HLS is, the answer may very. According to Chris Bellavita the definitions for HLS can range from an all hazards approach to protecting our country to a mere symbol, leveraged by the government to diminish our civil liberties.[2] To many, HLS is an expectation. Not only is it the shield standing vigilant in protecting us from an attack, it is also the recovery if something does go horribly wrong.
As a student in the Center for Homeland Security and Defense at the Naval Postgraduate School I come to you with this confession. Before I began the program, I struggled to understand what homeland security entailed and what my role in the nation’s Homeland Security effort looked like, personally or professionally. Applying for the school forced me to build the nexus between my “job” and Homeland Security, which was a start.
I don’t think I was alone in not seeing myself as a part of the HLS effort, even given my role in emergency services. I feel that most Americans actually know very little about the efforts of HLS and how they fit into it. It’s a service that is provided for us, in a fairly clandestine fashion, and as long as we feel safe then it must be working.
But is Homeland Security isn’t something that happens to us, it is us. We need to shift the mindset in this country from consumers of Homeland Security to doers. Every citizen needs to understand that the duty to protect our country is in his or her hands. The Homeland Security effort is decentralizing, as do the efforts of our adversaries. As the threats move into our neighborhoods with active shooters, increased gang violence and the potential for homegrown domestic or national radicalization and terrorism on the rise, everyone’s eyes need to be open.
The See Something, Say Something campaign is an excellent example and opportunity to promote the HLS effort. Communities nation wide are developing citizen training programs and easy access to reporting tools to empower citizens to become more aware and more involved. It is important that every citizen embraces their role and understands how they fit into the larger HLS effort. With greater involvement will come greater understanding.
