The Role of the Police in Counterterrorism

Abstract

Today’s police face a range of tactical challenges that, while not necessarily new, require an evolved operational response. In the new millennium, policing throughout the world has gradually more taken on contemporary security roles, such that it might be expected that policing should be rapidly changing to meet its new challenges and to deal with contemporary security threats. This paper seeks to answer the question “What are the police doing to counter terrorism?” Certain density in the roles, functions, strategies, and structures of the police, modern-day policing has become even more multifaceted, being concurrently focused on preventing and responding to “ordinary crime,” and now to respond to domestic and international terrorism. Counterterrorism refers to proactive policies that specifically seek to eliminate terrorist environments and groups. Domestic operations involve the coercive use of military, police, and other security forces against domestic threats. Many nations have special units within their police forces that participate in counterterrorism operations. Knowledge about nature and police counterterrorism strategies is an essential and currently missing component in a contemporary security agenda.

Keywords

• police
• counter-terrorism
• special operation forces
• contemporary security concepts