This paper contains responses to two discussion prompts. The first is a proposed grant to support the college education of students who specialize in the field of homeland security. The second discussion response focuses on the need for volunteers in emergency response. Students and volunteers can be part of the critical support structure of resource-strapped states in times of crises.
M5D1: Federalism and Emergency Management Grant
Our proposed grant would be designed to support the education of up-and-coming law enforcement candidates in the field of homeland security. States would be able to apply for a grant to provide scholarships to students at their state universities in the field of criminal justice who specifically wished to study this area of enforcement and serve in a criminal justice agency within the state for a specific number of years after graduation. This would encourage more highly-trained personnel to enter the field of criminal justice and better infuse recent academic knowledge about fighting terrorism and other critical areas into the actual hands-on practice of law enforcement agents in the field.
The program would be mutually advantageous to students and the states. Students would gain support for their education and would also have assurance about finding a job after leaving school. States would be able to encourage highly-qualified students to remain in-state and attend universities. State law enforcement agencies would gain more highly-qualified candidates upon state graduation. Eligibility would be for states with accredited criminal justice programs at their state universities with a specific concentration in the field of homeland security. As the program developed, guest speakers from federal agencies might become part of the upper-level classes at these state programs, occasionally giving lectures or special seminars in pertinent issues.
The state-based nature of the education would ensure that it was specifically tailored to the needs of different states, given that these can vary. The fact that the program was part of a state school would also give students the ability to intern with local law enforcement agencies during their education, further preparing them for making a contribution once they graduated.
The program would require federal funding and be dispersed to the states but would be specifically allocated for the purpose of student education. The states could establish specific criteria for deciding who received the scholarship (such as GPA, life experiences, and other qualifying characteristics including as membership in a historically discriminated-against group) however, the scholarship money would have to specifically go to criminal justice students specializing in homeland security.
Allocations to the states, to avoid charges of 'imperfect federalism' would be determined upon the number of students within the state, the size of the criminal justice programs, and demonstrated need and enrollment for new personnel within criminal justice organizations. These funding guidelines would be evaluated on an annual basis to allow for changes and the overall efficacy of the program would likewise regularly be subjected to a review.
M5D2: Stakeholders as Volunteers
The impulse to volunteer is commendable and many aspects of critical services at the local level are staffed by volunteers. Volunteer firemen are the backbone of many communities. Resources are finite and without volunteers, day-to-day operations would be difficult to maintain. But volunteers usually act as a supplement, rather than the main component of emergency management, given the need for full-time, professional expertise at times of crisis. According to the Department of Homeland Security, volunteerism is encouraged: "the mission of Citizen Corps is to harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters of all kinds" (Citizen Corps, 2014, DHS). DHS also suggests that citizens have a more general responsibility to prepare themselves for the eventuality of crisis events. "Citizen Corps asks you to embrace the personal responsibility to be prepared; to get training in first aid and emergency skills; and to volunteer to support local emergency responders, disaster relief, and community safety" (Citizen Corps, 2014, DHS). However, volunteerism is always a supplement, not a mainstay of such efforts. No matter how stringent the budget of an organization may be, a group of volunteers with other obligations and without full professional training they cannot be a replacement.
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