POLICY MEMO 4:

Directions: Select ONE of the following scenarios for your memo. Write a One-Page Memo answering the questions. Be concise. 

Format: Times New Roman, 12 pt font Single Spaced, via Canvas. Citation page will not count against the one-page memo requirement.

Submit this assignment via Canvas at the beginning of class on Wednesday, April 17th, 2019 at 11:59 PM. Contact the instructor if there are conflicts meeting this requirement (e.g. excused absence). You are expected and required to conduct your own work on this assignment. Citation pages will not count against your page count. Cite your work.

Option 1: Public Health

You are the current Public Health Commissioner for the State of Indiana, Your boss, the governor, has lost re-election to the former Mayor of Bloomington, John Mellencamp. As part of the transition to the new administration, you have been asked by Governor-elect Mellencamp’s chief of staff to provide a memo on public health preparedness. Public health preparedness focuses on natural disasters like pandemic, and manmade incidents like bioterrorism. The past administration worked to improve public health preparedness but didn’t succeed in convincing their homeland security counterparts of the value they bring to homeland security planning and response.

ACTION: In a one-page memo to the governor’s chief of staff, acting as the public health commissioner of Indiana, advise on public health preparedness in Indiana. Specifically, Mellencamp’s Chief of Staff wants to know what resources public health can provide the broader homeland security mission in the state. For this memo:

• Explain two roles public health plays in preparedness activities, and;
• Provide two examples of potential threats and the resources public health could use to help respond to those threats.
• Be persuasive as to why the roles and the resources are important.

Option 2: Transportation Security

Recent attacks on subways and mass transit systems in St. Petersburg (2016) and in his own city (2017) have Mayor Bill De Blasio of New York City concerned. The NYC Subway system is one of the largest in the world, with 236 miles of track, over 400 stations and nearly 6m passengers daily. Given the vast size of this particular infrastructure, it seems impossible to provide an adequate security presence.

You are the Mayor’s Homeland Security assistant. He has turned to you to offer some suggestions to improve security on the subway.

ACTION: In a one-page memo to Mayor De Blasio, acting as his homeland security assistant, provide three recommendations to improve the security of the subway. Be sure to address at least one challenge that the city may face in trying to implement your three suggestions. Use your three recommendations to “fix” your challenge.

For this assignment, you may draw from any disciplines we have studied thus far. So, you may recommend an EM and citizen preparedness, LE policing strategies, Intel awareness programs, Critical Infrastructure, National Guard capabilities or other solutions. This memo gives you a chance to start using the multiple disciplines to address challenges like this, as homeland security planners do.

Option 3: Advising the Private Sector

As the new DHS Protective Security Advisor (PSA) for the State of Indiana, you have scheduled a meeting with a local business (Miller’s Machinery) that manufactures large engines for trucks. The local business, a family owned business, passed down over several generations, has never thought about threats to its business, and is skeptical about why they should start now. The owner, Henry Miller IV, says to you “I’m happy to take your meeting, but honestly, nothing every happens in Indiana.”

Action: As the PSA, prepare a brief memo for Mr. Miller, the owner and CEO, on how the US Department of Homeland Security views infrastructure protection. Think about which sector Mr. Miller’s company might be in. Explain how the government can help to secure his business through DHS programs as discussed during Critical Infrastructure week and in the readings, and offer at least two possible threats to his factory, located in Columbus, Indiana (near a major railroad, river and Interstate).