High Threat Response

The Northern Virginia (NoVA) High Threat Response Program (HTRP) resource repository, which was jointly housed on our public website and on DHS HSIN, has been transferred to the Northern Virginia Emergency Response System (NVERS) website. Both our High Threat Incidents and Fire as a Weapon databases are also housed here now. These resources will continue to be updated on the NVERS site moving forward. We are excited about this update, as the NVERS website is easier for users to access, navigate, and utilize, and it allows for international users. Click on "Request Access" at the bottom of the home page, if you do not already have an account. https://www.nvers.org/ #resources #repository #highthreat #threat #threats #publicsafety #firstresponders #database #resource #emergency #terrorism #extremism #fireasaweapon #activeviolence #explosives #CBRN #civilunrest #CDU #intelligence #hospitals #wholeofcommunity #schoolsafety #medical #response #preparedness

Recently, several studies have found that threats against state targets, including public officials, elections, and law enforcement, have been on the rise in the United States. In this brief, we take a closer look at terrorist plots and attacks in the United States that targeted government, police, and military entities over a thirty year period (1992-2022). This brief looks specifically at 460 premeditated plots and attacks against state targets in which the perpetrators either (1) successfully committed attacks, or (2) mobilized to violence but were interdicted by law enforcement before they could carry out attacks. For this brief, evidence of mobilization includes the acquisition of weapons or weapons-making materials, target surveillance, the recruitment of co-conspirators, raising funds for an attack, or engaging in military-style training. Source: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) https://lnkd.in/ez8aA2K8 #terrorism #terrorists #attack #attacks #terror #plots #target #government #lawenforcement #highthreat #threat #threats #resource #data #research #recruitment #training #military #violence #extremism #violentextremism #radicalization

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Intelligence and Analysis presents the 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment (HTA), which provides insights from across the Department and other homeland security stakeholders to identify the most direct, pressing threats to our Homeland during the next fiscal year. This Assessment organizes evolving threats to homeland security missions arising from the dynamic terrorist threat, the increasing complexities straining the immigration system, transnational organized crime, proliferating cyber threats, and geopolitical strategic competition into four sections: Public Safety and Security, Border and Immigration Security, Critical Infrastructure Security, and Economic Security. Throughout this Assessment, enduring issues are examined, such as the development and proliferation of new technologies and climate change, which involve various mission areas and impact multiple threats.  The HTA describes a threat environment that is expected to “remain high” over the coming year. https://lnkd.in/e9vsxDaB #nationalsecurity #homelandsecurity #highthreat #threat #threats #threatassessment #intel #intelligence #publicsafety #terrorism #extremism #violentextremism #criticalinfrastructure #security #assessment #resource

The horrific attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023, fundamentally shifted the security posture of the Middle East, while also having severe humanitarian consequences and ripple effects in countries throughout the globe, including many in the West. This TSC Special Report aims to explore how October 7 impacted several Western countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy. Perhaps unsurprisingly, and in line with trends that have been unfolding in recent years, there has been a spike in both Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents across all five countries — it is not an either/or phenomena. Source: The Soufan Center (TSC) https://lnkd.in/eZQrvKsd #report #resource #research #attack #attacks #violence #terrorism #extremism #nationalsecurity #homelandsecurity #violentextremism #highthreat #threat #threats

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) released a 456-page report on the Oct. 2022 shooting at the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School (CVPA). Killed in the shooting were 15-year-old Alexzandria Bell and 61-year-old Jean Kuczka. Seven others were injured. The full report can be accessed here: https://lnkd.in/eZWhfTmx https://lnkd.in/en5uxcJf #activeshooter #shooting #violence #AVI #schoolshooting #report #investigation #highthreat #threat #threats #lawenforcement #police #response #AAR

The U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center released a new guide last month designed to help state and local law enforcement develop programs to prevent targeted violence in the United States. This guide outlines how state and local law enforcement agencies can develop behavioral threat assessment units (BTAU). These units are specifically designed to identify, assess, and intervene with individuals identified as posing a risk of violence.  The guide lists six steps for creating and operating a BTAU:  1.    Establish a Behavioral Threat Assessment Unit and Policy  2.    Create Operational Protocols and Procedures  3.    Identify and Process Reports of Concerning Behavior  4.    Gather Information to Assess for Risk  5.    Develop Risk Management Strategies 6.    Promote Continuous Improvement and a Culture of Prevention  https://lnkd.in/e78cbPXM #threat #threats #threatassessment #guide #guidance #resource #BTAU #lawenforcement #police #publicsafety #assessment #highthreats #prevent #prevention #terrorism #extremism #violence #targetedviolence

The terror contagion hypothesis is a novel approach to understanding public mass killing terrorism that spreads as a form of social contagion through cultural scripts. These attacks, though less frequent than other forms of mass killings, are often far more violent and target our schools, universities, grocery stores, houses of worship, and public places. In this work, we demonstrate preliminary results through two experiments that terror contagions can be differentiated from one another, as well as from all other mass killings. We conduct these experiments by developing a traditional criminology tool, a crime script, which is a model of a criminal act. By developing a very high-fidelity terror contagion script model and populating it with robust, high-quality data from two existing field-recognized data sources, we demonstrate how the Columbine-style school shooting, VA Tech, and Incel terror contagions are not only different in key ways from one another but also from all other mass shootings in the US from 1995-2022. Though these findings are not statistically significant due to the low sample size of available incidents, they demonstrate the promise of using crime scripts as a model of terror contagions to inform previously developed system dynamics computer simulation models. This improves the fidelity of the model, allows simulation of the crime script, and builds confidence in criminologists more familiar with this method than a computer simulation. This is a novel merging of criminology and system dynamic methods, both in general and specifically related to public mass killings. Source: ResearchGate https://lnkd.in/enYmyySp #terror #terrorism #terrorists #activeshooter #shooting #shootings #violence #attack #attacks #massshootings #contagion #research #data #resource #highthreat #threat #threats

Election season in the United States presents a unique public safety challenge for law enforcement: keeping voters, election officials, and the public safe while also maintaining a welcoming environment for all voters. Careful preparation, thoughtful internal and external communication, and robust relationships can help law enforcement leaders protect public safety throughout election season for all members of their communities. To help identify common challenges and successful strategies for protecting public safety during elections, the National Policing Institute, 21st Century Policing, LLC DBA 21CP Solutions, and States United Democracy Center convened more than 60 federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders from across the country. This report synthesizes the findings of these peer-to-peer discussions and brings in research and other promising practices to create actionable guidance for jurisdictions. The findings are broken into seven short modules by topic: Section 1: Training Officers to Successfully Protect Elections Section 2: Interagency Collaboration and Mutual Aid Section 3: Conflict Management and De-Escalation Section 4: Communication and Messaging Section 5: Demonstration Management Section 6: Tactical Considerations for Election Safety Section 7: Officer and Staff Wellness During Election Season https://lnkd.in/gb-kQKER #lawenforcement #police #policing #election #electionsecurity #nationalsecurity #homelandsecurity #highthreat #threat #threat #guide #guidance #response #preparedness #resource #report #training #interagency #collaboration #civilunrest #unrest #CDU #civildisturbance #tactical #publicsafety #protect #deescalation

This in-depth review delves into the multifaceted realm of mass shootings and explores their epidemiology from a psychological perspective. The article presents a comprehensive examination of the prevalence, perpetrator and victim profiles, motives, and contributing factors associated with mass shootings. By investigating the intricate relationship between masculinity, domestic violence, military service, social media, fame-seeking, suicidal ideation, mental illness, and firearms, this article sheds light on the multifaceted nature of mass shootings. Moreover, it discusses the importance of implementing effective prevention strategies to address this growing public health concern. The findings from this review serve as a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and the community at large, facilitating a deeper understanding of mass shootings and fostering the development of evidence-based solutions to prevent these tragic incidents. Source: Annual Reviews https://lnkd.in/ePDPHeNn #shooting #shootings #massshooting #massshootings #violence #attack #attacks #mentalhealth #mentalillness #firearms #research #resource #data #highthreat #threat #threats #prevent #prevention #socialmedia #motive #ideology #investigation

The arrival of ChatGPT initiated both great excitement and fear around the world about the potential and risks of artificial intelligence (AI). In response, several AI labs, national governments, and international bodies have launched new research and policy efforts to mitigate large-scale AI risks. This report intends to demonstrate the growing importance of mitigating AI’s catastrophic risks for national security practitioners; clarify what AI’s catastrophic risks are (and are not); and introduce the dimensions of AI safety that will most shape catastrophic risks. Source: Center for a New American Security (CNAS) https://lnkd.in/eeq88JPC #nationalsecurity #homelandsecurity #AI #artificialintelligence #report #research #publication #highthreat #threat #threats #security #response #risk #mitigation #crisis #risks #publicsafety