Checking in on the NYPD's Anti-Terror Policing

By Daveed Gartenstein-Ross

An interesting article in yesterday's New York Daily News entitled "New York's Secret War on Terror" examines the steps the NYPD has taken to try to improve its anti-terror policing.

Some of these steps are encouraging.  For example, the NYPD is now teaching cops about radical Islamic ideology.  Intelligence research specialist Daniel Rudder is conducting a seminar called "The Evolution of Militant Sunni Ideology."  He told the class:  "This is a historical study, of how different ideologies have twisted Islam.  It will help in your investigations and interviews . . . raise red flags."  Rudder also wrote a 135-page report exploring topics such as transnational Islamic militancy, which will serve as "the backbone of the training program for investigators in the Joint Terrorist Task Force and Intelligence."  Although only 35 people are taking that class at present, the Daily News reports that "that number will grow substantially."

In addition to training police about radical theology, the NYPD's anti-terror strategy also includes "cops who have honed lingustic skills and the investigators of Middle Eastern or Asian descent who work in the cyber unit, penetrating overseas chat rooms to glean references to possible attacks."  Additionally, one of the department's intelligence bureau lieutenants is involved in the investigation of Rafik al-Hariri's assassination in Lebanon, and other NYPD detectives traveled to the Netherlands to enhance their understanding of the threat of radical Islam after Theo van Gogh's murder.

The least encouraging part of the article is the NYPD's discussion of how it's attempting to protect the mass transit system.  As most CT Blog readers know, New York has implemented entirely random searches of bags at key subway stops.  However, as I discuss in my July 15 article "Toward Intelligent Anti-Terror Policing," identifying those who are most likely to be terrorists (in other words, profiling) is crucial to protecting the mass transit system.  Otherwise, we squander resources and are left with suboptimal policing.  Completely random bag searches are the antithesis of intelligent policing.  So what did Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly tell the Daily News in defense of these random searches?  I quote:  "In certain circles we are concerned about, the implementation of the bag searches in the transit system had been discussed."

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