On January 8, the White House made a long-overdue call to Silicon Valley. The topic: to meet and collaborate on how extremist groups are using social media platforms in recruiting followers and encouraging violence.
Here is a note from CREATE Director Detlof von Winterfeldt about a tragic loss for the security community and the country.
In a recent post, legal expert Sterling Miller writes about the critical role SAFETY Act plays in effective emergency preparedness and liability coverage and notes Security Debrief contributor David Olive’s expertise on the subject.
The Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense recently released its report following a year-long study of how America can and should address biological threats. It deserves serious attention by policy makers, health practitioners and political pundits. Why? Because the threat and impact of a biological “event” is not receiving sufficient attention.
This week, the House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies held a hearing: “Examining DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s Engagement with Academia and Industry.” The committee members all but ignored what is actually going on in DHS S&T, and their myopia was encouraged by three witnesses who appeared to be accomplices to the debacle rather than advisors on how to understand the problems and fix them. How can you have a hearing about “engagement with academia” and not one time mention the S&T Directorate’s Office of University Programs?
The infamous Tommy-gun toting John Dillinger was once asked why he robbed banks. He responded, “Because that’s where the money is.” That simple logic is similar to the thinking of government leaders, like DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, who are looking to California as a vault holding a priceless commodity—a high-tech workforce.
In Security Debrief’s sixth annual April Fools coverage, we’ve collected stories the rest of the media somehow missed…
A recent DHS Inspector General report found that the Science and Technology Directorate mismanaged a biodetection project, effectively wasting $23 million. The IG’s findings should be taken with a dose of understanding. Here are three reasons why we should cut S&T some slack.
If being a “good listener” is a trait of being a good leader, then Dr. Reginald Brothers, the relatively new DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology, is well on his way to being the type of leader that DHS S&T needs. Now that he has been in his position for several months, there are no longer any outside restrictions on structural or personnel changes he can make, should he choose to do so. But will he?
In DHS Science and Technology’s continuing tradition of public outreach and media engagement, S&T Under Secretary Reggie Brothers has shared a note inviting the homeland security community to weigh in on future threats, challenges and needs. Check out the links to help S&T plan for the future.
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