CJ 6600

Strategic Planning and Anti-Terrorism Strategies for Leaders

Fall 2005

Greg MorrisonN. Prabha Unnithan

452 Wildwood Dr.Professor and Interim Chair of

Grand Junction, CO 81503

Home: (970) 243-5102Sociology, ColoradoStateUniversity

Office (970) 244-3565 Office telephone: (970) 491-6615

E-mail: -mail:

Course Objectives and Goals:

We have two major objectives in this course. The first is to provide a framework for carrying out strategic planning in the context of a police department. The second is to use this framework to address a pressing issue: terrorism and other related catastrophic events that require a law enforcement response. Strategic planning will provide many benefits to law enforcement organizations that are operating currently within the twin contexts of greater need (having to do more) and reduced resources (with less). While there is a large amount of literature on strategic planning in business and, to a lesser extent, in social service, there has been very little attention devoted to criminal justice strategic planning. Based on our presentations and discussions, we should be able to generate a variety of possible directions and practical applications. Here are the major goals that we have set for the course:

  1. To define strategic planning and to contrast it with other forms of planning;
  2. To understand why strategic planning is important in law enforcement;
  3. To learn the key ingredients of a successful planning environment;
  4. To understand the steps leading to a practical strategic plan;
  5. To develop tools and techniques for advancing strategic thinking and planning;

6. To gain an awareness of international and domestic terrorism trends;

  1. To understand the role of federal and local law enforcement in responding to a

terrorist event;

8. To understand the eight critical infrastructures and discuss methods to protect assets;

9. To discuss and provide suggestions for dealing with the issue of school violence;

10. To examine crisis management and techniques for dealing with the hostage/barricade

situation; and

  1. To provide a forum for discussing how to address, from a law enforcement perspective, leadership, coordination, intelligence sharing/dissemination, responding, planning and training for a terrorist event.

Readings:

  1. John M. M. Bryson (2004) Strategic Planning for Public and Non-Profit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining Organizations. Third Edition. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley& Sons.
  2. Col. John R. Martin (ed.) (2002) Defeating Terrorism: Strategic Issue Analyses. Online at
  3. Other readings to be provided in class.

Class Sessions:

We will meet on the following days and concentrate on the following topics in each session:

September 30, 2005:Basic Strategic Planning I (Unnithan)

October 1, 2005:Basic Strategic Planning II (Unnithan)

October 28, 2005:Terrorism and Law Enforcement Planning I (Morrison)

October 29, 2005Terrorism and Law Enforcement Planning II (Morrison)

December 3, 2005:Wrap Up and Presentation of Group Projects (Morrison and Unnithan)

Assignments:

1.Please read the Bryson book before we meet for the first class meeting (we will deal with Chapters 1 through 7 in the first class session on 9/30/05 and Chapters 8 through 12 in the second session on 10/1/05). Please read the John Martin article for the October 28-29 classes.

  1. Via e-mail (our addresses are given above), please provide both of us by 9/01/05 information about skills/expertise that you currently possess in planning for or dealing with a major (or catastrophic) event requiring a law enforcement response. Please also describe areas where you would like to develop additional knowledge and skills in strategic planning or dealing with major (or catastrophic) events.
  2. Towards the end of the second class session, based on your responses to # 2 above, you will be placed in interest groups that will work together on planning projects. As an alternative and if you prefer, you may work individually on projects.
  3. These projects will be presented and evaluated in the last class session (on 12/3/05) by both of us for final grades.
  4. Other details and grading criteria will be communicated once the groups are formed and project proposals finalized.