ShawnCowden
Member
Laurel Homeland Security among last to be assessed
By Carol Mills, staff writer
London/Laurel County will undergo a homeland security assessment from the Kentucky Community Preparedness Program (KCPP) Oct. 31-Nov. 4.
The assessment, which helps identify vulnerabilities and tighten security, is the first step a community takes to prepare itself and protect its citizens from a hostile event, a natural disaster, or criminal activity.
Teams will meet with local law enforcement to address 18 potential targets, said Jacinta Manning, information officer.
Working closely with local law enforcement and community leaders, the teams conduct vulnerability assessments to identify a community's weaknesses using a detailed and systematic analysis of facilities, structures and security policies and their relationship to each other.
KCPP focuses on prevention of hostile acts and crime in small- and medium-sized communities through a system of risk assessments and recommendations for improved security. An assessment team scrutinizes each community's infrastructure, including schools, water plants, communications systems, government buildings, industry, and other areas.
"We will be assessing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and on Friday there will be a private presentation with law enforcement and another meeting for the public to inform them of our findings," Manning said.
Communities that complete the entire assessment process will be certified as a Prepared Kentucky Community and will be eligible to be reimbursed up to $10,000 for making recommended changes.
This program is a vital investment in Kentucky's safety.
"The devastation along the Gulf Coast is a testament to the necessity of the Kentucky Community Preparedness Program," Gov. Ernie Fletcher said. "In Louisiana and Mississippi, we are seeing what can happen to communities when they are not prepared for a catastrophic event. We have had tremendous success with the assessments and they are helping ensure that Kentucky is prepared to respond to a potential emergency, whether it is the form of a terrorist attack or a devastating natural disaster."
The Department of Criminal Justice Training developed the KCPP in 2003. The goal is to mobilize local law enforcement and community officials in a formalized process of identifying and correcting security vulnerabilities that might be exploited by terrorists or criminals.
In 2004 the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security approved a $2.4 million grant allowing the Department of Criminal Justice Training to implement the program in 60 small- and medium-sized communities throughout the state during a 12-month period.
The program received an additional $1.2 million grant in 2005 to continue the program for 30 more communities, which included Laurel County. The program is funded through June 2006.
Story created Sep 27, 2005 - 15:31:48 EDT
By Carol Mills, staff writer
London/Laurel County will undergo a homeland security assessment from the Kentucky Community Preparedness Program (KCPP) Oct. 31-Nov. 4.
The assessment, which helps identify vulnerabilities and tighten security, is the first step a community takes to prepare itself and protect its citizens from a hostile event, a natural disaster, or criminal activity.
Teams will meet with local law enforcement to address 18 potential targets, said Jacinta Manning, information officer.
Working closely with local law enforcement and community leaders, the teams conduct vulnerability assessments to identify a community's weaknesses using a detailed and systematic analysis of facilities, structures and security policies and their relationship to each other.
KCPP focuses on prevention of hostile acts and crime in small- and medium-sized communities through a system of risk assessments and recommendations for improved security. An assessment team scrutinizes each community's infrastructure, including schools, water plants, communications systems, government buildings, industry, and other areas.
"We will be assessing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and on Friday there will be a private presentation with law enforcement and another meeting for the public to inform them of our findings," Manning said.
Communities that complete the entire assessment process will be certified as a Prepared Kentucky Community and will be eligible to be reimbursed up to $10,000 for making recommended changes.
This program is a vital investment in Kentucky's safety.
"The devastation along the Gulf Coast is a testament to the necessity of the Kentucky Community Preparedness Program," Gov. Ernie Fletcher said. "In Louisiana and Mississippi, we are seeing what can happen to communities when they are not prepared for a catastrophic event. We have had tremendous success with the assessments and they are helping ensure that Kentucky is prepared to respond to a potential emergency, whether it is the form of a terrorist attack or a devastating natural disaster."
The Department of Criminal Justice Training developed the KCPP in 2003. The goal is to mobilize local law enforcement and community officials in a formalized process of identifying and correcting security vulnerabilities that might be exploited by terrorists or criminals.
In 2004 the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security approved a $2.4 million grant allowing the Department of Criminal Justice Training to implement the program in 60 small- and medium-sized communities throughout the state during a 12-month period.
The program received an additional $1.2 million grant in 2005 to continue the program for 30 more communities, which included Laurel County. The program is funded through June 2006.
Story created Sep 27, 2005 - 15:31:48 EDT
