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Division of Homeland Security

Gary Coons Director

Gary Coons, Chief Division of Homeland Security

The City of Indianapolis Department of Public Safety established strategic objectives around which “the entire public safety department can mobilize to secure the City of Indianapolis Metropolitan Area from the dangerous and evolving threat of terrorism, prepare and mitigate for natural disasters, develop intelligence competencies, and plan and secure special events.” It aligns and focuses homeland security functions into several critical mission areas and identifies foundations that cut across all these mission areas. These foundations represent main sources of strength to draw upon in supporting and enabling terrorism-fighting activities.

The Department of Public Safety’s made significant positive change by stepping away from the previous efforts or paradigm and redirecting processes, procedures, attitudes, structures and systems into a new high performing – accountable Division of Homeland Security through:

• “All hazards” risk based strategic and operational planning models,

• Decentralized emergency response criteria with defined output/outcome objectives,

• Significant emphasis on crime reduction/prevention, injury/loss prevention roles and responsibilities, and

• Community centric organization philosophies.

Application of the principles of risk management within the new Division of Homeland Security leads to enhanced safety and security through a redirection of energies on clear, objective risk assessments and measurable performance outcomes focused on prevention, preparedness and mitigation on all hazards versus the current traditional response to a specific situation paradigm. This includes specific roles for the sections under the division and the creation of a Real Time Rapid Analysis Management Section to assist in crime fighting and prevention. The framework shall be structured to maintain the roles and responsibilities of each sector for funding and delivering services and at the same time maintaining situational awareness with the Director of Public Safety for guidance and direction.

The direction of the Division of Homeland Security is that every member of each section will receive an appropriate level of education, equipment and technology to perform their duties. In addition to the recommendation of a paradigm shift for this new division, the initiative shall recommend new duties and responsibilities for the Emergency Preparedness and Management, Metro Police Homeland Security, and Metro Fire Tactical Resources. This opportunity has far reaching potential going well beyond simple change to the creation of a high performing and accountable public safety services.

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