| Fighting weapons of mass effect
CBP training ensures that officers, agents are prepared
By Allison Hanley, Office of Training and Development |
With the ever-evolving and highly creative terrorist threats in today’s society, CBP and OTD are constantly introducing new training, as well as updating current training, to ensure that CBP employees, especially front-line officers and agents, receive the highest quality training available. One of the most important training programs at CBP is the Weapons of Mass Effect (WME) training. Part of basic trainingWhile CBP offers specific WME courses, it is also important to note that WME training, at an overview level or higher, is part of many training programs as a means of reinforcement. Newly hired CBP officers receive extensive anti-terrorism training throughout the 16-week basic course, and every aspect of basic training centers on CBP’s priority anti-terrorism mission. An anti-terrorism overview class is now part of the basic curriculum at both Field Operations and the Border Patrol Academies. In this course, the participants are given a written scenario, and then must identify the potential terrorist activities at air, sea, land ports, and border environments, and make decisions on the actions to take based on current CBP policy and directives. This course describes characteristics, tactics and strategies of terrorists, indicators of nuclear/radiological smuggling, characteristics of biological/chemical agents, as well as how terrorists are currently funding their activities, and how they can be detected in a trade-rich environment. In addition, the course identifies conventional explosives, and their components, as well as pre-attack indicators. WME Awareness Training is another overview course, delivered in the field, that emphasizes export-controlled goods needed for the production of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and missile delivery systems. In-depth trainingFor a more in-depth training with practical exercises, the Radiation Academy (RADACAD) course provides an introduction to and descriptions of biological, chemical, nuclear and radiological devices/materials used in weapons of mass destruction. The Department of Energy/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory teaches this course. In addition to RADACAD, CBP is in the final steps of development for a new training course, offered specifically to CBP Officers/Agents and more readily available to the East Coast. This training, titled Weapons of Mass Effect Training, provides an introduction to and descriptions of biological, chemical, nuclear and radiological devices/materials used in weapons of mass effect/destruction with further emphasis on CBP policies and procedures. This course is being developed by the Department of Energy/Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in order to help the agency meet one of its strategic milestones to increase training in this area. The goal is to reach more officers/agents and ensure everyone has an opportunity to attend training on this important topic. New officers also receive training using the various databases and computer systems that support CBP’s anti-terrorism efforts and in using non-intrusive inspection devices such as personal radiation detectors, radiation portal monitors, radiation isotope identification devices, fiber-optic scopes, and x-ray vans. Anti-terrorism training is available beyond graduation with A-T CET, A-T Cargo, A-T Passenger, Mobile Response Team training and other programs at the ports.NII systems overviewAnother crucial type of anti-terrorism training exists in the systems utilized to screen cargo for possible threats, such as the large-scale Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology. To ensure that training is up-to-date, OTD has recently met with Department of Energy weapon experts and nuclear scientists to build mock WMEs for image analysis training for both large and small scale NII equipment. In addition, OTD has a close relationship with the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) within DHS. As DNDO and CBP acquire new equipment for the field, OTD ensures the training fits the officers' needs. The new Advance Spectroscopic Portal (ASP) is just one example of new equipment training that OTD and DNDO are creating.Future possibilitiesIn the future, CBP and OTD will continue to ensure that it’s front-line officers and agents are provided with the highest quality of anti-terrorism training, such as WME, while also keeping alert to any new types of threats, terrorist or not. Whatever the threat, the CBP workforce can be assured that OTD will continue to provide the highest level of training to all appropriate employees, so that they can continue to represent the agency with the skills and knowledge necessary to protect our borders. Any CBP employee who has questions regarding what training is available and appropriate for him or her should contact a supervisor, manager or local training officer. |
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