The detection and prevention of nuclear terrorist threats

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), by and through its Office of Domestic Nuclear Detection, is entrusted with the detection and prevention of nuclear terrorist threats. Please describe the 7 basic objectives of this office.

The detection and prevention of a nuclear terrorist attack and threats is something that goes unnoticed by society, as well it should. If the mission to detect and prevent was compromised the damages would be catastrophic which makes the mission that the Department of Homeland a thankless one only because it is out of sight out of mind, until it isn’t. With that, and with the orchestration from the Office of Domestic Nuclear Detection, there are seven objectives to ensure the success of the mission (Zabko, 2006). The first objective is to develop a global nuclear detection and reporting architecture. The second objective is to develop and acquire the domestic detection and reporting system. This objective is achieved by collaboration and cooperations from key stakeholders within the state and local Homeland Security advisor. The next objective is to fully characterize detector system performance before deployment. To accomplish this task a group comprised of the key stakeholders met to promote the exchange of information, participate in the development of the initial programs, and assist in the implementation of the program. This will allow the group the ability to achieve the next objective which is establishing situational awareness through information sharing and analysis. Once that is done the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office can establish operation protocols to ensure that detection leads to effective response. Again, the key stakeholders play a tremendous role in the accomplish of this objective, and it is achieved from the culmination of the other objectives. The sixth objective is to conduct a transformational research and developments program using the 4 million dollars in grants afforded to the program. The last objective is to lead the National Technical Nuclear Forensics program. These objectives are all to be accomplish with the help of many organization with oversight coming from the DNDO.