Local Law Enforcement Critical in Stemming Extremist Attacks (Sen. Joe Lieberman)

The men and women of state and local law enforcement, both by the strength of their numbers and through their daily contact with the public, are the most likely to be the first to come across the new breed of homegrown violent extremists. That makes this proud blue line of 750,000 law enforcement officers across the nation our first line of defense against homegrown terrorism.

Today the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on the role of local law enforcement in stemming homegrown terrorism, and our witnesses – from a geographic cross section of our nation’s police agencies – talked about their counter-terrorism strategies.

Representatives from the Intelligence Division of the New York City Police Department discussed the findings of their groundbreaking report: “Radicalization in the West: The Homegrown Threat.