POLICY BRIEF Senate Post Audit and Oversight Committee Chair, Senator Marc R. Pacheco May 2004

HOMELAND SECURITY
Interim Report: Survey of Massachusetts Police Chiefs and Fire Chiefs on Homeland Security Preparedness

The Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight has completed a survey of the Commonwealth's public safety officials and has found that cities and towns have lost more than 1,700 public safety personnel since September 11th 2001, and that more than 80% of cities and towns are not prepared for homeland security. This survey of almost 700 Police and Fire Chiefs indicates that more than 2 years after the attacks of September 11th, there remains a disturbing lack of public safety personnel, coordinated statewide response planning, leadership, equipment, and funding. These are critical factors in protecting the safety of citizens at home.

This survey was initiated as part of the Committee's ongoing investigation of the Commonwealth's preparedness for homeland security threats, which included three days of oversight hearings in September 2003. At these hearings, public safety officials from cities and towns across the Commonwealth testified that a lack of funding and coordination has hampered their ability to protect the residents of their communities, regions and the state. The Committee releases this survey as an interim report on the status of homeland security preparedness in the Commonwealth.

The survey is comprised of responses from 333 of 339 (98%) Massachusetts Police Chiefs and 351 of 366 (96%) Fire Chiefs. The Committee appreciates the responsiveness and candor of these public safety officials on the critical issues addressed in the survey. Police Chiefs and Fire Chiefs are the front-line officials directly responsible for meeting the public safety needs of their residents. Police and Fire Chiefs have the closest familiarity with municipal preparedness and the steps required to create a safe environment for their residents.

INTERIM FINDINGS:

· Since the September 11th attacks the Commonwealth has lost 945 police officers and 798 firefighters through layoffs or attrition.

· Since the September 11th attacks 93% of police departments and 87% of fire departments have either decreased staff or remained the same.

· 83% of police departments and 92% of fire departments are not prepared for a homeland security attack.

· 91% of police departments and 93% of fire departments are not prepared for a bio-terrorism attack

· 82% of police departments and 87% of fire departments are not prepared for an attack on their community's infrastructure, including roads and bridges.

· 65% of police departments and 38% of fire departments had to increase over-time costs and/or remove personnel from daily public safety responsibilities to provide homeland security training.

· Only 14% of police departments and 6% of fire departments have communications equipment that is currently inter-operable with all federal agencies, state agencies and municipalities.

· Only 10% of police departments and 8% of fire departments have adequate equipment for the homeland security needs of their community.

Cities and towns rely almost exclusively on federal grants, state grants, and state funding to meet public safety and homeland security obligations. These funds are distributed through the Executive Office of Public Safety, the state agency responsible for coordinating all public safety efforts in the Commonwealth. Since the September 11th attacks, public safety officers have received new mandates from the state and federal government, in addition to traditional duties such as controlling crime and providing rescue and fire services. Some of these new mandates include protecting designated terrorist targets, training for bio-terrorism attacks, and working with state and federal agents to identify terrorist activity. This requires that cities and towns have the capability to work closely with state and federal agencies.

Police and Fire Chiefs in the Commonwealth have been challenged to meet these enhanced mandates with public safety budgets that have been cut or level funded over the past several years. The survey finds that less than two-thirds of cities and towns are currently able to meet their basic public safety needs, let alone new homeland security demands that require additional personnel, training, equipment and strategy. These officials need more support from the Administration, the Executive Office of Public Safety, and the Legislature to meet these demands. Based on the ongoing investigation of the Committee, including the September oversight hearings, continued research into the federal and state grant processes, and the survey of almost 700 Police and Fire Chiefs, the Committee hereby makes the following recommendations:

INTERIM RECOMMENDATIONS:

1) The Administration should immediately convene a bi-partisan task force to address and resolve the Committee's concerns about the Commonwealth's inadequate preparation for homeland security.

2) The Administration should not implement any policies that will result in further cuts to municipalities or the loss of additional public safety personnel.

3) The Executive Office of Public Safety should take immediate steps to ensure that communities have communications equipment that is interoperable with appropriate federal, state and municipal agencies and stop any practice that may be inconsistent with this recommendation.

4) The Undersecretary of Homeland Security should report quarterly to appropriate members of the Legislature about the status of homeland security preparedness including staffing, equipment, training, and communications planning. These reports should go to the House and Senate Committees on Ways & Means, the House and Senate Committees on Post Audit & Oversight, the Joint Committee on Public Safety, and the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Survey Questions (Any statistical discrepancies are due to rounding and "other" answers)

Did you receive communications equipment from EOPS?

If yes, is the communications equipment you received inter-operable with all Federal Agencies, State Agencies (i.e. State Police), and Municipalities in the Commonwealth?

If no, is your current communications equipment inter-operable with all Federal Agencies, State Agencies, and Municipalities in the Commonwealth?

Do you have adequate equipment for the homeland security needs of your community?

If you received equipment, have you been able to adequately train your staff to use that equipment properly?

To provide homeland security training for your department are you:

( ) a. increasing over-time costs?
( ) b. removing personnel from daily public safety responsibilities?
( ) c. both
( ) d. neither
( ) e. other (please explain)

Since September 11th, 2001, has your staffing level (please indicate those lost to layoffs, early retirement, or other types of attrition):
( ) Increased
( ) Decreased
( ) Stayed the same

Since September 11th, 2001, has the Commonwealth provided you with a coordinated, statewide, homeland security strategic plan?

Is your department prepared for a bio-terrorism attack?

Is your department prepared for an attack on your community's major roads and bridges?

Overall, is your department prepared for a homeland security attack? Y or N?

Are you able to meet the public safety needs of your community?

The following are quotes included on the surveys by various Police Chiefs:

"Lowest level of staffing since pre-WWII."
- Metro Boston Fire Chief

"Serious attack on property or bio-terrorism would be impossible to deal with."
- Southeastern Massachusetts Police Chief

"No Chief in their right mind will answer to the affirmative on being ready for a homeland security attack."
- North Shore Police Chief

"Everyone is trying to come up with a state-wide plan (for homeland security), and all we need is one plan that everyone can follow."
- Metro West Police Chief

"There is NO state coordinated training!!!"
- Southeastern Massachusetts Police Chief

"Funds need to get to the LOCAL level."
- Western Massachusetts Police Chief

"I have been forced to reduce extra activities and pro-active programs to meet my public safety needs."
- North Shore Police Chief

"My department is 11 below 1995 compliment in personnel."
- Metro West Police Chief

"We are terrible, financially."
- Metro West Police Chief

"We have not received any funds and are not prepared for a homeland security attack."
- Western Massachusetts Police Chief

"Even with an upgrade (to radios), my biggest problem is inter-operability."
- Metro West Police Chief

"NO ONE has communication that is inter-operable with all (municipalities, fed and state agencies)."
- Western Massachusetts Police Chief

"Biggest propaganda is homeland security. I don't see any money!"
- Western Massachusetts Police Chief

The following are quotes included on the surveys by various Fire Chiefs:

"Barely prepared for my communities public safety."
- Western Massachusetts Fire Chief

"The Coast Guard recommended we be a 'host community' for (homeland security) attack, but have not received any funds for this additional public safety."
- South Shore Fire Chief

"I can not afford to reduce staff; therefore, (homeland security) training suffers."
- South Shore Fire Chief

"Our department will receive training, and then instruct our Police department."
- North Shore Fire Chief

"Daily equipment is out of service."
- North Shore Fire Chief

"I was told not to bother to apply for a grant because money was already taken...Also, EOPS is not responsive to the small towns, SUCH BUREAUCRATIC NON-SENSE."
- Western Massachusetts Fire Chief

"No local funding to provide fire protection...forget about homeland security!"
- South Shore Fire Chief

"Radios will be inter-operable if programmed, but they are NOT."
- Cape Cod Fire Chief

"My department is barely able to provide normal day-to-day activity."
- Metro West Fire Chief

"No money for personal protective gear or training for the past two years."
- Southeastern Massachusetts Fire Chief

"Staffing is a major problem, it is at the minimum level."
- North Shore Fire Chief

"I am prepared with communications; however other equipment...NO!"
- Cape Cod Fire Chief