Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Criminal Justice Department, in partnership with Capital Media Group Inc and The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department Division of Homeland Security, are providing cutting edge distance learning and training materials for law enforcement and first responder personnel on immediate priority areas for homeland security protection. 

The mission of the partnership is to provide critical training to large numbers of first responders as inexpensively and efficiently as possible.  Offering this training as distance learning will insure that law enforcement officers, local government officials and other first responders have access to rapid training on important new topics that they would not otherwise be able to travel to attend or role out in a timely manner.

The events pre and post of the 911 terrorists attack show the importance of preparedness for counterterrorism and the collections and application of intelligence. Homeland security senior officials suggest that major strides have been made at the federal level and have improved counterterrorist strategies as well as intelligence gathering but much of the available training is cost prohibitive and not easy to access.  FAU’s distance learning offers access to rapid, affordable updated training for qualified first responders in big cities and in local or rural areas.

Agency budgets and lack of expertise often leave agencies lacking in the ability to provide appropriate training. Traditional instructor lead classroom training programs limit the number of individuals that can be reached by expert trainers. Moreover, traditional training is limited to individual sites and the participants schedules must be considered in the logistical planning of training sessions.  Florida Atlantic University’s Criminal Justice Department’s application of low cost on-line training will allow trainers to manage training from within their facility, offer reoccurring training and get more officers trained by avoiding scheduling conflicts and by offering the participants the ability to train at a time that is convenient for the trainee.  

Instructor lead training packages consisting of a binder with printed lesson plan, reading and testing materials and DVDs will also be made available for each online training.

Module Descriptions

1. IED Prevention and Detection 101
2. Review of the mechanism of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
3. Fusion Centers (intelligence sharing centers)
4. Threat Assessment Planning and Management
5. Violent Gang Tracking (VGTOF)
6. Cyber Terrorism
7. Intelligence Led Policing / Public Safety Data Interoperability
8. Surveillance Techniques
9. Overview of DHS

• Training Content Advisors
• Support Counter Terrorism Training