 |
Mandates and Management Challenges in the Trenches: An Intergovernmental Perspective of Homeland Security
| |
| | Unformatted Document Text:
2
Mandates and Management Challenges in the Trenches:
An Intergovernmental Perspective of Homeland Security
A
bstract: Scholars and practitioners alike agree that homeland security policy implementation is
contingent upon a strong system of intergovernmental relations. The responsibilities associated with the homeland security mission, often mandated, cut across federal, state, and local boundaries. Local governments play an especially important role in the policy implementation process. Local governments must manage many critical duties associated with emergency preparedness while the nation’s first responders—emergency personnel, fire fighters, law enforcement officials, and local health care workers—provide the first line of defense in the event of a terrorist attack. This paper evaluates the degree to which 414 Florida county and city officials (generalists and specialists) evaluate changes in intergovernmental relations as a consequence of the implementation of homeland security policies. Data from a mail survey in July 2004 show that a majority of local officials judge intergovernmental cooperation to have improved, irrespective of jurisdiction size or type (county or city) or type of position held by the respondent. Where the quality and quantity of intergovernmental networks have improved, so, too, ha ve intergovernmental cooperation and readiness ratings. Overall, local officials rated their horizontal networks more positively than their vertical networks. The results also show that the biggest impacts of federal and state homeland security mandates on local government have been financial and administrative, rather than political or legal. Homeland security appears to be a rather unique policy area—one in which mandated cooperation and coordination—in a time and place of urgency—has actually strengthened the intergovernmental system.
* * * * * * * * * *
“Homeland security…puts tough new demands on the intergovernmental system. For the homeland truly to be secure, federalism will not only need to be a political system but also a tightly knit administrative structure, one that produces high levels of reliable services…Perhaps no other issue in U.S. history has so sharply raised a question about the role and structure of federalism.”
Donald F. Kettl (2003a:275)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
“While national and state leadership are essential, the future of homeland security will depend on preparedness initiatives at the local level….Increasing emphasis must be placed on the interactions of local, state, and federal officials.”
Roger L. Kemp (2003a: 135)
City Manager, Meridian, CT
|
| | Authors: MacManus, Susan. and Caruson, Kiki. |
|
| |
|
|
2
Mandates and Management Challenges in the Trenches:
An Intergovernmental Perspective of Homeland Security
A
bstract: Scholars and practitioners alike agree that homeland security policy implementation is
contingent upon a strong system of intergovernmental relations. The responsibilities associated with
the homeland security mission, often mandated, cut across federal, state, and local boundaries. Local
governments play an especially important role in the policy implementation process. Local
governments must manage many critical duties associated with emergency preparedness while the
nation’s first responders—emergency personnel, fire fighters, law enforcement officials, and local
health care workers—provide the first line of defense in the event of a terrorist attack.
This paper evaluates the degree to which 414 Florida county and city officials (generalists and
specialists) evaluate changes in intergovernmental relations as a consequence of the implementation of
homeland security policies. Data from a mail survey in July 2004 show that a majority of local
officials judge intergovernmental cooperation to have improved, irrespective of jurisdiction size or
type (county or city) or type of position held by the respondent. Where the quality and quantity of
intergovernmental networks have improved, so, too, ha ve intergovernmental cooperation and readiness
ratings. Overall, local officials rated their horizontal networks more positively than their vertical
networks. The results also show that the biggest impacts of federal and state homeland security
mandates on local government have been financial and administrative, rather than political or legal.
Homeland security appears to be a rather unique policy area—one in which mandated cooperation and
coordination—in a time and place of urgency—has actually strengthened the intergovernmental
system.
* * * * * * * * * *
“Homeland security…puts tough new demands on the intergovernmental system. For the homeland
truly to be secure, federalism will not only need to be a political system but also a tightly knit
administrative structure, one that produces high levels of reliable services…Perhaps no other issue in
U.S. history has so sharply raised a question about the role and structure of federalism.”
Donald F. Kettl (2003a:275)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
“While national and state leadership are essential, the future of homeland security will depend on
preparedness initiatives at the local level….Increasing emphasis must be placed on the interactions of
local, state, and federal officials.”
Roger L. Kemp (2003a: 135)
City Manager, Meridian, CT
|
|
 Convention | | Submission, Review, and Scheduling! All Academic Convention can help with all of your abstract management needs and many more. Contact us today for a quote! | | Submission - Custom fields, multiple submission types, tracks, audio visual, multiple upload formats, automatic conversion to pdf. | | Review - Peer Review, Bulk reviewer assignment, bulk emails, ranking, z-score statistics, and multiple worksheets! | | Reports - Many standard and custom reports generated while you wait. Print programs with participant indexes, event grids, and more! | | Scheduling - Flexible and convenient grid scheduling within rooms and buildings. Conflict checking and advanced filtering. | | Communication - Bulk email tools to help your administrators send reminders and responses. Use form letters, a message center, and much more! | | Management - Search tools, duplicate people management, editing tools, submission transfers, many tools to manage a variety of conference management headaches! | | Click here for more information. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
