Terrorists are adapting to a new environment, said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in a speech to first responders in New York on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Accordingly, the United States needs a comprehensive and ever-evolving approach to preventing terrorism, the secretary said.
“That requires strengthening partnerships, and focusing on values like resilience and shared responsibility,” she said. “And I said that individuals, families, communities, and businesses all have important roles to play.â€
Napolitano said the Department of Homeland Security has made progress in protecting the nation from threats in the past year, but that there was still much work to be done. Signs of progress include the 72 DHS fusion centers set up across the country as information points for local and federal authorities and more than $3.8 billion in grants awarded this year to local security efforts.
DHS is also pouring $3 billion in Recovery Act funds into explosive detection, checkpoint screening, and infrastructure such as upgraded ports and fire stations.
“At DHS, a fundamental part of that obligation is to get information, tools, and resources into the hands of people who can use them to help all of us be more secure,†Napolitano said.
