Homeland Security (498W4A)

Research Design

Since the September 11, 2001, attack, terrorist attacks have been predominantly figured in the national agenda. Companies and government agencies understand the terrorist's target has extended beyond the military installations. Currently, terrorists target areas of mass public access such as schools, pubs, hospitals, among other. Additionally, several companies are targeted, not because of the people in the workplace, but because of the economic impact that would result from destabilizing such companies.

Chain restaurants are some of the soft targets that receive little to no attention. The main reason why these restaurants are the main targets is that of their nature. They receive a large number of people in a day and terrorists can easily blend in unidentified. Also, some visitors carry large parcels that can be used to hide an explosive or other dangerous weapons. Restaurants can also be attacked in some ways including suicide car bombs or even using weapons of mass destruction such as biological or chemical agents (Davis et al., 2006). Thus, comprehensive preparedness for terrorism in the workplace must address and take into account terrorism preparedness as well as response to guarantee human continuity.

In conducting the research, several terrorism threats and a case of terrorist targeting restaurants will be explored. Case studies about different chain restaurants will provide important information about the level of preparedness. Additionally, the National Preparedness Report (NPR) will also be useful in gaining insight into the general preparedness in the country. Many of Americans have forgotten the impact of terrorism attacks, and little attention is given to preparedness at the personal level. Like it is mentioned before, people walk into these restaurants without giving attention to possible threats that could emanate from an attack.

Furthermore, the consequences of an attack in a chain restaurant could be quite catastrophic. In the event of an attack with weapons of mass destruction such as biological or chemical agents, or explosive in structural collapse, the number of casualties may be very high. An attack in such places also leads to economic losses such as insurance and job losses. In a worst case scenario where a coordinated series of attacks on restaurants occurs, this could result to regional and national economic sabotage as it was the case of the airline industry after the September 11 attack.

In fact, the restaurant industry has been targeted by terrorists in various parts of the world in the past decades. For example, Israel has prevented or experienced several attacks against restaurants on several occasions since the beginning of the Intifada at the West Bank in the early 1990s. Similarly, countries like Finland and Turkey have experienced attacks in restaurants over the years. Also, England thwarted a serious attack on a Chinese restaurant which targeted members of the public and could result in thousands of casualties. Last year, the twenty hostages were killed in a restaurant in Dhaka, Bangladesh where the attack targeted foreigners. A related attack perpetrated by an extremist with a machete occurred at a restaurant in Ohio ((Kempen, 2017; Mueller, 2017).

Apparently, these series of attacks and threats are clear indicators of the dangers faced by the restaurant sector in the United States. Time and again, terrorist groups have expressed the need to attack the US. Thus, any opportunity and weakness should be sealed by the stakeholders to eliminate the vulnerability to restaurant attacks within the US. As a result, the research will delve the level of preparedness in the restaurants and their response in the event of an attack.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to carry out an assessment of the level of chain restaurants preparedness for a terrorist attack and their response measures to prevent and respond those attacks. This research will take a close look at the security in chain restaurants and how their security has improved since the 9/11 attack. The paper will also explore the security measures to determine if they meet the standards defined by the industry, the government, and the courts.

Moreover, the paper will examine the partnership, if any, between the restaurants and the security agencies to help prevent cases of terror attacks. Traditionally, restaurants and other private companies relied on private security agencies for the protection of their customers and private properties. However, privatization of policing has increased the level of preparedness among these private security agencies since they are now perceived to have more authority than it was the case before (Henderson, Shufen, Huifen, & Xiang, 2010). Currently, they are actively involved in investigating crimes and making arrests which show that they also play a major role in thwarting terror attacks. Whether or not they are adequately prepared for the task, is a question of discussion that his research seeks to answer. Nevertheless, several resources have been collected that will be utilized in the research.

References

Caponecchia, C. (2012). Relative risk perception for terrorism: Implications for preparedness and risk communication. Risk analysis, 32(9), 1524-1534.

Carson, J. V., LaFree, G., & Dugan, L. (2012). Terrorist and non-terrorist criminal attacks by radical environmental and animal rights groups in the United States, 1970–2007. Terrorism and Political Violence, 24(2), 295-319. Retrieved from: https://ccjs.umd.edu/sites/ccjs.umd.edu/files/pubs/Terr_Political_violence_varriale_carson.pdf

Cordesman, A., H. (2016). The Uncertain Trends and Metrics of Terrorism in 2016. Retrieved from: https://csis-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/160727_Metrics_of_Terrorism.pdf

Davis, R. C., Ortiz, C., Rowe, R., Broz, J., Rigakos, G., & Collins, P. (2006). An assessment of the preparedness of large retail malls to prevent and respond to terrorist attack. A report submitted to US Department of Justice.

Gawande, A. (2012). Restaurant chains have managed to combine quality control, cost control, and innovation. Can health care. The New Yorker. Retrieved from: http://www.partnersforcommunitywellness.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/big-med-the-new-yorker.pdf