By Calvin Biesecker
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano last week issued a slew of action directives instructing specific offices and agencies to present her with oral and written reports to help her begin to evaluate the strategies, policies and programs for a range of missions critical to the department.
So far the action directives cover cyber security, the northern border strategy, critical infrastructure protection, risk analysis, transportation security, state and local intelligence sharing, and state, local and tribal integration. The reports are due back to Napolitano beginning this week through mid-February.
More action directives are expected soon focused other critical missions.
“One of my top priorities is to unify this department and to create a common culture,” Napolitano said in a statement. “These action directives are designed to begin a review, evaluation and dialogue between the various functions of this department and me.”
On the matter of cyber security, Napolitano said she wants to know “the authorities and responsibilities of DHS for the protection of the government and private sector domains, what are the relationships with other government agencies, especially the departments of Defense, Treasury, and Energy, and the National Security Agency, and what are the programs and time frames to achieve the department’s responsibilities and objectives?” An oral report is due by Feb. 3 and a final report by Feb. 17.
For transportation security Napolitano wants a review of strategies, plans and programs for the air, surface and maritime sectors, “to include a side by side comparison of the threat environment, resources and personnel devoted to each transportation sector.” Here an oral report is due on Jan. 28.