Considerations to Enhance the Florida Domestic Security Strategic Plan

摘要

The Florida Domestic Security Strategic Plan 2009 to 2011 does not prioritize, assign or use metrics to define its goals, objectives or subobjectives thereby making it less effective. The research found prioritization to be a necessary element for achieving results that in turn lead to funding, which is the most significant determinant of progress. Priorities should be kept to a manageable number and remain flexible to adapt to changing threats. Assignment of responsibility was determined to be an important aspect especially in regards to the attainment of accountability. To be effective, assignment must also come with authority. Metrics were determined to be important to accountability. They should be clearly defined, measurable in a quantifiable way and define an end state. A tracking and reporting system was found to be necessary to enhance assignment and metrics accountability. The research suggests that a state homeland security strategy and a single statewide gap analysis should guide all federal grant funding sources with a nexus to domestic security issues and not just the distribution of DHS grant funding. Implementation steps are included for Florida to integrate the primary findings of this research into its future homeland security strategies.