Washington — At a U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing held last week about “The Role of Local Law Enforcement in Countering Violent Islamist Extremism,” Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) called for enhanced engagement by local law enforcement agencies and American Muslim communities.

Lieberman  presided over the hearing, and opened the session by recognizing that the threat of extremism in the United States is such that the federal government is not equipped to address it alone. Also present were Collins, Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), and Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR).

Throughout the hearing, the senators as well as the witnesses described the American Muslim community as well-integrated and a partner in protecting the country. Law enforcement officials from the New York Police Department, the Lost Angeles Police Department, the Miami-Dade Police Department and the Kansas City Police Department also emphasized the necessity for more federal funding to create robust community outreach programs with local American Muslim communities.

In praise of their efforts, Senator Lieberman said that each of these local police departments has reached out to their Muslim communities and established relationships with local Muslim leaders and with the American Muslim families in their cities who want nothing more than to raise their families and prosper in this country they are proud to be citizens of.

Cities with strong community-police programs such as Los Angeles have shown greater success in establishing trust and confidence between the American Muslim community and the Los Angeles Police Department. As a result, American Muslims have become proactive in counter-terrorism efforts to protect the country.  American Muslim groups have taken a leading role in fostering such relationships and in preventing radicalization.

Senator Collins noted the unique effort of Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Downing, commending him and the work of the Los Angeles Police Department in creating a fusion center and developing a community mapping project that provides examples of practices than can be extended elsewhere. Executive Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC), Salam Al-Marayati, also praised Deputy Downing for his leadership in promoting positive models of engagement, and said he hopes that this model will be implemented in local law enforcement agencies across the country.

The first panel consisted of Lawrence Sanchez, Assistant Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, and Mitchell Silber, Senior Intelligence Analyst for the NYPD. Silber is the co-author of the NYPD report released in August 2007 entitled “Radicalization in the West: The Homegrown Threat.” The second panel consisted of Deputy Chief Michael Downing, Counter Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau of the Los Angeles Police Department, Major Michael Ronczkowski, Homeland Security Bureau of the Miami-Dade Police Department, and Major Thomas Daily, Homeland Security Division of the Kansas City Police Department.

Sanchez and Silber reviewed the findings of the NYPD report, which attempts to trace the development of extremists over multiple stages. MPAC officials said they view the NYPD report as a good attempt on the part of law enforcement to understand the process and patterns of radicalization, as it is important for local police to be able to identify such activity and respond appropriately. Such an analysis must necessarily examine both the behavioral characteristics of an individual in addition to other indicators. But they indicated that the report, unfortunately, relied more heavily on race, ethnic background, and levels of religious adherence of persons involved in the five case studies used as the basis for

its claims. A study of ideologically-based violence cannot solely rely on either behavioral characteristics — as these can be disguised or abandoned — or racial and ethnic background without risk of raising unnecessary suspicions of minority groups.

Furthermore, MPAC said the NYPD report undermines its own premise that people who commit acts of what it calls Islamic-based terrorism are unremarkable in character and position in life. The report outlines ten characteristics NYPD researchers believe are indicative of individuals who are susceptible to engaging in ideologically-based violence. This serves to heighten the fear of the public against American Muslims and poorly justifies aggressive intervention methods of law enforcement into these communities based on erroneous behavioral and demographic patterns of suspected radicalized individuals.

In an attempt to aid the counter-terrorism work already being implemented in local communities, MPAC released its National Grassroots Campaign to Fight Terrorism in May 2004. This guide provides education and guidelines for imams, community leaders, law enforcement, and the media. MPACs National Grassroots Campaign to Fight Terrorism has proven successful for Muslim community leaders and members who have implemented these guidelines and have been proactive in demonstrating that they are part of the solution.

Founded in 1988, the Muslim Public Affairs Council is an American institution which informs and shapes public opinion and policy by serving as a trusted resource to decision makers in government, media and policy institutions. MPAC is also committed to developing leaders with the purpose of enhancing the political and civic participation of Muslim Americans.

 — Compiled reports