Public offered class on terror spotting

Wichita Eagle | February 23 2005

It's going to take more than all the law enforcement officers in the country to keep America safe from terrorist attacks.

We'll need our neighbors, too.

Average folks will play "a vital part" in keeping the nation safe from terrorist attacks, said Andra Bannister, director of the Regional Community Policing Training Institute at Wichita State University.

To help that along, the institute is hosting two free programs this week to train residents in counterterrorism.

The first will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday at WSU, and the second will be at the same time Thursday at Kansas State University in Manhattan. The Wichita class will be held in Room 231 of Hubbard Hall; the K-State class will be in Room 108 of Edwards Hall. Registration at both sites will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Participants will learn the basics of counterterrorism, Bannister said.

"Who's going to notice these indicators out there in the community?" she asked. "Law enforcement? They can't be everywhere all the time. They can't be expected to be. That's just unrealistic."

That's why classes are being created for the public to learn what to watch for, Bannister said. It's not unlike recognizing the signs of other threats -- such as a meth house or a drug dealer.

"What you'll see with meth labs is a funny smell, cellophane over the windows, traffic going in and out," she said.

Learning to recognize tip-offs of terrorist activity is "the same idea as that."

Bannister recently returned from a two-week fellowship to Israel, where she was taught how residents and law enforcement deal with suicide attacks.

In Israel, for instance, authorities aren't the only ones who are well-educated on terrorist tactics, Bannister said.

"The bus drivers are very aware of what to look for," she said.

But Americans no longer have to leave the country to know about terrorism, she said.

Sept. 11 "is the perfect example of a suicide attack," she said. "Who's to say future attacks won't happen in our homeland right here?"

Suicide bombers like to refer to themselves as martyrs, she said, "but the reality is, it's terrorism."

The program will show residents what to watch for and what to report to police. Participants will also learn more about the Patriot Act, the motivations and tools of terrorists, and what "homeland security" involves.

American law enforcement officers have been getting this kind of training for a while now, Bannister said.

"Now it's really time to go to the community," she said.

IF YOU GO

TERRORISM AND CRIMINAL EXTREMISM

What: An awareness program for the public.

Where: Room 231 in Hubbard Hall at Wichita State University on Wednesday, and Room 108 in Edwards Hall at Kansas State University in Manhattan on Thursday.

When: Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. Training begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m.

How much: It's free.

For more information, call Heather Joyce at the Regional Community Policing Institute, 978-5897.