Review: Police Analysis and Planning for Chemical, Biological and Radiological Attacks
| Date | 01 January 2001 |
| Published date | 01 January 2001 |
| Author | Robert McAllister |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X0107400310 |
| Subject Matter | Review |
REVIEWS
POLICE
ANALYSIS AND PLANNING
FOR
CHEMICAL,
BIOLOGICAL
AND
RADIOLOGICAL
ATTACKS
John
W. Ellis, Charles C.
Thomas
Publishers,
Ltd,
1999
ISBN 0-398--06981--6
(hardback);
ISBN 0-398--06982-4
(paperback)
Employment of doomsday weapons has long been the domain of novels
and celluloid within the framework of the entertainment media. How-
ever, the ideas that become novels and film scripts generally have
foundations rooted in factual events. The attack on the Tokyo under-
ground system by a religious cult employing a home-made chemical
weapon alerted the world to the vulnerability to attack by extremists
using non-conventional weapons.
In the preface of Police Analysis and Planning
for
Chemical,
Biological and Radiological Attacks the author states that the purpose
of the text is oriented toward planning police operations in the public
sector against special weapons of mass destruction.
Beginning with definitions and types of chemical, biological and
radiological weapons, the book proceeds to look at the issues relating to
the likelihood of an attacker obtaining or manufacturing such weapons.
The mindset of a potential attacker is then explored offering a rudimen-
tary threat and vulnerability assessment, which police officers or public
officials could use when considering planning to prevent or respond to
an attack.
A great deal of attention is devoted to categorising and classifying
the different methods of attack and effects of each weapon type. To
underscore the point, a number of historical examples of a variety of
attacks through the centuries are used, giving an idea of the scale of
casualties as a result of the attacks and highlighting the general
unpreparedness to respond effectively to each incident.
Throughout the text the author considers the legal implications not
only of the use of such weapons by an attacker and the right of lawful
authority to use force to prevent an attack, but also the suspension of
basic human rights and the use of deadly force against the population
within the area affected by an attack using a chemical, biological or
radiological weapon.
Towards the end of the book, consideration is given to defensive
and preventive actions that can be taken by those in authority to manage
a possible attack. This leads on to a current assessment of readiness to
deal with such an incident, who is best qualified to undertake the task,
and organisational issues relating to post incident procedures.
This book would undoubtedly be of interest as a reference and
research tool for those police officers, public officials and students in
the fields of anti-terrorism, firearms, contingency planning, major
incident management, community, local authority and emergency ser-
vices liaison.
272 The Police Journal, Volume 74 (2001)
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