Law enforcement, military officials discuss terrorism and police militarization at campus forum
Beheadings, mass executions and the possible threat of more violence to come have consumed news coverage over the past few weeks. On Monday, Vermillion Chief of Police Matt Betzen and Lt. Col. Ross Nelson, a professor of military science at the University of South Dakota, administered the forum “Ready for Another 9/11?,” in Farber Hall.
The officials discussed recent events in the Middle East while lending their thoughts on how the terror could be brought upon the United States in another 9/11 style attack.
Nelson said that while the threat from terrorist groups such as the Islamic State are currently confined to the Middle East and Europe, the threat of another major terrorist attack on the United States could happen.
“We often forget in America how things affect us,” Nelson said, reminding citizens the U.S. is always vulnerable.
The threat of terrorists coming across the southern border of the U.S. is also an area of concern, Nelson added.
Terrorism wasn’t the only issue explored at the forum. Betzen spoke about the recent events in Ferguson, Mo., and said at times, the media portrays the issue of police militarization as a greater problem than it actually is.
“Militarization of police is nothing new,” Betzen said before noting that the image of armored vehicles in the streets of Ferguson did not help the public view of law enforcement.
Betzen said policies and procedures for law enforcement need to be updated and police need to learn when the use of force is appropriate.
“The only tool in your toolbox is not just a hammer,” Betzen said.
(Matt Betzen, the Vermillion Chief of Police, and Lieutenant Colonial Ross Nelson, a professor of Military Science at the University of South Dakota, participate in a discussion regarding terrorism and the militerization of police Monday in Farber Hall. Malachi Petersen | The Volante)
