Question

You are the elected mayor of a relatively large East Coast city, which features a major airport, large international port, and many historically significant areas and monuments. To date, thanks to federal funding since 9-11, you have been able to provide relatively adequate security for these sites, fending off any major threats thus-far. However, for the upcoming fiscal year, federal funding for your city’s terror security is being cut by 33 percent. In addition, your city itself is suffering through a minor financial crisis. You already raised taxes a bit last year to accommodate this crisis, and any further taxation could greatly affect your re-election efforts the next year. Despite this drop in funding, you are still responsible for providing local security to your city’s vulnerable areas.

How do you go about prioritizing which sites will receive the most security?

Those areas which will receive a decrease of at least some security will likely protest publically. How do you go about defending your decision?

What else might you be able to do to provide security even with the drop in funding?

Answer 1

Prioritizing the sites which will receive securities are:

1. Airport

2. Interational port

3. Historically significant areas and monuments.

This would be order for Prioritizing the sites. Taking ranking 1 as first, 2 as second, 3 as third preference. Main reason behind is first two are the places through which possible terrorist or other miscreants can enter the city. So, this would help to keep track of the same. This will keep track in first place that no such persons enter the city. Last preference would be given to the Historically significant areas and monuments.

Steps to be taken to take control of protests:

1. Public at large will have to be convinced that security is present everywhere altough reduced than before. Reasons has also to be made significantly clear that why security is reduced.

2. Public has also to be convinced that if security is not reduced than they would have to bear that extra cost financially indirectly through increased taxes.

3. Besides above measures public has to be convinced that even after reducing security adequate measures are in place to take care that any mishappening does not take place.

4. Besides above measures public has also to be convinced that reducing security is a temporary measure for some time period. When financial crisis in city is reduced, government is going to take steps to increase security gradually.

Alternative steps to provide enhanced security even in case of drop in funding:

1. Police departments would be instructed to take more security rigorous measures like checking more people who on daily basis.

2. Automated security systems will be installed at various public places like historical monuments, metros, malls, public places, etc.

3. Besides people will be requested to donate voluntarily to city security fund. This fund can be utilised to some extent to improvise security measures.