Introduction

This online course has been developed to foster improved coordination of the investigative goals and methods specific to each discipline and to strengthen interdisciplinary collaborative effectiveness in response to future events involving biological or other agents.

Objectives

Course Goal

The primary goal of this course is to enhance preparedness and knowledge to ensure the joint effectiveness of law enforcement and public health, particularly when conducting concurrent investigations in response to a threat or attack involving bioterrorism or other types of WMD.  The course addresses this goal by bringing law enforcement and public health together in a combined study of the operations and procedures of the two disciplines.

Course Objectives

By completing this course, the student will learn to:

• Describe the National Response Framework (NRF) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
• Identify the Federal government’s plan to respond to a large disaster in the United States.
• Describe the Incident Command System (ICS) and Unified Command System (UCS).
• List the main features and responsibilities of a Joint Field Office (JFO), Joint Information Center (JIC), and Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).
• Describe the characteristics and roles of public health and law enforcement.
• Identify and define public health and law enforcement terminology.
• State the objectives of public health during an incident.
• Recall methods used by public health to control disease spread.
• Identify public health activities related to surveillance, reporting, and investigation.
• Describe types and classifications of agents causing diseases.
• Characterize bioterrorism diseases and agents.
• Describe the different categories of biological agents and likely scenarios for their use.
• Describe the roles of law enforcement and public health in a bioterrorism or other investigation.
• Identify goals of law enforcement and public health in a bioterrorism investigation.
• Describe the criminal investigation process.
• Identify the characteristics and roles of law enforcement personnel in a criminal investigation.
• Recognize the roles and responsibilities of local police, sheriff’s office, state police, and Federal law enforcement during an incident.
• State the characteristics and roles of the public health laboratory.
• Identify the roles of clinical, public health, and forensic laboratories.
• Describe laboratory testing limitations.
• Recall issues involved with submitting samples and specimens.
• Describe the characteristics and roles of the forensic crime laboratory.
• Recognize the characteristics of laboratory personnel.

Overview

Course Structure and Schedule

This is a non-credit course with an average completion time of 5 hours.  All training and course materials are FREE for a limited time only and are funded through grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Training and Exercise Integration Secretariat (TEI).

Subject Matter

• Pre-Assessment
• Module 1 – Course Overview
• Lesson 1.1 – Introduction to the Course

• Module 2 – National Response Framework
• Lesson 2.1 – Incident Management Systems and Inter-Agency Relations
• Module 3 – Public Health and Law Enforcement
• Lesson 3.1 – Characteristics and Roles of Public Health
• Lesson 3.2 – Types and Classifications of Agents Causing Disease

• Module 4 – Criminal Investigations
• Lesson 4.1 – Goals of Law Enforcement and Public Health
• Lesson 4.2 – Characteristics and Roles of Law Enforcement in a Criminal Investigation
• Module 5 – Public Health and Forensic Crime Labs
• Lesson 5.1 – Characteristics and Roles of the Different Laboratories
• Lesson 5.2 – Characteristics and Roles of Laboratory Personnel

• Module 6 – Course Summary
• Lesson 6.1 – Critical Areas of Forensic Epidemiology
• Post-Assessment
• Course Evaluation

Requirements

Prerequisite(s)

No prerequisite(s) or course materials are required for the course.  This course would be of interest to those involved in Law Enforcement, Public Health, Healthcare, Governmental Administrators, Emergency Medical Services, and Emergency Management Agencies.

Computer Requirements

• Internet Explorer

Basic computer skills required (i.e. turning on your computer, navigating to websites, etc.).  The course is user-friendly with a WVU eCampus Tutorial to guide the student, but support is available if needed.

Registration Information

To Register

Download and fill out this Homeland Security Program Registration Form and fax or mail it to Extended Learning.  You will be given class access by email within five business days.  Call 1-800-2Learn2, or email WVUEnrich@mail.wvu.edu if you have any questions.