On the morning of September 11, 2001, New Yorkers watched a blazing sunrise illuminate the twin towers of the World Trade Center, which represented the heart of U.S. commerce. In less than two hours, a normal day in New York City turned to utter chaos as first responders rushed to the scene and plunged into the burning structures to rescue office workers—a choice that cost many police officers and firefighters their lives.

The events of 9/11 and more recent tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Virginia Tech shootings in April of last year indicate a clear need to improve how law enforcement agencies approach emergency planning, including preplanning, collaborating with other agencies and facility managers, and using new technologies to improve response and mitigation efforts.