On November 30, 2017, Chief David Rausch, general chair of the IACP Midsize Agencies Division, testified before the Homeland Security Committee, U. S. House of Representatives on securing communities in the new age of terror.
In his testimony, Chief Rausch discussed the challenges that law enforcement faces in “responding to planned rallies, spontaneous crowds, and civil disturbances by extremist groups” while balancing people’s First Amendment rights. He focused how social media has changed the operational environment by providing these groups with the ability to rapidly mobilize and spread their messages of hate.