NYPD Goes International

Serviam magazine reports that the New York Police Department, faced with the threat of terrorism, with only limited help from the CIA and FBI, has begun "running operations as far away as Virginia and Mississippi, and has raised eyebrows with the expansion of a virtual foreign intelligence arm present in more than a dozen countries." In addition, NYPD "has tapped the private sector for help, and created an analytical unit that rivals the finest teams at the FBI and CIA." Among their products is a recent report titled Radicalization in the West: The Homegrown Threat. The report has received critical acclaim not only for its insight and actionability, but also the absense of political correctness that hamstrings so many other efforts. While some people might be worried about this new activity on the part of the NYPD, I would contend this is simply one of the strenghts of the federal system: if one part of the government fails to do its duty, others are able and willing to step into the gap.

New Magazine Takes a New Look

A new magazine titled Serviam (Latin for "I will serve") has just been launched, and it takes an interesting new look at the role of private institutions in international stability. The magazine describes its mission thus:

To provide accurate and actionable information about private sector solutions to promote global stability. We address users and consumers of private goods and services in the humanitarian relief, national development, security and military sectors; government and private providers of such goods and services; and government entities involved in decisions that determine or influence trends in this growing industry.

While Blackwater and the International Red Cross might strike some as strange bedfellows, they actually have a surprising amount in common. Not only are both private institutions engaged in the international scene, but security is a prerequisite for humanitarian aid and reconstruction. Without security, aid is all but impossible; without a humanitarian motive, security is pointless.

So keep an eye out for interesting, innovative and enlightening articles from Serviam and its editor, J. Michael Waller.