DHS has announced that a task force led by Fran Townsend, a homeland security advisor to President Bush, and former FBI and CIA director Judge William Webster, will review the homeland security advisory system to assess its effectiveness in informing the public about terrorist threats.
The five-level ratings system ranges from green/low to red/severe, and is meant to prompt certain protective measures. "Threat advisories contain actionable information about an incident involving, or a threat targeting, critical national networks or infrastructures or key assets," according to DHS, while bulletins are less exacting. The system has never been lowered to green or blue – so it essentially defaults to yellow/elevated.
The department said it wants to better understand the system’s impact on state, local, tribal, territorial and international law enforcement partners, the private sector and the American people.
The task force will consult with the Department of Justice and provide opportunities for public input. After two-months, DHS secretary Janet Napolitano will discuss findings and recommendations with other cabinet officials to figure out what if anything to do with the system.
