Law Enforcement Efforts to Counter Violent Extremism: Lessons Learned from Past Cases

Analyses of two past cases—efforts to counter eco-terrorists and violent Puerto Rican nationalists—demonstrate that law enforcement can have success in this role when agencies and individuals involved are willing and able to fully collaborate with colleagues, have access to an ongoing stream of intelligence and data, and apply innovative techniques for analyzing those data. These historical cases can provide important insights for today’s efforts to address persistent and emerging threats.