Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention Policy | Homeland Security
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Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention Policy

Counterterrorism, Threat Prevention, and Law Enforcement (CTTPLE) supports the Department's mission by countering terrorism and preventing a wide array of threats to the Homeland to include hostile nation states and emerging threats. CTTPLE leads the Department in addressing global transportation security, screening, and vetting, watch listing, information sharing, identity management and credentialing, and biometrics through the development and coordination of department-wide strategy and the administration of programs, to include Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS). CTTPLE is both a producer and a consumer of information used by the national security, intelligence, and military communities, and CTTPLE ensures proper sharing and coordination of information essential to DHS's ability to fulfill its mission. Additionally, CTTPLE's Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) is the primary entity responsible for building, maturing, and driving the prevention mission in DHS and works to equip and empower local efforts to prevent individuals from mobilizing to violence.

Within CTTPLE, Law Enforcement Policy (LEP) develops strategic, enterprise-wide solutions to improve, coordinate, and deconflict policies throughout DHS—the largest law enforcement (LE) Department in the Federal Government. The LEP team provides policy support to the Department’s leaders and law enforcement officers as they address critical criminal and national security challenges. The portfolio includes DHS’s Use of Force policy, deconfliction systems, officer conduct requirements, training programs, and evolving tools and technologies to combat crime. To advance this mission, LEP coordinates closely with DHS’s LE Components and HQ offices, as well as with key external stakeholders, including Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial, and international partners. LEP also promotes transparency and oversight of DHS’s LE activities through reporting, accountability, and governance mechanisms.

Finally, CTTPLE leads the Department’s Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) portfolio. TOC promotes the Department’s initiatives to safeguard the Northern, Southern, and Maritime Borders against national security and transnational criminal threats, strengthen cross-border community resilience, and facilitate legitimate trade and travel while preventing unlawful entry of people and goods into the country. TOC Policy unifies those DHS Components with a role to play in combating transnational organized crime into one DHS team working with synergy. TOC Policy addresses the broad spectrum of illicit activities including narcotics trafficking, weapons smuggling, and commercial fraud in addition to victim- and exploitation-based crimes such as sex trafficking, forced labor, child sexual exploitation, and human rights abuses. Correspondingly, this portfolio is responsible for ensuring DHS follows a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach—while advancing investigations or pursuing law enforcement outcomes. 

Last Updated: 02/12/2025
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