Model Security: How the NYPD Sets the Security Standard

SPEAKER BIOS

Richard Falkenrath is the Deputy Commissioner for Counterterrorism at the New York Police Department. He is a graduate of Occidental College, with degrees in economics and international relations. He holds a Ph.D. from the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, where he was a British Marshall Scholar.

From September 1993 until December 2000, Dr. Falkenrath worked at the Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, first as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; then as Executive Director of the Center; and finally as Assistant Professor of Public Policy. In addition, during this time he was founder and co-Principal Investigator of the Executive Session on Domestic Preparedness; a member of the Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction (the “Gilmore Commission”); a member of the Board of Visitors of the National Emergency Management Institute; a member of the Director of Central Intelligence’s Nonproliferation Advisory Panel; a Visiting Research Fellow at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik; and a consultant to the Defense Science Board and the RAND Corporation.

In December 2000, Dr. Falkenrath joined the Bush-Cheney Transition Team, where he was involved in preparing for the presidential transition within the National Security Council. Immediately after the Presidential Inauguration in January 2001, Dr. Falkenrath joined the White House staff, where he served continuously until May 2004. His initial position was Director for Proliferation Strategy on the National Security Council staff, where he was responsibility for biological weapons proliferation and preparedness, missile defense, and Asian proliferation issues.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Dr. Falkenrath was named Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Policy and Plans within the Office of Homeland Security. In January 2003, he was promoted to Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor. In these capacities, Dr. Falkenrath was responsible for developing and coordinating all aspects of U.S. homeland security policy and law, as well as counterterrorism threat assessment and response at all levels. He was the principal author of the National Strategy for Homeland Security and was centrally involved in the stand-up of the Department of Homeland Security, the Terrorist Threat Integration Center (the predecessor to today’s National Counterterrorism Center), and the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center.

After leaving the White House, Dr. Falkenrath became the Stephen and Barbara Friedman Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution, a private nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and innovative policy solutions in Washington, D.C. He was also an advisor and spokesman for Bush-Cheney 2004 reelection campaign; a security analyst at the Cable News Network (CNN); and a Managing Director at the Civitas Group LLC, a strategic advisory and investment firm.

Dr. Falkenrath is the author or coauthor of Shaping Europe’s Military Order (1995), Avoiding Nuclear Anarchy (1996), America’s Achilles ’ Heel: Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Terrorism and Covert Attack (1998), as well as numerous journal articles, chapters of edited volumes, prepared statements for congressional testimony, and op-ed articles. He is a member of the Aspen Strategy Group.

Peter Clarke is a fellow at the Center on Law and Security at NYU School of Law. He was formerly the Head of the Anti-Terrorist Branch at New Scotland Yard and the National Coordinator for Terrorist Investigations. Prior to this position, he served as Deputy Director of Personnel for the Metropolitan Police. Clarke joined the Metropolitan Police in 1977 after graduating in Law from Bristol University.  He has worked at numerous locations around London, in the Strategic Planning Division, as operations head in a central London division, and as Staff Officer to the Commissioner.  In 1994, Clarke became the Commander of Brixton Division in South London. From 1997-2000, He took command of the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department, where he was responsible for the protection and security of the Royal Family, their residences, the diplomatic community in London, and the Houses of Parliament.   He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 2001, attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in 2002, and received the Queen’s Police Medal in 2003.