Collaboration between public health and law enforcement: new paradigms and partnerships for bioterrorism planning and response.
The biological attacks with powders containing Bacillus anthracis sent through the mail during September and October 2001 led to unprecedented public health and law enforcement investigations, which involved thousands of investigators from federal, state, and local agencies. Following recognition of the first cases of anthrax in Florida in early October 2001, investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were mobilized to assist investigators from state and local public health and law enforcement agencies. Although public health and criminal investigations have been conducted in concert in the past, the response to the anthrax attacks required close collaboration because of the immediate and ongoing threat to public safety. We describe the collaborations between CDC and FBI during the investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks and highlight the challenges and successes of public health and law enforcement collaborations in general.
Butler
Jay C
JC
Centers for Desease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. JButler@cdcgov
Cohen
Mitchell L
ML
Friedman
Cindy R
CR
Scripp
Robert M
RM
Watz
Craig G
CG
D000881:Anthrax / Q000517:prevention & control; D023482:Bioterrorism / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. / Q000458:organization & administration; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D035846:Law Enforcement / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States