DHS: Colors

One more thing that bears mentioning from Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s big counterterrorism speech. Here’s what she said about her department’s much-derided color-coded terrorism “threat level” system:

I want to add that I also recently appointed a task force of experts to review our existing color-coded threat system – the system originally designed to inform the public about impending threats.

If a better, more effective, and more trusted system can be found, I expect they will find it, and make recommendations to me soon.

So there’s a possibility that the department might keep the color-coded terror alerts? I’ve never heard a single law enforcement or counterterrorism official ever say that the color system has any utility for actually preventing terrorism. Clearly Napolitano is emphasizing that her task force may indeed junk it. But why is a task force necessary in the first place?