Are Fusion Centers Necessary In Combating Crime

Hello, Dominique. I’ve enjoyed reading your post. Like you said prevent of inside threat is one of ways to conduct strategic counter intelligence. As we know, cyber security is crucial to protecting US computers, networks, programs and data unauthorized access. There are many cases that our government data has been stolen by the hackers from foreign entities including 4 million federal employee records. However, we can’t rule out the inside threats. There are so many spying cases from the insider whom worked either for foreign governments or businesses. These inside threats were not unnoticed for months and sometimes years and it caused great damage to US interests. Therefore, pursue of the real creation of a discipline in strategic counterintelligence

DHS has supported this idea of intelligence centers or information analysis centers by having a “renewed commitment to creating a robust, nationwide network of fusion centers to share and analyze data on citizens and others.”1 As of 2009 DHS contributes 254 million in funding to sate and local

The formation of fusion centers is a step in the right direction to countering terrorist threats. By working efficiently and appropriately, information leading to arrests can be shared across county lines, state lines, and all around the world in a timely manner. Fusion centers can make law enforcement agencies more competent and effective in stopping crimes (to include terrorist attacks) before they take place. As long as the centers follow the laws they are governed by, they will remain ethical and can be a helpful addition in protecting the United States. Fusion centers in the United States perform a valuable role in countering terrorist threats, their positive influence far

On paper, the fusion centers provide a new and efficient way for the nation to deal with future terrorist threats. However, in application, there are numerous occurrences where the fusion centers have been ineffective in actually preventing terrorism. On December 25, 2009 Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to detonate explosives on board a passenger airline. National Counterterrorism Center Director Michael Leiter said “Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab should not have stepped onto a plane on Christmas Day. The counterterrorism system collectively failed and I along with Director [of National Intelligence Dennis] Blair and Secretary [of Homeland Security Janet] Napolitano and others want to tell you and the American people the same thing we told the president, that we have to do better” (qtd. in Voice of America). The Fusions that the DHS heavily funded did not prevent this act of terrorism and what’s more is that it was normal citizens that stopped the bomber from accomplishing his goal. Investigations later revealed because his name was misspelled, the fusions could not connect the data they had on him and he was able to not raise any red flags (Are We Safer).

As a Senior Chief in the United States Navy, the horrific events that took place on September 11th 2001 have had a profound effect on me both professionally and personally. Since then, our country has been fortunate enough to not have a repeat of the events that took the lives of 2,977 Americans. “Much of our success has been in the form of intelligence gathered by a multitude of federal agencies and information shared between our allies” (Hoffman 268). This success has led many to believe we will never be attacked like we were before but instead, we will have more of a ‘lone wolf’ style attack such as the one seen at the Boston Marathon which killed 3 and injured 264 others. I anticipate our current level of success and luck will eventually run dry until we shore up our borders. If we fail in this effort, we will see an attack similar in design but larger in scale as the one used in Paris, France on November 13th 2015. If this happens, our Nation will be led to another foot war and my family life as I know it will change.

The September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center spawned the formation of different tactics and strategy on countering terrorism. One of the plans is to create a Fusion Center. There were plans and trainings in place prior to the attacks in 2001, however the information gathered were not shared or utilized properly. Fusion Centers were established across the country between 2003 to 2007 by local, state and federal law enforcement.

“With mobile phones, the internet, and other forms of communication…can extend the reach of a formal organization and make it much more dangerous” (Lutz, J. & Lutz, B., 7). If agencies had the intelligence and the communication abilities that we have today, Richard Reid may have never boarded that flight. Authorities in Paris might have known that Reid had been in the Middle East for an extended period of time, and that he also had suspected ties to known terrorists. “Intelligence is the process by which raw data is collected and transformed into usable information…” (Pfeifer 8). If this intelligence information had been properly relayed to airport authorities, he may not have been allowed to book a flight for the next day. Because of fusion centers now in place, cities, states, and even countries can communicate and relay information better than ever before. It is a step in the right direction towards stopping people like Richard Reid before they even have a chance to commit such a heinous

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is dedicated to creating a nationwide network of fusion centers, which consist of local, state and federal level law enforcement entities. By the end of 2010, over 72 fusion centers had been established throughout the country. (Monahan, 2011). The fusion centers were established to conduct threat assessments and create

When it comes to personnel, fusion centers attempt to hire many people with many diverse backgrounds. For example, many civilian analysts are retired from police work and the military. Earlier I mentioned that many fusion centers are state run. In these cases, the State police are responsible for running fusion centers (Cincotta, 2009). A good example of this is the fusion center located here in Michigan. The Michigan Intelligence Operations Center is run by the Michigan State Police and is partnered with many other law enforcement agencies including MDC (Michigan Department of Corrections), MNG (Michigan National Guard), MSPD (Michigan State University Police Department, FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations), Michigan Sheriffs Association,

I will use my organization, the Knoxville Police Department, for this exercise and analyze how it selects, gathers, analyzes, manages and improves its data, information and knowledge assets for homeland security. Fisher (2015) said that a good leader is one who gets involved in homeland security and other important issues themselves without outsourcing or passing the task to someone lower. Chief David Rausch, of the Knoxville Police Department, is that type of leader. He cares very much about the community and homeland security and has made sure his agency is being proactive with information gathering, analyzing, and sharing.

The most efficient and effective tool used to develop intelligence products is the intelligence fusion concept. This idea caught on rapidly. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a far-reaching mission and a substantial funding budget, the GIWG recognized the benefits of standardization. This effort would produce better work quality by the fusion centers and is ensured by the creation of the Fusion Center Guidelines by the GIWG. The Guidelines primarily focused on criminal information, additionally law enforcement and the private sector attention to the information-sharing relationship is given. The focus included how public safety relates to homeland security intelligence. The goal of the fusion process is to involve as many law enforcement agencies in the information-sharing process as possible. The most competent means in

With radicalized individuals such as Timothy Mcveigh or Gale Nettles, home grown violent extremist pose a threat that will always be prevalent and remain with no end or relief in sight. These individuals or groups are very hard to detect. With the advent of the fusion centers across the nation, this could be one part of the puzzle on how to combat this type of terrorism. The local law enforcement could have the right piece of information that could help to detect where these types of individuals will materialize. With ISIL and ISIS calling for western cultures to perpetrate more of this type of attack, it is becoming ever more important to learn and detect these types of attacks before they happen.

Additionally, why is there some obstruction to this course of action? Department of Homeland Security originated the fusion center which is an information sharing center determined to contribute intelligence among agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Justice, the US military and local, state and other federal law enforcement. These agencies bring together intelligence to investigate and analyze it. According to the fusion center and guidelines, “a fusion center is a successful and proficient instrument to exchange intelligence and information that maximizes resources, streamlines operations, and improves the ability to fight crime and terrorism by evaluating data from a diversity of sources.” The importance to share information among all US intelligence agencies, law enforcement and military contributes to the prevention of the most serious crimes and cyber-crimes. Quick and accurate information is one of the advantages of information sharing. Information sharing outweighs vulnerability when being accessible to all law enforcement personnel and other intelligence agencies. Information sharing makes criminal cases run smoother in an approach that all agencies receive the required feedback from a certain case. It can be trusted and reliable after being collected and

In the State of New York, fusion center is a perfect example of information technology optimizing their performance in reducing crime within their police departments. The New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Center serves as an information hub for law enforcement. According to (Johnson, 2008), the mass of intelligence data in the central location has proved to be a key factor in identifying individuals and organizations that are facilitating or carrying out terrorist activity in New York City.

“We have learned as a Nation that we must maintain a constant, capable, and vigilant posture to protect ourselves against new threats and evolving hazards. But we have also learned that vigilance and protection are not ends in and of themselves, but rather necessary tools in the service of our national purpose.”(Napolitano, 2010, p.iv) In the wake of the September 11th, 2001 attacks our nation has taken upon itself extreme vigilance to ensure the security and defense of the American people. The relationship between homeland security and homeland defense is one that is tightly knit. Each has a very distinct mission set but somewhere along the spectrum they cross over and mutually support each other in the best interest of the nation.