Fusion Centers January 24, 2008

Fusion Centers: Great Potential… Fusion centers have the potential to:  Prepare for, prevent and respond to terrorism  Drastically improve our ability to fight crime  Plan for and respond to natural disasters

Fusion Centers: Great Potential

Intelligence Fusion Centers What they are Where they are located Who’s involved Some examples Federal activities to support them Challenges Best Practices

Why Fusion Centers? “Fuse”  Foreign and domestic intelligence efforts  Information from variety of public safety, government, social and private organizations Eliminate isolation of intelligence activities Field activities and operations require interaction Critical developments in national policy regarding intelligence and information sharing since 9/11 Information Was Not Shared Analysis Was Not Pooled Effective Operations Were Not Launched

Intelligence Sharing Post 9/11: A Timeline

Key Publications on Fusion Centers

Fusion Centers: Defined Fusion Center  A “collaborative effort of two or more agencies that provide resources, expertise and information to the center with the goal of maximizing their ability to detect, prevent, investigate and respond to criminal and terrorist activity” [emphasis added] Fusion  process to facilitate homeland security- and crime-related information and intelligence sharing.

Fusion Centers Not an entirely new concept State- and local-level centers Not limited to counter-terrorism activities No single model for fusion centers Fusion centers are not just buildings A fusion center’s success depends on organizational focus and meaningful, timely information sharing – not large facilities and substantial funding - State Fusion Center Processes and Procedures: Best Practices and Recommendations

Fusion Centers Concerned with:  Buildings/Collocation  Security  Clearances  The Intelligence Process  Intelligence Products  Personnel and Participation Key Participants:  State, local, federal, tribal law enforcement  First Responders  Fire  Public Health  DHS  HIDTA  DEA  Transportation  Military Affairs  Private Industry  Others Often collocated with:  FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF)  FBI Field Intelligence Groups (FIG)  DHS and FBI Analysts

Common Fusion Center Activities Support Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) Provide all crimes and terrorism analytical services Assist law enforcement with inquiries on suspects and vehicles Driver license photo and data Interact with other state fusion centers Maintain repository of state’s critical infrastructure Field intelligence/suspicious activity report sharing Receive state-wide crime tips from hotlines Arson and DUI hotlines Amber Alert notification Connect to Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) and FBI LEO to share intelligence/info Traffic and transportation incident management  Monitor roadways construction, maintenance, weather Monitor video feeds from news sources, weather, etc. Monitor Emergency Operations Center

Houston Fusion Center

The Houston Regional Intelligence Service Fusion Center (HRISC) will provide continuous security to the region by gathering, developing and sharing intelligence into the capabilities, intentions, and actions of terrorist groups and individuals which pose a threat to our populace and region.

Houston Fusion Center Fusion Center Members:  Texas Department of Public Safety  Harris County Sheriffs Department  Houston Metro Police  Houston Police Department  Other agencies pending

Florida Fusion Center Florida Fusion Center – A collocation of multidisciplinary intelligence assets to collect, analyze and disseminate critical intelligence and information to monitor prevent and investigate terrorism and other related criminal activities. Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center Critical Infrastructure Coordination Florida Investigative Support Center

Florida Fusion Center - Vision Establish and sustain a true multi- disciplinary fusion center that utilizes an all crimes/all hazard approach to intelligence sharing that enhances the services provided to the Governor, state leadership and agency partners. Serve and protect the citizens and visitors of the state of Florida, while ensuring that their civil rights and privacy are protected. Establish and sustain a true multi- disciplinary fusion center that utilizes an all crimes/all hazard approach to intelligence sharing that enhances the services provided to the Governor, state leadership and agency partners. Serve and protect the citizens and visitors of the state of Florida, while ensuring that their civil rights and privacy are protected.

WHAT IS GISAC? GISAC was created to solve the information / intelligence sharing problems between federal, state, and local agencies. GISAC is the State’s clearinghouse and main processing center for terrorism information.

ORGANIZATION Georgia Bureau of Investigation (14 personnel + 1 admin vacancy) Georgia Emergency Management Agency (2 personnel + 1 vacancy) Georgia State Patrol (1 personnel) Georgia Sheriffs’ Association (1 personnel) Georgia National Guard (1 personnel) Georgia Fire Chiefs Association (1 personnel) Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (1 personnel) Georgia Department of Corrections (1 personnel)

Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center Goal: To prevent terrorism and related crimes, thereby providing a safe and secure environment for the citizens of Arizona.

Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center Primary component of the DPS Intelligence Bureau Provides a real time informational link between: Local, tribal, state and federal law enforcement First response agencies Private Sector Non-LEA Public Sector All crimes concept (except drugs) ACTIC Command HIDTA Intelligence Support Center – Tucson HIDTA Joint Intelligence Group – Phoenix ACTIC Commander Chairs HIDTA Intelligence Subcommittee

Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center Multi-Agency Operation 240 State, Local & Federal officers/analysts 41 agencies Co-located with the FBI JTTF & FIG IGA signed by all agencies Three year commitment Central point of contact for the deployment of MMRS, NSS, AZDPS and other state assets to support local agencies

41 Agencies Assigned Arizona DPS Federal Bureau of Investigation Phoenix Police Department Maricopa County Sheriffs Office Mesa Police Department Glendale Police Department Glendale Fire Department Scottsdale Police Department Arizona National Guard Rocky Mountain Information Network Mesa Fire Department USDHS Border Patrol U.S. Department of State Federal Air Marshall Air Force Office of Special Investigation Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Arizona Attorney General’s Office Tempe Police Department Gilbert Fire Department* Chandler Fire Department* Arizona ADOT/OSI Arizona Department of Corrections USDHS Immigration&Customs Enforcement U.S. Marshall Service U.S. Postal Inspection Service BATFE U.S. Secret Service Transportation Security Administration Phoenix Fire Department U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security-PSD Arizona Department of Liquor Arizona Department of Revenue Arizona Department of Economic Security Defense Intelligence Agency Arizona State University DPS U. S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Peoria Police Department* Goodyear Fire Department* Buckeye Police Department* Tempe Fire Department* FBI conducts SBI’s on all ACTIC Personnel to Secret and Above Levels

Raw Info ACTIC Law Enforcement Agencies Other Sources Law Enforcement Agencies Law Enforcement Agencies Emergency Response Agencies Emergency Response Agencies Critical Infrastructure Critical Infrastructure Other Private Sector Other Private Sector Citizens (via web page ) Citizens (via web page ) No Action Warranted Full Field Investigation ACIS Analysis Evaluation Intelligence Products* * Advisories, Citizens’ Bulletins, Information Collection Requirement Bulletins, Information Bulletins, Intelligence Bulletins, Threat Assessments, and others as needed. Information Flow

Fusion Centers

National Resources For Fusion Centers Department of Homeland Security Funding Criminal Intelligence Coordinating Council/Global Intelligence Working Group  Baseline capabilities  Gang intelligence sharing  Suspicious activity reporting (SAR IEPD)  Privacy guidelines/templates  Training for executives and analysts Technical assistance Second National Fusion Center Conference: March 18-20, 2008 San Francisco, CA SEARCH Fusion Center Reference Model Development

Congressional Research Service Report on Fusion Centers Issued July 6, 2007 Suggests there are questions that may not yet be answered, such as: Do fusion centers solve the pre-9/11 information sharing problems, and as such, make Americans safer?

Fusion Center Challenges True sharing/interoperability of information and intelligence Absence of an agreement on the underlying discipline/philosophy Privacy/civil liberties concerns Time Funding and sustainment Identifying FC role: analytical, operational, both? Products and who gets them State and/or local? Designating a state “hub”

Best Practices Similar to those in justice information sharing  Governance  Strategic planning  Policy development  Requirements analysis  Standards adoption  Measure performance, demonstrate success  Effective outreach/education

Best Practices Manhattan Institute Policing Terrorism Report Best Practices and Recommendations an-institute.org/

Kelly J. Harris Deputy Executive Director, SEARCH January 24, 2008