Critical Role of Fusion Centers in Protecting the Hometown

1. Critical Role of Fusion Centers in Protecting the Hometown Mr. Tom O’Reilly Senior Policy Advisor Bureau of Justice Assistance Office of Justice Programs U.S. Department of Justice

2. The Foundation of Fusion Centers The NCISP encourages law enforcement agency heads to “seek ways to enhance intelligence sharing efforts . . . in task forces and state, regional, and federal information sharing initiatives” The Fusion Center Guidelines, first released in 2005, provide guidance on the establishment and operations of fusion centers The Guidelines recommend that fusion centers “collect, analyze, and disseminate ‘all-crimes’ information, so as to identify emerging patterns and trends” Fusion centers can trace their foundation to the NCISP. Developed in 2003, the NCISP provides solutions and approaches for a cohesive plan to improve our nation’s ability to develop and share criminal intelligence. The Fusion Center Guidelines, first released in 2005,. Though some fusion centers were established as a result of the 9/11 attacks many all all-crimes/all-hazards. Fusion centers can trace their foundation to the NCISP. Developed in 2003, the NCISP provides solutions and approaches for a cohesive plan to improve our nation’s ability to develop and share criminal intelligence. The Fusion Center Guidelines, first released in 2005,. Though some fusion centers were established as a result of the 9/11 attacks many all all-crimes/all-hazards.

3. Intelligence-Led Policing (ILP) The Fusion Center Guidelines also recommend the implementation of ILP ILP is executive implementation of the intelligence cycle to support proactive decision making for resource allocation and crime prevention. In order to successfully implement this business process, police executives must have clearly defined priorities as part of their policing strategy ILP is not a new concept, and many agencies and organizations have adopted ILP to improve the law enforcement function The New Jersey Regional Operations and Intelligence Center includes on an “all crimes - all hazards - all threats – all the time” focus to fully align itself with the New Jersey State Police’s priority of ILP implementation. Both the NCISP and Fusion Center Guidelines encourage the adoption of ILP in furthering the successfulgathering, analysis, and dissemination of information and intelligence. The New Jersey Regional Operations and Intelligence Center includes on an “all crimes - all hazards - all threats – all the time” focus to fully align itself with the New Jersey State Police’s priority of ILP implementation. Both the NCISP and Fusion Center Guidelines encourage the adoption of ILP in furthering the successfulgathering, analysis, and dissemination of information and intelligence.

4. Intelligence-Led Policing (ILP) (continued) National resources also promote the adoption of ILP, including National Criminal Intelligence Sharing Plan (NCISP) Fusion Center Guidelines As part of the implementation of ILP, Navigating Your Agency’s Path to Intelligence-Led Policing encourages law enforcement agencies to “maximize the use of available resources and partnerships, such as those capabilities available through the state and local fusion centers and local/regional intelligence centers”

5. One of the roles of state and urban area fusion centers is to support chiefs and sheriffs in the everyday challenges to safety in our communities, including the sharing of information such as suspicious activity reports The Baseline Capabilities for State and Major Urban Area Fusion Centers include capabilities related to Intrastate coordination—with other fusion centers within the state, and incorporate local and tribal law enforcement, homeland security, and other analytic centers Suspicious activity reporting—fusion centers are tasked with developing, implementing, and maintaining a plan to support the establishment of a suspicious activity and incident reporting process Fusion Centers and Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR)

6. The National Strategy for Information Sharing calls for fusion centers to “support the gathering of locally generated terrorism information,” including Complete a statewide risk assessment to identify priority information requirements Develop, implement, and maintain a method for communicating information priorities to local gatherers of information Ensure that priority information, including suspicious activity reports (SARs), are disseminated to appropriate government authorities Define a feedback mechanism Fusion Centers and Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) (continued)

7. Presenters Commander Joan McNamara, Counter Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau, Los Angeles, California, Police Department Lieutenant Ray Guidetti, New Jersey Regional Operations Intelligence Center, New Jersey State Police Director Steve Hewitt, Tennessee Fusion Center, Tennessee Department of Safety