If you're like us, you've probably never heard of fusion centers before.
Essentially, they are centers designed to ferret out terrorism threats by sharing intelligence information between federal agencies such as the CIA, FBI, Department of Justice, the U.S. military and state and local governments. And since 9/11, 72 fusion centers have sprung up across the nation, mostly in state and local police departments.
In testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Sept. 30, 2009, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the creation of the Joint Fusion Center Program Management Office. It will coordinate support for fusion centers around the country.
The office will lead a survey to identify the types of homeland security-related information local and state governments need. The office also will develop ways to assess regional and national threats by gathering, analyzing and sharing locally generated as well as national information and intelligence through fusion centers. It also will offer training such as terrorism analysis to local officials. And, addressing one of the main concerns about fusion centers, there will be an effort to develop rigorous legal, privacy, civil rights and civil liberties-related training and support to law enforcement partners and Department of Homeland Security personnel.
The center is expected to be operational by March 2010.
Essentially, they are centers designed to ferret out terrorism threats by sharing intelligence information between federal agencies such as the CIA, FBI, Department of Justice, the U.S. military and state and local governments. And since 9/11, 72 fusion centers have sprung up across the nation, mostly in state and local police departments.
In testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Sept. 30, 2009, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the creation of the Joint Fusion Center Program Management Office. It will coordinate support for fusion centers around the country.
The office will lead a survey to identify the types of homeland security-related information local and state governments need. The office also will develop ways to assess regional and national threats by gathering, analyzing and sharing locally generated as well as national information and intelligence through fusion centers. It also will offer training such as terrorism analysis to local officials. And, addressing one of the main concerns about fusion centers, there will be an effort to develop rigorous legal, privacy, civil rights and civil liberties-related training and support to law enforcement partners and Department of Homeland Security personnel.
The center is expected to be operational by March 2010.
In addition, the Department of Homeland Security plans to deploy personnel to all 72 fusion centers, and give them access to the department's Homeland Security Data Network that carries classified information up to the Secret level.
This promise looks well on its way, but we'll leave it at In the Works until the Joint Fusion Center opens.