NCJ Number
230129
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 77 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2010 Pages: 78-80,82,84
Date Published
February 2010
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article is an adaptation of a monograph prepared by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Homeland Security Committee on future expectations of fusion centers.
Abstract
The concept of fusion centers has evolved significantly since its inception in part because of the new focus on all crimes and all hazards and because the intelligence enterprises are finding niches slightly different from the original plan. Now, those that manage fusion centers and those that are served by them have an opportunity to reshape the purpose of fusion centers. Driving many of the changes in fusion centers are the demands of fusion center consumers: law enforcement, homeland security, public safety, and the private sector. So after several years in place, the question today is what should fusion centers reasonably be expected to perform. This question was addressed following a 6-month review and includes the following recommendations 1) act as principal intelligence enterprise nodes to connect State and local law enforcement, homeland security, and public safety entities to each other and the Federal government; 2) harness and apply the collective knowledge of their constituents to address issues related to threat and risk; and 3) assume the leading role in information-sharing initiatives related to law enforcement, homeland security, and public safety issues. 7 notes