U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Security: Improving Security Through Collaborative Partnerships

• NCJ Number: 228248
• Journal: THE POLICE CHIEF Volume: 76 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2009 Pages: 30-32,34
• Author(s): Jerry Williams; Gregory Marshall
• Date Published: August 2009
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article describes the collaborative partnerships inherent in the organizational structure of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Office of Security (OS), whose mission is to secure the DHS so it can secure the Nation.

Abstract

The OS mission encompasses not only the security of the facilities, personnel, and activities of the DHS itself, but also provides leadership in multidisciplinary collaborative security efforts with State, local, tribal, and private-sector (SLTPS) partners. OS is structured so that its operating divisions are constantly examining where the DHS is in meeting its security challenges, where it wants to be, and what needs to be done to move toward its goals. In order to serve both DHS and SLTPS partners, OS is divided into the following seven operational divisions: Physical Security, Personnel Security, Administrative Security, Training and Operations Security, Counterintelligence and Investigations, Special Security Programs, and Operations. The DHS Chief Security Office (CSO) Council, which is composed of representatives from the major DHS operating components, functions as an advisory body to assist the DHS and CSO in evaluating and determining the best course of action for security functions. The council ensures that security practices are consistent with policies established by OS. In order to further DHS outreach to its SLTPS partners, in 2008 Congress approved the hiring of additional multidisciplinary security personnel, called field security coordinators (PSCs), in order to assist, expand, and coordinate DHS security services and to build effective SLTPS partnerships. One objective of this expanded outreach is to ensure that the SLTPS community is familiar with and integrated into Federal security protocols. The OS is committed to providing support and expertise to SLTPS partners, so they are able to comply with Federal security requirements for protecting sensitive and classified national security information.