# Not Enough Terr Work for USA Joint Int-LE Fusion Ctrs?



## The Bread Guy (5 Jun 2008)

“An Examination of State and Local Fusion Centers and Data Collection Methods” by Milton W. Nenneman, Naval Postgraduate School, March 2008 (.pdf)

Excerpt:  ""Fusion centers emerged almost spontaneously in response to a need by state and local law enforcement for useful and usable intelligence related to the evolving terrorist threat ....  There is, more often than not, insufficient purely ‘terrorist’ activity to support a multi-jurisdictional and multi-governmental level fusion center that exclusively processes terrorist activity ....  Fusion centers must consider analyzing or processing other criminal activity, in addition to terrorist activity, in order to maintain the skills and interest of the analysts, as well as the participation and data collection of the emergency responder community ....  the majority of fusion centers operate exclusively in an analytical capacity rather than as having any response or operational capacity.  It would seem prudent to make a concerted effort to seek out the emergency responder administrators and elected officials to given them regular threat assessments and situational awareness briefings to demonstrate the value and capability of the unit...” 

More here from the Federation of American Scientists Secrecy News web log....


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## McG (5 Jun 2008)

Is there a similar US regional fusion system for organized crime?  That would seem a logical area to branch into if more work is beneficial to the health of the organization.


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## The Bread Guy (5 Jun 2008)

MCG said:
			
		

> Is there a similar US regional fusion system for organized crime?  That would seem a logical area to branch into if more work is beneficial to the health of the organization.



I haven't read the whole paper yet, but this could be what they're hinting at making the centres here:


			
				milnewstbay said:
			
		

> "Fusion centers must consider analyzing or processing other criminal activity, in addition to terrorist activity, in order to maintain the skills and interest of the analysts, as well as the participation and data collection of the emergency responder community ...."



That said, knowing whether such beasts exist or not is outside my lane...


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## McG (5 Jun 2008)

milnewstbay said:
			
		

> ... this could be what they're hinting at making the centres here:


I saw that line but figured it was sufficiently vague that I'd pontificate on something more specific.

Seeing as insurgencies have a tendency to gravitate toward organized crime for support, this would seem a logical inclusion in the function of such centres.


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