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Fusion Center White Paper from i2 Stresses Importance of Multi-Directional Information Sharing
McLEAN, Va., -- Aug. 25, 2010-- Fusion centers must rely on multi-directional information sharing between federal, and state and local law enforcement agencies, according to a new white paper published by i2, the leading provider of intelligence and investigation software.i2 explores the challenges fusion centers face in achieving this multidirectional flow, some recommended solutions and reviews a few examples of success.
Initially, fusion centers were seen as a top-down approach where national-level intelligence was pushed down to the state level. However, over the last five years, local and national law enforcement agencies have recognized the value that human sensor input can add to the intelligence mix. For instance, state, local and tribal police collect information in the course of their normal work-day and enter it into the systems they use throughout the day.
Consider a simple hypothetical scenario. A local police officer tickets a man, parked where he shouldn’t be, who is taking photographs of an oil refinery (he says it's for a school project). A couple of days later, on the other side of the facility in the adjacent jurisdiction, a state police officer encounters a different man in the same vehicle, also photographing the facility, but this time with a flat tire as an excuse for stopping where he shouldn't. Individually, these incidents would most likely be considered minor events. But if the two officers' reports are pooled, with the right analytical tools, a fusion center analyst can be immediately alerted to uncover patterns, trends and connections between them that might otherwise remain hidden until too late.
While the above scenario is possible from a technology perspective, there are several obstacles that keep agencies and police departments from sharing information — whether it’s about protecting information, lacking technical knowhow or lacking the resources to do so.
“The reality is that local jurisdictions cannot wait for the Department of Homeland Security to inform them of suspicious activity in their area or for local police to request specific case assistance,” said Tim Riley, senior vice president of Business Development at i2.
Riley, former CIO of the Los Angeles Police Department led the deployment of one of the world’s largest information sharing initiatives in law enforcement. Built with i2 products, the system contains more than 250 million records that are accessible within seconds to all officers in Los Angeles and Orange County, Calif. He worked closely with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) in launching a centralized database that tied their various systems together that led to the development of the Regional Terrorism Information and Integration System (RTIIS).
A case study published on search.org notes that the RTIIS has helped solve cases across jurisdictions and even state lines, ranging from burglary to tracking down a gang member and providing the Las Vegas Police Department with vital information that helped them secure a warrant for a narcotics dealer. Captain Scott Edson of the LASD credits this success not only to the sharing of data, but also to the sharing of data that is collected from all levels — a multi-directional information flow.
Fusion centers were created following the 9/11 attacks as a joint effort between the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to ensure and facilitate collaboration and information sharing between local agencies, across state lines, and between the state and federal levels, with a particular emphasis on preventing and responding to terrorist and criminal activities.
More than 50 percent of fusion centers across the U.S. rely on i2 to help prevent and disrupt terrorist and criminal activity — all designed with protections for civil liberties. To download a copy of i2’s “Fusion Centers and the Sharing of Intelligence” white paper, visit the premium content sectionof i2’s Web site, provide a valid e-mail address and choose a password.
i2 is the leading provider of intelligence and investigation solutions for defense, national security, law enforcement and commercial security. Over 4,500 organizations in 150 countries rely on the i2 Intelligence-Led Operations Platform to proactively deter, prevent, predict and disrupt the world's most sophisticated criminal and terrorist threats. i2 started the intelligence revolution in 1990 and continues to lead the industry in innovation with products like Analyst's Notebook® and COPLINK®. These solutions enable public safety officers, analysts, managers, detectives and investigators to uncover hidden connections faster, deliver timely and actionable results and communicate complex situations more clearly than ever. For more information, please visit www.i2group.com. Follow i2 on Twitter @i2group and read the i2 blog iConnect.
