6.5 Fusion Centers

WHO? State and Local Fusion Centers.

WHAT? Provide a channel for sharing classified information with State, Local, and Federal officials.

WHEN? Sponsored under the Urban Area Security Initiative, the Fusion Center program has been in full force with 72 active facilities since 2009.

WHERE? Fusion Centers are located in all 50 State, DC, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

WHY? To help facilitate the production of Actionable Intelligence to thwart terrorism.

There’s only one bad thing about intelligence, it is typically classified, and you need two things to see it: 1) a clearance, and 2) a need to know. Although many law enforcement agencies have a need to know, the general scarcity of security clearances puts national intelligence mostly beyond their reach. That’s one of the reasons why the Department of Homeland Security created the Fusion Center. National intelligence is generally classified at one of three levels: confidential, secret, or top secret. Classifications are applied based on the potential damage it could cause to national security if divulged. Divulged Confidential information could damage national security. Divulged Secret information could cause serious damage. And Top Secret information could cause exceptionally grave damage. To keep classified information from being divulged, one must have a clearance and need-to-know. Generally speaking, a clearance can either be Secret or Top Secret. Your clearance must be equal to or higher than the classification of the information to which you need access. To obtain a clearance, you must first have a job which has been authorized clearances by the NSA. Because of its history, the NSA is responsible for protecting all Federal classified information. Next, you must qualify and apply for a security clearance. The basic eligibility requirement is that you’re a good, loyal US citizen. A background investigation will validate your eligibility. Because of the background investigation requirement, today it may take up to six months to get a security clearance, and cost as much as $15,000. Fusion Centers were designed as places where State and Local law enforcement officials could obtain clearances and gain access to classified intelligence information. DHS helped fund State and Local Fusion as part of its Urban Area Security Initiative. UASI funds counterterrorism measures for 33 major cities designated high-value terrorist targets. Remember, State and Local law enforcement don’t work for the Federal government. They cannot be directed to do something, but they can be enticed with Homeland Security Grant Program funds. Using Homeland Security Grant Program funds as enticement, DHS funded establishment and operation of 72 State and Local Fusion Centers. That’s one Fusion Center for each of the 54 States and Territories, plus more for large urban areas. Fusion Centers, as their name implies, provides a central point where representatives from all State and Local agencies can joint together to share information among themselves and with DHS. DHS shares classified intelligence information through its Homeland Security Information Network. HSIN gives State and Local agencies access to national classified intelligence, and by the same token, allows them to share State and Local information with DHS. The system is not perfect. No two Fusion Centers are alike, prompting the joke that “if you’ve seen one Fusion Center, then you’ve seen one Fusion Center.” Although shared lessons are helping Fusion Centers become more collaborative, there remain systemic problems working against full-and-open cooperation. State and Local officials complain that DHS overwhelms them with useless information. Credible intelligence may result in an alert, but the ascribed area may encompass the entire State or Nation, making it meaningless for State and Local officials to try and concentrate their forces. Likewise, DHS complains that State and Local officials don’t share meaningful information with them. State and Local law enforcement may indeed be reluctant to share critical information for fear it might compromise their case in court. Despite these drawbacks, a 2017 report found that Fusion Centers continue to improve and have enhanced coordination between State, Local, and Federal officials working together in counterterrorism. But just like you can’t stop a hurricane, you can’t stop a determined attacker. Join us next time as we take a closer look at emergency management, the response and recovery side of homeland security.