State & Local Intel in the GWOT
RAND just published another good product:
State and Local Intelligence in the War on Terrorism
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Most discussion of information sharing in the war on terrorism has concentrated on the federal government. Yet, state and local law enforcement agencies (LEAs) may be uniquely positioned to augment federal intelligence capabilities by virtue of their presence in nearly every American community, their knowledge of local individuals and groups, and their use of intelligence to combat crime. How widespread is counterterrorism intelligence activity among state and local LEAs, and how is this activity managed? What are those state and local authorities doing differently since 9/11 in collecting and processing information? How are courts and other oversight bodies guiding that process? And what might an “ideal” division of labor among the various levels of government look like?
Localities Operate Intelligence Centers To Pool Terror Data
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...123000238.html
Quote:
Frustrated by poor federal cooperation, U.S. states and cities are building their own network of intelligence centers led by police to help detect and disrupt terrorist plots.
The new "fusion centers" are now operating in 37 states, including Virginia and Maryland, and another covers the Washington area, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The centers, which have received $380 million in federal support since the 2001 terrorist attacks, pool and analyze information from local, state and federal law enforcement officials.
The emerging "network of networks" marks a new era of opportunity for law enforcement, according to U.S. officials and homeland security experts. Police are hungry for federal intelligence in an age of homegrown terrorism and more sophisticated crime. For their part, federal law enforcement officials could benefit from a potential army of tipsters -- the 700,000 local and state police officers across the country, as well as private security guards and others being courted by the centers.
But the emerging model of "intelligence-led policing" faces risks on all sides. The centers are popping up with little federal leadership and training, raising fears of overzealousness such as that associated with police "red squads" that spied on civil rights and peace activists decades ago. The centers also face practical obstacles that could limit their effectiveness, including a shortage of money, skilled analysts, and proven relationships with the FBI and Homeland Security.
Still, the centers are emerging as a key element in a sometimes chaotic new domestic intelligence infrastructure, which also includes homeland security units in local police forces and 103 FBI-led terrorism task forces, triple the number that existed before the Sept. 11 attacks.
Fusion centers are becoming "part of the landscape for local government," said the incoming D.C. police chief, Cathy Lanier. But she warned that police are navigating a new patchwork of state and federal privacy laws that govern the sharing, collection and storage of information. "We're in a very precarious position right now," she said. "If we lose community support, that is going to be a big deal for local law enforcement."
Online Lectures On Intelligence Analysis
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WHAT IS INTELLIGENCE?
"Common sense is not so common" (Voltaire)
Intelligence is different from information-processing. It's not the sort of brain intelligence, or small-letter i intelligence that psychologists study. Intelligence can be defined as "secret knowledge of an enemy, the kind of knowledge which stands independently of the means by which it is obtained and the process by which it is distilled" (Troy 1991). Intelligence is the same as "foreknowledge, a kind of prophecy-like craft, which is always on alert, in every part of the world, toward friend and foe alike" (Dulles 1963). Intelligence is never an end in itself, but is always directed toward other ends, such as winning a war, coming out ahead of the competition, or aiding with the investigation of crime, in which case the title "intelligence analyst" is synonymous with "crime analyst." Intelligence is also like social science, since it tries to analyze and predict political, economic, and social behavior. However, social science is value-free, and intelligence is inherently partisan. Shulsky and Schmitt (2002) define intelligence as "the collection and analysis of intelligence information relevant to a government's formulation and implementation of policy to further its national security interests and to deal with threats from actual or potential adversaries." Intelligence can be thought of as a PROCESS (the means by which secret information is collected, analyzed, and disseminated), as a PRODUCT (the analyses, reports, and briefings that are useful or "actionable"), and an ORGANIZATION (a collection of units or agencies that carry out intelligence work).
ONLINE LECTURES ON INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS
http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/427/427lects.htm
Lessons Learned Information Sharing
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Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS.gov) is the national network of Lessons Learned and Best Practices for emergency response providers and homeland security officials. LLIS.gov's secure, restricted-access information is designed to facilitate efforts to prevent, prepare for and respond to acts of terrorism and other incidents across all disciplines and communities throughout the US.
Secure: LLIS.gov is an encrypted system and all users are verified emergency response providers and homeland security officials.
Peer-validated content: All Lessons Learned and Best Practices are peer-validated by homeland security professionals.
After Action Reports and Information clearinghouse: LLIS houses an extensive catalog of AARs as well as an updated list of homeland security documents from DHS, and other Federal, State, and local organizations.
DHS LLIS
https://www.llis.dhs.gov/index.cfm
FBI seeks vendor for NGIC gang intelligence
Jedburgh,
You aware of this new NGIC? Interesting how this has come about.
FBI seeks vendor for NGIC gang intelligence
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The FBI is seeking proposals to develop and integrate gang intelligence analysis and workflow capability for its National Gang Intelligence Center (NGIC) to support law enforcement.
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Currently, NGIC does not possess a centralized information system that can receive, store, manipulate or exchange gang information, including photographs and other identifiers, from federal, state and local law enforcement. In addition, the center does not connect to either the Regional Information Sharing System Network or GangNet, two major gang intelligence systems that law enforcement agencies nationwide use. NGIC participants agree that equal and equitable information sharing is a key to the center’s success.
Quote:
The NGIC information technology support system will be a sensitive-but-unclassified system.
The contract would have a one-year base period and four option years. The base period will start one year from the award date. Proposals are due July 9.
State & Local Intel in the GWOT
I was glad to see that the article in the Fire Chief magazine was quoted in this forum. I have worked in the AcTIC (Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center) since it's inception, and can tell you that we are very proud of what we have built out here. With all of the AZ links to 9-11, we had to get much better at communicating between all agencies, and we had to do it fast. (AZ is cited 59 separate times in the 9-11 Commission report)
We have been operational since 2004, and continue to make improvements to our system. I am saddened to see some of the other posts about the lack of information getting out to the line level officers, from other centers around the country. With the federal agencies and all the state and local agencies all in one building it makes information sharing very simple and easy. Sometimes we in law enforcement make information sharing too difficult a task than what it has to be... we put up barriers where they don't need to be between levels of government and other agencies.
As mentioned in the Fire Chief magazine, our Center also includes a very close knit partnership with the states Fire Agencies. I ask the states that don't have close ties with their fire agencies, is where is all your information coming from then? Partnering with the Fire agencies and Private Security increases your "eyes & ears" out in the State and builds your protective lines and levels of security around your state.
I can't think of too many things that other states come to AZ for to learn how to do things right... and we aren't saying that we have all the correct answers, but we know we have a great program out here, and we continue to evaluate what is working and what doesn't and we change from there. Our citizens in AZ expect it from us, and we are doing everything we can to keep AZ Safe.
Crime info trumps terror data at fusion centers
Crime info trumps terror data at fusion centers :confused:
http://www.washingtontechnology.com/...topic=homeland
Quote:
Anti-terrorism information-sharing and analysis is taking a back seat to criminal intelligence at the more than 40 state intelligence fusion centers, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service.
State governors created the centers, and the Homeland Security Department provides part of the funding. Their purpose is to fuse federal, state and local intelligence against terrorism, but CRS found the fusion centers have gravitated more toward collecting and analyzing criminal intelligence and all-hazards intelligence. The service found few indications that the centers have been making efforts to become aware of terrorist plans and foil attacks.
Kurdish Gangs Emerge in Nashville
I find it odd that this type intermixing from muslim youths would only be unique to Nashville area. Detroit I would say has to be #1 based on population.
NASHVILLE, TN
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But now the Kurdish immigrant community has been shaken to see its young people joining a street gang that blends old-world customs and new-world thuggery. Police blame the gang for a string of rapes, assaults and home invasions.
The gang calls itself Kurdish Pride and is made up of 20 to 30 teenagers and young adults.
Quote:
They also put Kurdish flags on their cars, and use yellow - from the Kurdish Democratic Party banner - as their gang color. On their Web sites, they talk about Kurdish music and culture.
Unlike other gang members, most Kurdish Pride followers grew up in stable, working-class, two-parent homes, and many of their parents own successful businesses or work at universities, Nashville Detective Mark Anderson said.
The Kurds, most of whom are Sunni Muslim, come mainly from Turkey, Iraq and Iran but have their own language and culture. Kurdish immigrants have sought refuge in Nashville since the 1970s, creating the largest community of Kurds in an American city, with about 10,000 members, Karadaghi said. More Kurds fleeing persecution came to Nashville in the late '90s, and many attend the city's public schools.
Gang members say they formed Kurdish Pride in response to threats and harassment after the Sept. 11 attacks, Anderson said. But Anderson, who works their neighborhood, said he has never heard of any violence against the Kurds.
LE Tech In COIN Operations
Fantastic article from newest issue JFQ on how the Chicago CLEAR system was used in Iraq. Link to article
http://www.ndu.edu/inss/Press/jfq_pa...ions/i46/7.pdf