Browsing by Subject "intelligence"
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Item Disparity between Fusion Center Web Content and Self-Reported Activity(Sage, 2016-09) Carter, Jeremy G.; Lewandowski, Carla; May, Gabrielle A.; School of Public and Environmental AffairsThe fusion center literature is limited and lacks consensus regarding operational focus and strategic priorities. Perhaps the lone consistent finding in this literature is the lack of awareness among outsiders regarding what fusion centers do and the capabilities they provide. Contemporary communication research indicates the Internet serves as the primary source of information to inform what they do not understand. The present study employs a mixed methods approach that combines a content analysis of fusion center web content with fusion center self-report data gleaned from a federally funded project. This study encompasses 74 of the 77 primary and officially recognized fusion centers in the United States. Results indicate that centers provide limited information online about their organization and significantly underreport their activities and capabilities online in comparison to self-reported tasks. Information available online through official fusion centers websites is poor at best. Fusion centers self-report to engage in tasks consistent with their information sharing and analytic mission. A context for the findings is provided in addition to recommendations and study limitations.Item End-User Perceptions of Intelligence Dissemination from a State Fusion Center(2014-09-01) Lewandowski, Carla; Carter, Jeremy G.This research examines end-user perceptions of an intelligence product disseminated from a state fusion center in the Northeast region of the United States. The current literature suffers from an empirical gap within the arena of contemporary law enforcement intelligence; largely because of the difficulty of obtaining data related to such practices. This research informs this gap and provides insights into local law enforcement intelligence sharing. Descriptive statistics and interview narratives are presented. Original survey data was collected from a sample of law enforcement agencies subscribed to the fusion center’s intelligence listserv. Random interviews with survey respondents were also conducted and NVivo software was utilized to develop qualitative constructs. Findings indicate the intelligence product is read daily and perceived to be moderately useful by recipients. End users are primarily concerned with jurisdiction-specific and officer safety-related information. Upper-level administrators are the organizational lynchpins for funneling information to patrol officers.Item The Intelligence Fusion Process for State, Local and Tribal Law Enforcement(2009-12) Carter, David L.; Carter, Jeremy G.Intelligence fusion centers have grown rapidly in the last few years as state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies have attempted to find the best way to share information about threats to their communities. The Department of Homeland Security and the Information Sharing Environment of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence embraced fusion centers as being an important mechanism to aid them in their missions to share terrorism information among law enforcement, the private sector, and the intelligence community. The development and management of fusion centers have received significant guidance from the Justice Department, via the Global Intelligence Working Group, by developing standards for structure and processes. Critics, however, are concerned that the centers have inadequate protections for privacy and civil rights. This article examines issues in the development of fusion centers and provides an examination of the support for and criticisms of such agencies.Item Inter-Organizational Relationships and Law Enforcement Information Sharing Post-September 11, 2001(2014-06) Carter, Jeremy G.The lack of information sharing among law enforcement agencies leading up to the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks has been well documented. An emphasis on interaction among law enforcement agencies with other government and private sector organizations has been reinforced in contemporary counter-terrorism efforts. Despite this emphasis, very little is known with respect to which law enforcement agencies are collaborating with which public works and private sector organizations to fulfill this critical mission gap. The present research utilizes two federally funded national surveys to explore the collaborative relationships between law enforcement, other government organizations, and private sector organizations. Findings suggest collaboration across sectors exists; however, it appears significant room for improvement remains.Item The Role of People in Information-Sharing: Perceptions from an Analytic Unit of a Regional Fusion Center(Taylor & Francis, 2017) Lewandowski, Carla; Carter, Jeremy G.; Campbell, Walter L.; School of Public and Environmental AffairsInformation sharing research has largely focused on capturing operational practices related to the exchange of information. A noticeable shortcoming of this developing literature is the lack of scholarly attention focused specifically on analytic personnel. The present study employs semi-structured interviews with 23 personnel that comprise the analytic unit within a regional fusion center located in a large metropolitan area in the United States. Findings indicate that there is significant ambiguity surrounding the organizational and geographic audiences to which intelligence products should be tailored. Moreover, it appears information sharing is sparse and reliant upon personal relationships between analysts and external organizations. Lastly, analysts do not receive feedback pertaining to the content and effectiveness of intelligence products created. These findings may be generalized to other analytical organizations whose primary goal is to gather, analyze and disseminate intelligence. Action steps for policymakers are provided.