Inter-Organizational Relationships and Law Enforcement Information Sharing Post-September 11, 2001

Abstract

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.