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| Fusion center (United States) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fusion center (United States) |
| Established | 2003 |
| Jurisdiction | State and local |
| Parent agency | Various |
Fusion center (United States) is a state and local intelligence-sharing entity created to connect law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and emergency services. Modeled after post-9/11 reforms, fusion centers aim to integrate information from agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Homeland Security, National Counterterrorism Center, and state police to support operations by entities like the New York Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department. Proponents cite coordination among bodies including the National Guard Bureau, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Marshals Service, and local sheriff's offices as benefits, while critics reference controversies involving the American Civil Liberties Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and congressional oversight by committees such as the United States House Committee on Homeland Security.
Fusion centers function as focal points linking agencies such as the Department of Justice, DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis, State Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Transportation Security Administration, and municipal partners including the Chicago Police Department, Houston Police Department, and Philadelphia Police Department. They facilitate information exchange among partners like the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, U.S. Secret Service, and regional fusion hubs including the Florida Fusion Center and the New Jersey Regional Operations and Intelligence Center. Fusion centers purport to serve users ranging from the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia to county emergency managers and tribal law enforcement such as the Navajo Nation Police Department.
After the September 11 attacks, commissions such as the 9/11 Commission and legislation including the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 encouraged creation of coordinated intelligence structures linking entities like the Office of Homeland Security, White House, Department of Defense, U.S. Coast Guard, and state fusion efforts in locations like New York City, Los Angeles County, Texas, and Virginia. Early models drew on practices from bodies such as the Joint Terrorism Task Force and lessons from incidents including the Boston Marathon bombing, the Oklahoma City bombing, and Hurricane Katrina. Federal funding streams from the Urban Areas Security Initiative, State Homeland Security Program, and grants administered by DHS accelerated proliferation, leading to centers in jurisdictions served by figures such as former governors Michael Bloomberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jeb Bush.
Governance involves partnerships among agencies including the Governor of California, various state governors, state police, municipal mayors like Rudy Giuliani and Eric Garcetti, county sheriffs, and federal liaisons from the FBI, DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Organizational models mirror those of the National Fusion Center Association and coordinate with entities such as the Regional Information Sharing System and the Law Enforcement Information Exchange. Oversight mechanisms include legislative bodies like the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, inspector general offices such as the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and judicial scrutiny by courts including the United States Court of Appeals.
Fusion centers collect, analyze, and disseminate intelligence supporting operations by agencies such as the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Secret Service Field Offices, and local departments like the Atlanta Police Department. Activities include counterterrorism analysis related to groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, counter-narcotics work involving the Drug Enforcement Administration and cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel, critical infrastructure protection for facilities overseen by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Los Angeles World Airports, and support for law enforcement responses to events like the 2005 London bombings and mass gatherings similar to the Super Bowl) operations. Centers produce intelligence products consumed by stakeholders including the National Counterterrorism Center, state attorneys general, district attorneys, fusion center partners in the Five Eyes community, and municipal emergency management agencies.
Funding streams from federal grant programs including the Department of Homeland Security grants, the Urban Area Security Initiative, and the State Homeland Security Program have drawn scrutiny from oversight bodies such as the Government Accountability Office and congressional investigators from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Privacy advocates including the American Civil Liberties Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and civil rights groups like the NAACP have raised concerns about information sharing with actors such as private contractors, the National Reconnaissance Office, and companies like Palantir Technologies. Oversight proposals reference statutory frameworks including the Privacy Act of 1974, recommendations from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, and investigative reports by offices such as the DHS Office of Inspector General.
Criticism has centered on incidents documented by reporters from outlets like the New York Times, Washington Post, and investigative work by organizations such as the ACLU and Center for Investigative Reporting, alleging surveillance of peaceful protesters, religious groups including Muslim American organizations, and journalists from outlets like CNN and ProPublica. Notable controversies involved reports on tips related to events such as the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations and protests in cities like Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, leading to congressional hearings featuring testimony before committees chaired by members of the United States House Committee on Homeland Security and the United States Senate Judiciary Committee. Reforms prompted by critiques have included audits by the Government Accountability Office and policy changes advocated by officials including the Attorney General of the United States and privacy officials within DHS.