Fusion Centers Case Study

ways that enable multiple agencies to 'connect the dots ' and identify potential security threats (Monahan & Palmer, 2009). The role and contribution of fusion centers in counterterrorism and national security become even greater, given that they are central to developing effective information-driven relationships with private entities. The latter can provide useful information to help prevent possible attacks. Dozens of fusion centers currently operate in the U.S., with hundreds of thousands of people working in them. The federal government maintains the public belief in the information sharing effectiveness of such centers. Their philosophic and conceptual appeal rests on the fact that fusion centers bring together professionals from multiple agencies at all levels of the criminal justice system to …show more content…
Much has been written and said about the benefits of fusion centers and their potentials to improve collaboration at all levels of the law enforcement hierarchy. These organizational modalities have proved to be particularly useful for collecting and disseminating intelligence data. By partnering with private bodies, fusion centers have significantly expanded their information sharing outreach. Nevertheless, many issues remain unresolved. As of today, fusion centers lack any centralized guidance or comprehensive directions that could help them prioritize among multiple intelligence activities. Numerous inconsistencies stand in their way to ensuring greater domestic security and effectiveness of counterterrorism measures. The federal government can do little to standardize the principles behind intelligence activities within fusion centers. Therefore, they should unite around the core goal of developing a unified information management and exchange system to provide a better intelligence