One thing our founding fathers didn’t consider when establishing our federal government system was the challenges it would pose in protecting our nation. Of course, there was no way they could predict the level of threat that would result from our country becoming the powerful nation it is today.
However, as much as we’d hate to admit it, the U.S. government's structure, with its multiple agencies and levels of government, has led to fragmentation and compartmentalization of information and authority. Intelligence agencies, and other federal, state, and local entities, possess various pieces of information but don’t always share or connect this information effectively due to bureaucratic barriers and, let’s face it — politics.
Unfortunately, this was one of the reasons the U.S. was unable to identify and prevent the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Preventing the attacks of 9/11 would have required a combination of proactive measures, improved intelligence sharing, and policy changes. But in particular, better coordination and sharing of intelligence between various U.S. government agencies and others might have allowed authorities to connect the dots regarding the attacks. There were multiple intelligence indicators that, if pieced together, could have raised red flags.
This is the reason that fusion centers exist today.
Fusion centers are typically established and operated by state and local governments in partnership with federal agencies to facilitate information sharing, analysis, and collaboration on matters of homeland security, counterterrorism, and law enforcement.
Today, the National Network of Fusion Centers comprises 80 Department of Homeland Security recognized fusion centers operating across the United States and U.S. territories.
Current State of Fusion Centers Today
The number of fusion centers has grown over time as they have significantly improved intelligence and information sharing among various agencies and jurisdictions, facilitating a more coordinated and comprehensive approach to homeland security and law enforcement.
Fusion centers have been successful in preventing and disrupting threats and even demonstrated effectiveness in supporting response efforts during natural disasters, public health emergencies, and other critical incidents by providing situational awareness, resource coordination, and support to first responders and private sector partners.
But fusion centers stand at a pivotal juncture. There is tremendous trust and partnerships within the network, but there are opportunities to collaborate more quickly and efficiently.
Within the network, there exists a foundation of trust built through years of partnership and information exchange among federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial entities. However, this trust is not always fully realized when it comes to acting on the data shared.
Despite the wealth of intelligence flowing through fusion centers, challenges persist in translating information into actionable outcomes. This discrepancy between data sharing and effective action has significant implications. Without the ability to swiftly and decisively act on shared intelligence, the intelligence community misses opportunities to prevent threats or mitigate risks effectively.
To address this gap between information sharing and action fusion centers need a solution that can help streamline processes, enhance analytical capabilities, and provide a means for collaborative decision-making. A single system among fusion centers would allow for secure and swift information sharing and collaboration.
This is what Kaseware was built for — with fusion center operation in mind.
The Choice Among Fusion Centers
In response to the intelligence failures and coordination challenges exposed by the 9/11 attacks, significant reforms were implemented to enhance information sharing, streamline intelligence processes, and strengthen the coordination of counterterrorism efforts across federal, state, and local levels of government — including fusion centers.
Here at Kaseware, we recognize why fusion centers exist and are here to help them. If you’re a member of the National Network of Fusion Centers, our goal is to help you to fulfill this mission. We understand your challenge as you prove the effectiveness of federal, state, and local collaboration every day.
Kaseware supports almost 30% of the fusion centers in existence today. Fusion centers that leverage our software can securely gather, manage, and share data with partners and other fusion centers. Why Kaseware is ideal for the National Network of Fusion Centers:
Compliant with 28 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Part 23
Submit Suspicious Activity Reports directly in Kaseware through public portals
Direct access to share to RISS and eGuardian networks
Critical Incident Planning tools with built-in GeoMapping
Critical Infrastructure & Threat Assessment tools
Custom dynamic forms that can be tailored to each fusion center operation
You own the data — not Kaseware
Kaseware is dedicated to unified and coordinated support for fusion centers. If you’d like to learn more, schedule a demo.