HOMELAND DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYSIS

State and major urban area fusion centers serve as focal points within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT), and private sector partners.

There are issues and concerns related to intelligence collection methods at some of the country’s local law enforcement agencies, joint terrorism task groups, and fusion centers. The first issue relates to constitutional limitations. Constitutional limitations restrict the government’s ability to access private information. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is particularly relevant. To the extent that government activity burdens individuals’ freedom of speech and related rights, the First Amendment may also play a role. Another issue is related to the process of collecting and sharing the information, which in many cases is not standardized, creating potential holes in the way officials exchange information on terror threats.

Case Assignment
Briefly describe the six-step intelligence cycle.
What are some potential problems with collecting intelligence within the United States?
Give some examples of fusion centers and how these centers fuse intelligence at the local, state, and federal levels.