This item by the Washington Post defends Homeland Security Intelligence Fusion Centers which link the 14 or so national level intelligence agencies with local and state law enforcement operations. According to the Post Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, acknowledged in a statement that the centers have some problems." However, he pointed out a recent Congressional critique's inside the Beltway bias by saying the report focused too narrowly on intelligence going to federal officials in Washington and ignored broader benefits, including better information sharing with state law enforcement agencies. As I've stated in an earlier Blog entry [today] under international law national governments are tasked with civil aviation security standards. In the TransportationSecurity area, these Fusion Centers provide a required interface between organizations such as the FBI and CIA and the local, railroad, state and airport police around the US.
According to the Washington Post - "Several law enforcement groups, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs’ Association and the National Fusion Center Association, also said the report did not address the significant benefits that fusion centers provide to state, local and tribal law enforcement.
“Additionally, the report incorrectly asserts that a majority of the information or intelligence released by fusion centers is untimely, inaccurate and of little use. This assertion is false,” the groups said in a joint statement. DHS spokesman Matt Chandler said that the report was “inaccurate and misleading” and that Senate investigators “refused to review relevant data,” including classified material." Sounds like the usual political blowing of smoke on Capitol Hill in preparation for the election.
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