The Department of Justice (DOJ) has largely implemented the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative among fusion centers—entities that serve as the focal point within a state for sharing and analyzing suspicious activity reports and other threat information. The state and local law enforcement officials GAO interviewed generally said the initiative’s processes worked well, but that they could benefit from additional feedback from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on how the reports they submit are used. The FBI has a feedback mechanism, but not all stakeholders were aware of it. Implementing formalized feedback mechanisms as part of the initiative could help stakeholders conduct accurate analyses of terrorism-related information, among other things.
Tag Archive for Information Sharing
White House
White House National Strategy for Information Sharing and Safeguarding December 2012
Our national security depends on our ability to share the right information, with the right people, at the right time. This information sharing mandate requires sustained and responsible collaboration between Federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, private sector, and foreign partners. Over the last few years, we have successfully streamlined policies and processes, overcome cultural barriers, and better integrated information systems to enable information sharing. Today’s dynamic operating environment, however, challenges us to continue improving information sharing and safeguarding processes and capabilities. While innovation has enhanced our ability to share, increased sharing has created the potential for vulnerabilities requiring strengthened safeguarding practices. The 2012 National Strategy for Information Sharing and Safeguarding provides guidance for effective development, integration, and implementation of policies, processes, standards, and technologies to promote secure and responsible information sharing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
ICE Pattern Analysis and Information Collection (ICEPIC) System
The ICE Pattern Analysis and Information Collection (ICEPIC) system was established in 2008 to enable ICE law enforcement agents and analysts to look for non-obvious relationship patterns among individuals and organizations that are indicative of violations of the customs and immigration laws that are enforced by DHS agencies, as well as possible terrorist threats and plots. From these relationships, ICE agents develop specific leads and intelligence for active and new investigations. Identified relationships are also recorded for reuse in subsequent investigative analyses. The information processed by ICEPIC comes from existing ICE investigative and apprehension records systems, as well as immigration and alien admission records systems. ICEPIC includes capabilities that assist investigators in recording results of analyses performed in support of investigations and in capturing additional relevant information obtained from outside sources. The information collected by, on behalf of, in support of, or in cooperation with DHS and its components may contain personally identifiable information collected by other Federal, State, local, tribal, foreign government agencies, or international organizations.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(U//FOUO) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Information Sharing Overview
A presentation from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Systems Branch on the status of information sharing presented at the 2011 AFCEA Homeland Security Conference on February 23, 2011.
Intelligence Fusion Centers, United States
Federal Highway Administration Fusion Center Information Sharing Guidebook
This guidebook provides an overview of the mission and functions of transportation management centers, emergency operations centers, and fusion centers. The guidebook focuses on the types of information these centers produce and manage and how the sharing of such information among the centers can be beneficial to both the day-to-day and emergency operations of all the centers. Challenges exist to the ability to share information, and the guidebook addresses these challenges and options for handling them. The guidebook also provides some lessons learned and best practices identified from a literature search and interviews/site visits with center operators.
Department of Homeland Security
(U//FOUO//LES) DHS Law Enforcement Information Sharing (LEIS) Service
Simply stated, the LEIS Service is the “pipe” used to connect state and local law enforcement with DHS law enforcement.
European Union
Restricted US-EU Airline Passenger Information Sharing Agreement
Accord entre l’Union européenne et les États-Unis d’Amérique sur le traitement et le transfert de données PNR par des transporteurs aériens au bureau des douanes et de la protection des frontières du ministère américain de la sécurité intérieure.
Department of Defense, United Kingdom
U.S.-U.K. Information Exchange Agreement
The objectives and scope of work ofthis MOU are to: Establish a conduit for sharing SAP Project Information while maintaining appropriate safeguards. This conduit will allow dissemination of SAP Project Information to in-country, defense activities and provide a security structure for cooperative programs and competitions requiring SAP Project Information protection.