law enforcement

During the month of May, two of our important mission partners are commemorated during Military Appreciation Month and National Police Week. As the national office for responsible information sharing charged with supporting our Nation’s counterterrorism and homeland security missions, we at PM-ISE salute our nation’s law enforcement and military professionals and their families.

National Police Week

As President of the National Fusion Center Association, I want to tell the nation about the hard work that our fusion centers do every day to protect citizens across the United States. Usually in the background, the dedicated men and women who work in fusion centers are always ready to surge to support a crisis. Last week reminded us all of the continued threats and need for fusion centers.

Throughout South Dakota, as in many other states, our state law enforcement, city police departments, and county sheriffs have traditionally used a variety of different systems to manage records and jail information. Until recently, these systems were largely isolated and prevented statewide information sharing.

We knew we had to fix this, but we wanted to find a low-cost solution that could incorporate jurisdictions all across South Dakota, many of which have small budgets and only a few officers.

In late October, the Atlantic Coast faced its biggest hurricane on record. At one point, Hurricane Sandy covered one-fifth of the contiguous United States, its effects were felt from Florida to Maine, and its costs have been second only to Hurricane Katrina.

As analysts began to warn about the incredible size and potential harm of Hurricane Sandy, it was clear to both New Jersey government officials and citizens that information sharing and collaboration would be paramount to saving lives, protecting property, and dealing with the aftermath.

Last month, Ronald Brooks was awarded the National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, which is the highest honor presented to a non-federal employee who has performed eminent acts of service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States Intelligence Community.

Our state and major urban area-led fusion centers have been and continue to be a critical component of our nation’s information sharing capabilities. By design, the national network of fusion centers are a direct reflection of our federated democracy and the sovereignty of state and local governments.

I just returned from the 119^th Annual International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference and Law Enforcement Education and Technology Expo in San Diego, CA. The IACP 2012 Conference is an excellent opportunity to learn about progress and develop connections in law enforcement, as well as discuss and solve issues in law enforcement and information sharing.

This year, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) will host our 119^th Annual IACP Conference and Law Enforcement Education and Technology Expo in San Diego. This year’s conference is another outstanding opportunity to learn, problem solve, and collaborate on pressing law enforcement community issues.

Effective and responsible information sharing requires strong commitment and participation from agencies. A number of our mission partners have embraced a culture of responsible information sharing in their planning and implementation – they have developed effective internal governance structures and practical measures to ensure that information sharing and risk management goals and objectives are fully integrated in their day-to-day operations.