The 40 state homeland security directors who responded to the second annual survey cited challenges in relationships with federal agencies in areas such as intelligence and information sharing, funding, and coordination. They specifically asked for: producing more information to make federal intelligence usable, flexibility for states to use DHS funds, and avoiding duplicative or contrary federal activities and requirements.
A majority of the homeland security directors are dissatisfied with the usefulness and specificity of intelligence sent by federal agencies to the states. This is a significant increase from the previous survey. Some 70 percent of those responding to the survey indicated the development of a state intelligence fusion center, working in close proximity with federal officials to receive, integrate, and analyze information as a top priority.
The majority of federal DHS-developed intelligence that is sent to the states goes through two DHS web-based systems: Joint Regional Information Exchange System (JRIES) and Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). The systems are designed to connect local, state, and federal agencies to share and exchange secure, counterterrorism information. They were intended to strengthen the flow of, real-time threat information to local, state, and private sector partners at the Sensitive-but-Unclassified level. Both JRIES and HSIN have suffered from lack of use and criticism since their installation in late 2003 and early 2004. Technically, these compartmented systems seem to function most of the time; however, they lack a foundation of a trusted social network. This lack of a social network has caused a reluctance of use by local and state intelligence analysts. The development of intelligence is akin to putting together a jigsaw puzzle with bits of information coming from a wide assortment of sources that must be fitted into place to gain a view of the entire picture?the proverbial “connecting the dots.” In many cases, getting this information, requires making a request for information from well established contacts or sources, as nobody shares sensitive information without a trusted relationship?a social network. When DHS installed JRIES and HSIN in state and local jurisdictions, they sent a technician to load the software on designated computers; the technician provided a brief description of the systems operations, and he departed, never to be seen again. No effort was made to provide training or gather the intended users and create a foundation for the development of a social network. The results have been a DHS-imposed intelligence and information-sharing system that goes unused by the vast majority of local and state officials charged with homeland security.
Also, as noted in the 2006 survey, the lack of ?tear-lined? information is another cause of dissatisfaction with federal intelligence at the local and state level. Tear-lined information deletes the sources and methods used by intelligence collecting agencies but provides actionable information that can be transmitted to all public safety agencies.
As discussed in the March 22 WAR Report, hopefully the new effort by DHS to place federal intelligence analysts in fusion centers at the local and state levels will enhance the sharing of information and intelligence.
