Fusion Center Mandate

Having reached the mid-point of 2009, law enforcement professionals would do well to pause and reflect on the state of fusion centers, whose numbers have grown to around 70 in the U.S. Their core mandate is to “fuse a broader range of data, including non-traditional source data, to create a more comprehensive threat picture.” That is according to a report by the Congressional Research Service entitled, “Fusion Centers: Issues and Options for Congress.” While fusion centers have been around for awhile and are integral to the sharing of intelligence in the country’s counter-terrorism initiative, some are still experiencing growing pains and the fulfillment of their mandate.