Fusion Centers: What's up in your state?

[pinkmandy]

I think we need to start digging. This is obviously an issue we haven't investigated as we should have or at least I wasn't very aware myself.

Spotlight on Surveillance: “National Network” of Fusion Centers Raises Specter of COINTELPRO http://epic.org/privacy/surveillance/spotlight/0607/

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=081&typ=bil&val=hb1007&Submit2=Go


HB 1007 Fusion Intelligence Center; confidentiality and immunity from service of process.

Dwight Clinton Jones | all patrons

Summary as passed: (all summaries)

Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center; confidentiality; immunity. Provides that papers, records, documents, reports, materials, databases or other evidence or information relative to criminal intelligence or any terrorism investigation in the possession of the Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center within the Department of State Police is confidential and not subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act or the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act. The Department must conduct an annual review of such information and remove any which is determined to not have a nexus to terroristic activity. The bill also provides that people who have access to information maintained by the Fusion Center are not subject to subpoena in any civil action concerning criminal intelligence information maintained by the Fusion Center. The bill restricts the release or dissemination of information without prior authorization from the Fusion Center and punishes any person who knowingly disseminates information with a Class 1 misdemeanor. If such unauthorized release or dissemination results in death or serious bodily injury the penalty is a Class 4 felony. There is an immunity provision for people who furnish information on criminal violations to a governmental entity established for the purposes of detecting and preventing acts of terrorism.

Shrouded in secrecy. Nice. It's like VA has its own CIA for VA residents. What happens at Fusion Center stays at Fusion Center.

Site w/many links for VA: http://epic.org/privacy/fusion/

A memo from the FBI (they're the boss!): http://epic.org/privacy/virginia_fusion/MOU.pdf

[Johnnybags]

I think we need to start digging. This is obviously an issue we haven't investigated as we should have or at least I wasn't very aware myself.

Spotlight on Surveillance: “National Network” of Fusion Centers Raises Specter of COINTELPRO http://epic.org/privacy/surveillance/spotlight/0607/

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=081&typ=bil&val=hb1007&Submit2=Go



Shrouded in secrecy. Nice. It's like VA has its own CIA for VA residents. What happens at Fusion Center stays at Fusion Center.

Site w/many links for VA: http://epic.org/privacy/fusion/

A memo from the FBI (they're the boss!): http://epic.org/privacy/virginia_fusion/MOU.pdf

They are preparing for the proverbial sh*t hitting the fan, meanwhile back at the ranch the citizenry is in a trance.

[ShowMeLiberty]

Good work. The Missouri Fusion Center is in the spotlight today but there may be even worse things going on in other states. It would be useful to know what is going on in all the states.

[pcosmar]

Good question.
had never looked into it before.
Will now.
http://www.michigan.gov/mioc

[lynnf]

there's supposed to be a new fusion center come online in Austin, Tx soon. I'd be surprised if it weren't already online but I'm told that it isn't supposed to be yet.

there's already one in north Texas since 2006:
http://www.fusionsystem.us/

here's what's wrong with fusion centers according to ACLU:

http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/privacy/fusioncenter_20071212.pdf

lynn

[donnay]

http://www.dhs.gov/xinfoshare/programs/gc_1156877184684.shtm

State and Local Fusion Centers

Many states and larger cities have created state and local fusion centers to share information and intelligence within their jurisdictions as well as with the federal government. The Department, through the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, provides personnel with operational and intelligence skills to the fusion centers. This support is tailored to the unique needs of the locality and serves to:

* help the classified and unclassified information flow,
* provide expertise,
* coordinate with local law enforcement and other agencies, and
* provide local awareness and access.

As of February 2009, there were 58 fusion centers around the country. The Department has deployed 31 officers as of December 2008 and plans to have 70 professionals deployed by the end of 2009. The Department has provided more than $254 million from FY 2004-2007 to state and local governments to support the centers.

The Homeland Security Data Network (HSDN), which allows the federal government to move information and intelligence to the states at the Secret level, is deployed at 27 fusion centers. Through HSDN, fusion center staff can access the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), a classified portal of the most current terrorism-related information.

The Department has deployed intelligence officers to state fusion centers in:

* Arizona
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* District of Columbia
* Georgia
* Florida
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Louisiana
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Missouri
* New Jersey
* New York
* North Carolina
* Ohio
* Oregon
* South Carolina
* Texas
* Virginia
* Washington
* Wisconsin

The Department has also deployed support to fusion centers in New York City, Los Angeles and the Dallas region.


We can see who helped set policy for these Fusion centers:

http://www.cfr.org/publication/12689/

[pinkmandy]

It looks like the one in VA was set up during the primary campaigning season while everyone was focused on the presidential race. I wonder if that's the trend in other states as well?