Introduction to Homeland Security

Communication Initiatives

Jose Campuzano

Russel Brown

100-7B Introduction to Homeland Security

Abstract

Looking at the National Network of Fusion Centers and If You See Something, Say Something initiatives can help to learn just what is being done to combat terrorist attacks. These initiatives are the most effective of the four different initiatives and will help when trying to see what is going on and passing along information to others.

If there is not information being shared, then no one would know what was going on and no one would be prepared for anything that could happen. They would have to figure it out for themselves and they would not know how to get the information to others.

Communication Initiatives

There are four initiatives that the federal government has designed to improve the communications between the local law enforcement, state, federal agencies and with the common people. The four initiatives are; National Network of Fusion Centers, Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting, National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) and If You See Something, Say Something. They all have their good and their bad but a couple stand out above the rest. The two that stand out the most are the National Network of Fusion Centers and the If You See Something, Say Something.

National Network of Fusion Centers

The National Network of Fusion Centers are operated as a state and major urban area focal points. They are set up for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the different agencies to include federal, state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT) and even the private sector partners ("Department Of Homeland Security", 2017). 

Fusion centers are a sharing hub that brings critical context and value to homeland security and law enforcement that no other organization could replicate. The fusion centers provide comprehensive and appropriate access that no other single partner can offer. They also offer a unique perspective because they are independent from federal partners and are able to provide their thoughts on threats to the state or locality while still contributing to the national threat picture ("Department Of Homeland Security", 2017). 

Finally, the fusion have a unique role because they are the primary conduit between the frontline personnel, the state and local leaderships and the rest of the Homeland Security Enterprise while still being able to fill in the huge security gap that has been identified by the 9/11 Commission ("Department Of Homeland Security", 2017).  This helps the centers to be able to have a relationship between the National Network and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and have a truly collaborative partnership. With the DHS making sure the relationship between the agencies are maturing they are making information sharing possible and viable ("Department Of Homeland Security", 2017). 

If You See Something, Say Something

If you see something, say something is the initiative to get the communities and everyday people involved in making sure that our nation is safe. People each have their own routines and they share moments with everyone they come across. Everyone has a way of going about their days and they will know what is supposed to be going on. They are more likely to be able to see if something is out of place then someone that is just walking into the situation. You can see what others would think of as something that is normal but you know that it is not because you have never noticed it before. When something like this happens is when you should report it ("Department Of Homeland Security", 2017).