Homeland security is the branch of the cabinet of the government of the United States that a role to the national public. The purpose of homeland security is to ensure that the country and the communities are protected from life-threatening events like terrorism. The intelligence-related to homeland security is the community that supports the members of homeland security. Homeland security intelligence provides efficient, effective, and collaboration required for achieving the expected goals. Through intelligence, technologies with appropriate governance are offered that ensure that sensitive information is protected based on laws and policies. The research paper will discuss the capabilities and limitations of homeland security intelligence made up of various elements. The elements are from the local level to the national level. These elements collaborate directly or indirectly with the homeland security to ensure that the safety of the society is achieved. The paper will also address lessons learned from the 9/11 commission that can help in enhancing the protection of the United States.
Local Law Enforcement
The capabilities of the intelligence of homeland security are based on the level of exercising the authority given. The elements of homeland security intelligence begin with local law enforcement, which can also be preferred as community policing. The intelligence-led policing has the capability of curbing the issues of terrorism in the community. This element of homeland intelligence relies on the information gained from the citizens that are highly managed and used appropriately. There is also two-way communication between the policing department and the society to ensure that enough information is gathered and used to combat terrorism in the community. Fighting terrorism requires the members of this intelligence to ensure that there is effective communication with the public for the intelligence cycle. The other capability of this intelligence is data analysis in which crimes are analyzed to come up with solutions to curbing terrorism. Community policing also is useful in that it can contribute to problem-solving that reconcile the community to eliminate the issue of crime.
State Fusion Centers
The other element that has a role in homeland security of the United States is the State Fusion Centers. The center is the area that is involved in receiving, analyzing, gathering, and sharing critical information with other federal partners. The fusion centers also have the capabilities of ensuring public safety, critical protection infrastructure, fire service emergency response, and share information that can be used to prevent terrorism. Fusion centers are also identified for their role in the facilitation of information sharing and offering assistance to homeland security and law enforcement agencies. The purpose of fusion centers can have a significant impact on quick response to terrorism and crime and prevention and protection of society from crime and terrorism.
Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group
The other domestic intelligence of homeland security that has a capability to support in promoting public safety is the Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group. This local intelligence was created in 2007, and the purpose was to help the branches like the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, and other security agencies. This intelligence provides these agencies with federally coordinated information that can be used at the state level. The Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group (ITACG) are comprised of analysts who are managed by senior intelligence officers. They have the capability of analyzing federal crimes and terrorist attacks. For example, the information is used by the homeland security of the country to prevent terrorist attacks from occurring. The agency works in collaboration with homeland security to ensure that the department has the required information to achieve the goals of enhancing security.
Recommendations by 9/11 Commission
The mentioned domestic intelligence has the limits in which their role can be focused on. Law enforcement serves at the community level, which means that that the information held by these intelligence branches varies. Others like Fusion centers and Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group also have the limit in which they can offer their services to the communities and to the state. Based on the information provided, these branches interact with homeland security to ensure that security is enhanced. The 9/11 Commission made recommendations that offered lessons to the domestic homeland intelligence that improve their capabilities. The 9/11 Commission recommends that the many participants involved in the intelligence should be unified. Unity will provide intelligence with more knowledge and skills that can be used in the efforts of curbing terrorism through sharing information. The individuals learn that they can apply the technological information-sharing networks to effectively share the information. Also, the commission suggested that unified and strengthened congregational oversight would be used as it would improve accountability and quality of work. Through control, communication and collaboration are promoted, and it helps homeland security to ensure that the rights of the citizens of the United States are protected. The commission also recommended strengthening of the FBI and the homeland defenders since the two branches have ensured the achievement of goals through counterterrorism. The government then learns that there should be improvements in homeland security. Training of the staff in the agencies can be considered to equip the team with the necessary skills that can be used to protect critical information. The skills can also involve helping the staff to become better personnel in handling crimes and terrorism.
Structure and Resource of U.S Government
There are gaps in the intelligence of the homeland security and challenges faced by these agencies in their role to improve public safety. The government of the United States is highly resourceful, and the government should ensure that barriers to homeland security are reduced. There are records in the country that show that crimes like drug trafficking and terrorism continue to consume the country, which indicates that there are gaps. There are no enough intelligence units in the country, and hence the critical information is leaked to unauthorized access. The criminals and terrorists then take advantage of the weakness of these intelligence units and continue committing crimes. Technological tools should also be provided to the intelligence analyst s that can ensure that terrorism-related information is protected and that crimes are solved. The privacy of intelligence information is highly jeopardized, which shows that the country lacks enough resources and structure. Delayed processes of analysis of data due to lack of technological tools is an issue that affects the operations of homeland security intelligence. The accuracy and timely results are affected due to the deficiency in the department of homeland security. The domestic intelligence units are not enough to solve the issue in the country today and the challenges in the future. There are gaps since these agents are not allowed to share information as a unit. For instance, the law enforcement agency does not share the information with the state’s fusion centers, and this affects the process of intelligence.
Conclusion
in conclusion, the department of homeland security is significant in ensuring that the rights of the community are protected. Fighting for rights provides a safe community in which individuals feel a sense of belonging. The essay has discussed three domestic intelligence agencies that support homeland security to ensure the achievement of the security goals. The essay has discussed intelligence elements like the State Fusion Centers, Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group, and law enforcement. The capabilities of these units, which include analyzing and sharing information and others, have been discussed. These capabilities have ensured that the department of homeland security has the necessary information to protect the country from crimes and terrorism. The essay has also addressed the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission that provide lessons for homeland security. Homeland security is working in collaboration with the government to ensure that the gaps between intelligence agencies to reduce barriers and achieve the goals. The government considers unifying and strengthening the agencies in a way that collaboration and communication will be made useful. Unity of the agencies guaranteed privacy of information, which then can be used to promote country safety through reduced terrorism. Integration and strengthening this homeland security domestic intelligence is the critical factor in addressing security issues in the nation today and in the future. These agencies must be provided with the modernized tools that would improve the processes of intelligence.