Local Partners Essential In The Fight Against Terrorism

During the recent Homeland Security National Dialogue (QHSR), I had the opportunity to take part in two DHS round table discussions for Bloggers. During those discussions I was able to see first-hand the commitment DHS now has in reaching out to both the public and private sectors. My hope is that this commitment is extended beyond the QHSR and that the open dialogue and round tables are continued and eventually expanded to include other community leaders and stakeholders.

Today, in another show of the Department’s interest in partnerships, Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano delivered remarks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference in Denver, Colo., emphasizing her commitment to enhanced information sharing with state and local law enforcement partners to combat threats of terrorism.

“Effective information sharing is essential to our partnerships with state and local law enforcement as we work together to secure our country,” said Secretary Napolitano. “DHS will continue to strengthen fusion centers and other collaborative initiatives across the country to enhance our capabilities to combat terrorism and serious crime.”

In her remarks, Secretary Napolitano stressed the Department of Homeland Security’s role as the central conduit of information for state and local partners regarding all threats to the homeland—including terrorism, drug trafficking and border security.

She discussed the vital role of partnerships between DHS and federal, state and local law enforcement and highlighted the success of collaborative initiatives—including the Joint Terrorism Task Forces that strengthen information-sharing between federal partners and 72 fusions centers nationwide.

Secretary Napolitano also outlined the ways DHS is strengthening these partnerships—from creating a new program management office to coordinate the Department’s support of fusion centers to collaborating on the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) initiative that trains frontline officers across the country to identify and document activities possibly linked to terrorism-related crime.