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Houston Regional Houston Regional Intelligence Service Intelligence Service

CenterCenter

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Co-located at the Houston Co-located at the Houston Emergency Center (HEC)Emergency Center (HEC)

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Mission StatementMission Statement

The Houston Regional Intelligence The Houston Regional Intelligence Service Fusion Center (HRISC) will Service Fusion Center (HRISC) will provide continuous security to the provide continuous security to the region by gathering, developing region by gathering, developing and sharing intelligence into the and sharing intelligence into the capabilities, intentions, and capabilities, intentions, and actions of terrorist groups and actions of terrorist groups and individuals which pose a threat to individuals which pose a threat to our populace and region.our populace and region.

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SituationSituation

There are numerous police departments There are numerous police departments in the Greater Houston area that may in the Greater Houston area that may have intelligence relative to terrorist have intelligence relative to terrorist activities or criminal activities that activities or criminal activities that threaten the health, welfare, and safety threaten the health, welfare, and safety of our communities at large. of our communities at large.

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SituationSituation

A regional criminal intelligence A regional criminal intelligence service gathers information and service gathers information and intelligence into other community intelligence into other community threats such as organized crime, threats such as organized crime, serial crimes, emerging crimes and serial crimes, emerging crimes and trends, and shares that intelligence trends, and shares that intelligence with all the partners in the service.with all the partners in the service.

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SituationSituation

A regional intelligence service A regional intelligence service surmounts the secret issue that surmounts the secret issue that surrounds so much of what the federal surrounds so much of what the federal government and their terrorist task government and their terrorist task forces do.forces do.

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SituationSituation

A regional intelligence service acts as A regional intelligence service acts as a multiplier of the knowledge, skills a multiplier of the knowledge, skills and abilities of the participants and and abilities of the participants and the entire Gulf Coast regionthe entire Gulf Coast region

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The Regional The Regional Intelligence Service Intelligence Service

The obstacles to a multi-organization The obstacles to a multi-organization intelligence service are the financial intelligence service are the financial cost, personnel commitment, cost, personnel commitment, equipment requirements, and the need equipment requirements, and the need for the collocation of personnel-usually for the collocation of personnel-usually away from the main police away from the main police headquarters. headquarters.

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To resolve these issues, we proposed a To resolve these issues, we proposed a number of new strategies which number of new strategies which minimize cost and maximize minimize cost and maximize personnel usage. personnel usage.

The Regional The Regional Intelligence ServiceIntelligence Service

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Our model service relies heavily on a Our model service relies heavily on a technology wherein (ultimately) many technology wherein (ultimately) many of the participants are electronically of the participants are electronically collocated.collocated.

The Regional The Regional Intelligence ServiceIntelligence Service

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Through the use of secure Internet Through the use of secure Internet connections, participating members connections, participating members pass information to the central pass information to the central service center which would compile service center which would compile it, place it on a common electronic it, place it on a common electronic site for all to see, and then process it site for all to see, and then process it into an intelligence product which is into an intelligence product which is also shared by all.also shared by all.

The Regional The Regional Intelligence ServiceIntelligence Service

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Additionally, all information gathered Additionally, all information gathered (and any intelligence product (and any intelligence product developed) is also forwarded to the developed) is also forwarded to the local Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) local Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) office. This passing of information office. This passing of information satisfies our mandate to support the satisfies our mandate to support the Federal/State/Local JTTF effort. Federal/State/Local JTTF effort.

The Regional The Regional Intelligence ServiceIntelligence Service

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A contact person from their respective A contact person from their respective department is responsible for department is responsible for gathering and passing information, gathering and passing information, for attending a quarterly networking for attending a quarterly networking meeting, and to participate as a meeting, and to participate as a service member.service member.

The Regional The Regional Intelligence ServiceIntelligence Service

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A system such as this provides a maximum A system such as this provides a maximum amount of benefit to a department, and amount of benefit to a department, and other organizations, for a minimal other organizations, for a minimal commitment in personnel and costcommitment in personnel and cost

The Regional The Regional Intelligence ServiceIntelligence Service

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LeadershipLeadership

• CollegialCollegial

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Benefits of the Service Benefits of the Service There are several benefits to an intelligence There are several benefits to an intelligence

service so constructed:service so constructed:• Multiplies information and intelligence yield Multiplies information and intelligence yield

by increasing area of awareness and number by increasing area of awareness and number of officers available.of officers available.

• Assists smaller departments by providing Assists smaller departments by providing large department Intelligence services at a large department Intelligence services at a low cost; also provides them with wide area low cost; also provides them with wide area awareness.awareness.

• Assists police executives and decision makers Assists police executives and decision makers with wide-area information awarenesswith wide-area information awareness

• Identifies threats and emerging threats to the Identifies threats and emerging threats to the community.community.

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• Overcomes secret issues and Overcomes secret issues and constraints.constraints.

• Provides training for smaller Provides training for smaller departments in state of the art departments in state of the art intelligence tactics, rules, and analysis.intelligence tactics, rules, and analysis.

• Multiplies knowledge, skills and abilities Multiplies knowledge, skills and abilities of all participants.of all participants.

• Provides a real time cooperative Provides a real time cooperative network of intelligence officers.network of intelligence officers.

• Promotes regionalism.Promotes regionalism.

Benefits of the Service Benefits of the Service

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Participating MembersParticipating Members

• Gather information and analyze for Gather information and analyze for intelligence value, providing written intelligence value, providing written intelligence reports when required.intelligence reports when required.

• Establish and maintain collegial Establish and maintain collegial relationships with various federal, state, relationships with various federal, state, and local agencies.and local agencies.

• Coordinate, consolidate, collate, and Coordinate, consolidate, collate, and disseminate incoming reports, disseminate incoming reports, information, and other data, which information, and other data, which pertain to possible terrorist or criminal pertain to possible terrorist or criminal activities.activities.

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• Respond to scenes that have a possible Respond to scenes that have a possible terrorist nexus or are otherwise terrorist nexus or are otherwise suspicious in nature.suspicious in nature.

• Interview persons who possess or may Interview persons who possess or may possess information valuable to the possess information valuable to the Service for fulfilling our intelligence Service for fulfilling our intelligence gathering mission.gathering mission.

• Maintain information, intelligence Maintain information, intelligence products, and files in compliance with products, and files in compliance with guidelines established by 28 CFR Part 23 guidelines established by 28 CFR Part 23 and established intelligence protocols.and established intelligence protocols.

Participating MembersParticipating Members

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Cost to DateCost to Date

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Putting it TogetherPutting it Together

Fusion Center Members:Fusion Center Members:• Texas Department of Public Texas Department of Public

ServiceService• Harris County Sheriffs Harris County Sheriffs

Department Department • Houston Metro PoliceHouston Metro Police• Houston Police DepartmentHouston Police Department• Other agencies pending Other agencies pending

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Data Sets and SoftwareData Sets and Software

• Data Discovery and Organizing SoftwareData Discovery and Organizing Software• CoplinkCoplink• i2 Analyst Notebooki2 Analyst Notebook• LEOLEO• Visual AnalyticsVisual Analytics• ARCGISARCGIS• Secure Chat-room/Discussion boardSecure Chat-room/Discussion board• Google Earth (know thy enemy)Google Earth (know thy enemy)• NIEM and Global Justice XML implementation NIEM and Global Justice XML implementation

plannedplanned

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EquipmentEquipment

• Digital photographyDigital photography• Radiation DetectorsRadiation Detectors• Laptop with Wireless BroadbandLaptop with Wireless Broadband• Response Vehicles (in progress)Response Vehicles (in progress)• GPS (on board and portable)GPS (on board and portable)

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What are we looking for?What are we looking for?

•AnomaliesAnomalies

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Houston Regional Houston Regional Intelligence Service Intelligence Service

Fusion CenterFusion Center

cidcdu@leo.govcidcdu@leo.gov

713-884-4710713-884-4710

713-884-4726 (fax)713-884-4726 (fax)