WHAT IS A FUSION CENTER?
A fusion center is a collaborative effort of two or more agencies that provide resources, expertise, and information to the center with the goal of maximizing their ability to detect, prevent, investigate, and respond to criminal and terrorist activity. Intelligence processes – through which information is collected, integrated, evaluated, analyzed, and disseminated – are a primary focus.
NATIONAL SUPPORT FOR FUSION CENTERS
In 2006, the President approved the establishment of a national integrated network of state and major urban area information fusion centers. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI have deployed personnel to work within fusion centers.
FUSION CENTER GUIDELINES
The Fusion Center Guidelines were developed to ensure that fusion centers are established and operated consistently, resulting in enhanced coordination, strengthened partnerships, and improved crime-fighting and anti-terrorism capabilities. The 18 guidelines and their key elements – as well as additional resources, model policies, and implementation tools – are included in this publication from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and DHS.
ROLE OF FUSION CENTERS
State and regional fusion centers enable local, state and tribal governments to gather, process, analyze and share information and intelligence relating to all crimes and all hazards. Fusion centers communicate, cooperate, and coordinate with each other and with the federal government. These centers:
- Contribute information to ongoing federal and national-level terrorist risk assessments and complete statewide, regional or site-specific and topical risk assessments.
- Disseminate federally generated alerts, warning and notifications regarding time-sensitive threats, situational awareness reports, and analytical products.
- Gather, process, analyze and disseminate locally generated information such as Suspicious Activity Reports.
- Produce or interpret intelligence products relevant to stakeholders
- Protect civil liberties and privacy interests of American citizens throughout the intelligence process.
THE WISCONSIN STATEWIDE INTELLIGENCE CENTER (WSIC)
The Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center (WSIC), operated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation, is one of two fusion centers in Wisconsin. WSIC serves as the primary focal point for threat information sharing among federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, emergency management, fire service, public health, corrections, military and private sector partners for the state.
In order to deter, prevent and mitigate criminal or terrorist threats while protecting the privacy and civil liberties of U.S. citizens, WSIC accomplishes the following mission essential tasks:
- Provides major case support to law enforcement
- Gathers, receives, analyzes and disseminates intelligence at the national, state and local levels
- Performs critical services for government and private sector partners
- The Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children and Adults
- The AMBER Alert Program– The Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children and Adults
- The Silver Alert Program
- The Wisconsin Crime Alert Network
- Provides Training and Outreach
- Threat Liaison Officer and Fusion Liaison Officer Programs
- Continuing education for government and private sector partners
- Protect civil liberties and privacy interests of American citizens throughout the intelligence process.
WSIC works in partnership with the Southeastern Wisconsin Threat Analysis Center (STAC). The STAC is a fusion center that serves the eight counties of Milwaukee, Racine, Washington, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Kenosha, Walworth and Jefferson. The WSIC covers all other portions of the state.