The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has many intelligence agencies used for protecting American citizens. The various agencies should collaborate by sharing information to combat threats to Americans. Historically, information sharing among different security and intelligence agencies has been a challenge that practices a non-disclosure culture and often avoids intelligence-sharing. Bratton & Tumin (2012) note assumption as a deficiency in this vital area, and they use the case of Pearl Harbor to highlight this issue.
Assumptions are the sources of culture in different organizations. These underlying assumptions are known and not discussed or written thus cannot be easily addressed (Rankin IV, 2017). Organization problems that arise signify the need for change. In the intelligence community, the assumptions present are the belief that different agencies handle information and share it with relevant authorities. Such assumptions make organizations reluctant to involve themselves as they believe the information has already been analyzed and shared with relevant authorities. This creates a knowledge gap if the other intelligence agencies are not aware of that information.
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The DHS uses various mechanisms to share between agencies, state, and local law enforcement agencies. These are the National Network of Fusion Centers, Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative , National Terrorism Advisory System, and the “if you see something, say something” campaign that raises public awareness on identifying and reporting suspicious terrorist behavior. DHS and fusion centers work closely with FBI managed Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs). A report by the National Infrastructure Advisory Council found that fusion centers have improved information sharing between the DHS and regions, States, and municipalities (2010). The office of Intelligence and Analysis State and Local Program Office organizes DHS and other federal agency support to 72 state and major urban area fusion centers all over America. This is in line with DHS’s premise that “homeland security begins with hometown security” (DHS). All these measures ensure that information among various agencies is used and shared out to maintain security.
References
Berkeley III, A. R., Bush, W., Heasley, P. G., Nicholson, J. B., Reid, J. A., & Wallace, M. J. (2012). NIAC Intelligence Information Sharing: Final Report and Recommendations . NIAC. https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/niac/niac-intelligence-information-sharing-final-report-01102012.pdf
Bratton, W. J., & Tumin, Z. (2012). Collaborate or Perish! Reaching across Boundaries in a Networked World . Crown Pub.
DHS. (2018, August 14). Information sharing . Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/information-sharing
Rankin IV, P. (2017). Underlying assumptions and Organizational change. https://www.cityu.edu/blog/underlying-assumptions-and-organizational-change/#:~:text=Underlying%20assumptions%20are%20the%20source,feelings%20(Schein%2C%202004).
