Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Under Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and Chief Intelligence Officer, David J. Glawe, provided a keynote address at the National Fusion Center Association Annual (NFCA) Training Event in Alexandria, Va. on Nov. 6, 2019. The event included over 700 attendees consisting of federal, state, and local personnel that support or work with fusion centers.
The NFCA represents state and major urban area fusion centers to promote their development and sustainment to enhance public safety; intelligence and information sharing; and prevent and reduce the harmful effects of crime and terrorism on victims, individuals, and communities. The NFCA Annual Training Event provides an opportunity for fusion centers and their partners to receive training and exchange best practices and lessons learned with their colleagues.
Under Secretary Glawe discussed DHS’s intelligence priorities and opportunities to enhance the sharing of intelligence with state, local, and private sector partners through fusion centers.
“It is the mission of the DHS Intelligence Enterprise to provide actionable intelligence to support state and local partners, so we can ensure the homeland remains safe and secure for the American people,” said Under Secretary Glawe. “Fusion centers serve as the cornerstone of this domestic information sharing architecture.”
Under Secretary Glawe also emphasized the role fusion centers play in enabling the flow of information to identify emerging threats within the homeland. Following his keynote, he joined the NFCA in the presentation of several awards, including Fusion Center of the Year, Fusion Center Director of the Year, Fusion Center Analyst of the Year, and HSIN-Intel Partner of the Year.
Mike Sena, President of NFCA, and Glenn Archer, Executive Director of NFCA, joined Under Secretary Glawe during the presentation of the awards. He was also accompanied by other notable speakers including, Jeff Rosen, Deputy Attorney General of the Department of Justice; David Bowditch, Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and David Pekoske, Acting Deputy Secretary for DHS.