State and major urban area fusion centers serve as focal points within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT), and private sector partners. There are issues and concerns related to intelligence collection methods at some of the country's local law enforcement agencies, joint terrorism task groups, and fusion centers. The first issue relates to constitutional limitations. Constitutional limitations restrict the government’s ability to access private information. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is particularly relevant. To the extent that government activity burdens individuals’ freedom of speech and related rights, the First Amendment may also play a role. Another issue is related to the process of collecting and sharing the information, which in many cases is not standardized, creating potential holes in the way officials exchange information on terror threats. 1. Briefly describe the six-step intelligence cycle. 2. What are some potential problems with collecting intelligence within the United States? 3. Give some examples of fusion centers and how these centers fuse intelligence at the local, state, and federal levels. 1. What is DHS’s Intelligence role in Homeland Security? 2. What are the roles of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and FBI for national intelligence? How do these roles benefit DHS? .

1. State and major urban area fusion centers serve as focal points
within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis,
gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the
federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT),
and private sector partners.
There are issues and concerns related to intelligence collection
methods at some of the country's local law enforcement
agencies, joint terrorism task groups, and fusion centers. The
first issue relates to constitutional limitations. Constitutional
limitations restrict the government’s ability to access private
information. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is
particularly relevant. To the extent that government activity
burdens individuals’ freedom of speech and related rights, the
First Amendment may also play a role. Another issue is related
to the process of collecting and sharing the information, which
in many cases is not standardized, creating potential holes in
the way officials exchange information on terror threats.
1. Briefly describe the six-step intelligence cycle.
2. What are some potential problems with collecting
intelligence within the United States?
3. Give some examples of fusion centers and how these centers
fuse intelligence at the local, state, and federal levels.
1. What is DHS’s Intelligence role in Homeland Security?
2. What are the roles of the National Counterterrorism Center
(NCTC) and FBI for national intelligence? How do these roles
benefit DHS?