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Terrorism intelligence center will connect local cops to feds
By Tom Farmer
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Massachusetts public safety officials are poised to unveil a new weapon
against terrorism that will provide the latest intelligence to law enforcement
from the federal government down to the smallest police department.
The so-called ``fusion center'' will be based in Framingham at the
Massachusetts State Police headquarters with the intent of linking up
with similar centers across the country to provide an all-accessible
source of information.
``What it will allow us to do is connect with regional fusion centers
up and down the seaboard and connect us with the federal government strictly
on the level of intelligence gathering and dissemination,'' said
state police Col. Thomas G. Robbins.
``I think the key to that is going to be the nexus with the
local police and public safety people. If there is regional terrorism,
the information is going to come from them.''
Robbins said with backing from the Executive Office of Public Safety,
an intelligence analyst will be hired and based at MSP headquarters.
While details of the fusion center are still being worked out, Robbins
said it will include a database of terrorist information as well as crime
and intelligence analysis.
The system will allow law enforcement to both review and contribute
information not just regionally, but nationally.
``Our purpose is to gather the information at the local level and
disseminate it at the local level,'' said Robbins. ``We've already met
with some local (police) chiefs about it and everybody is onboard and
excited about it because the information will flow both ways.''
While anti-terrorism initiatives are the overriding mandate for
the state police in the post-9/11 world, Robbins said he is also focusing
on boosting the department's manpower to its high-water mark of about
2,300 troopers.
Although the department has a new class of 150 troopers scheduled
for November and another slated for the fall, the department annually
loses up to 100 troopers through retirement and attrition and currently
stands at about 2,100.
Robbins said the state police are conducting a statewide staffing
analysis to maximize its personnel.
``Our numbers are down from previous years,'' he said. ``The thing
I'm pushing for is a maintenance class for the state police. Once we
establish a level of manpower based on our mission, then what we would
like to do is approach (Beacon Hill) and say, `Look, in order to make
this work, we need a class every year of a certain amount of troopers
to keep us at full strength.' ''
Robbins said regardless of the staffing level, the department
will complete its public safety mission.