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State and major urban area fusion centers that make up the National Network of Fusion Centers are owned and operated by state and local governments. The federal government supports the National Network by providing funding, guidelines, technical assistance, and assessments to evaluate how the National Network has matured. Balancing the challenges of a decrease in grant funding, limited state and local budgets, and ever increasing expectations may eventually have an adverse impact on the sustainability of the National Network.Fusion centers are required to gather information lawfully to ensure the protection of privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of individuals. Balancing privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights are a challenge for the National Network; however, significant improvements have been achieved by establishing guidelines, and training for fusion centers. A balance of liberties versus security has a long history in America. A democratic government with appropriate balance of powers set forth by the U.S. Constitution requires the protection of liberties as well as safety and security from terrorist threats, both foreign and domestic.
About the author
Dr. Kelley Edmonds Stone acquired his PhD/ Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is now working as Director of the North Central Texas Fusion Center at Collin County. His research interests span across Information Sharing Systems, Intelligence Led Policing, Intellgence, Interviews & Interrogation Techniques and Statement Analysis
