By Dr. Jarrod Sadulski | 10/20/2026
Intelligence sharing to protect our homeland is extremely important. Understanding strategies for homeland security intelligence sharing can be helpful for intelligence analysts and others who are on the front lines of keeping our homeland safe.
Threats within our borders occur every day, and one of the best ways to combat these threats is through active intelligence sharing. Intelligence sharing enables the law enforcement community to remove conflicts from operations and piece together information to gain deeper insight into real-time threats.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, monitoring threats to homeland security. These threats may involve cyberattacks, such as denial-of-service attacks, critical infrastructure attacks, and cyberterrorism.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency® (CISA®), which is part of DHS, works to combat cyber threats and protect critical infrastructure alongside various government and non-governmental partners.
Threats to The Homeland Security Enterprise
Threats to homeland security may include terror plots, service interruptions to critical infrastructure, and lone-wolf attacks. Threats can also be associated with border security, transnational organized crime, and organizations or individuals that present a threat to the United States.
Government agencies must work together to exchange information that can protect homeland security. It is rare for a complex threat to be identified or deterred based on a single incident. More often, seemingly isolated incidents can be examined collectively through information sharing and the intelligence enterprise to determine whether a broader threat, pattern, or trend exists.
The Role of Fusion Centers in Information Sharing
Fusion centers play an important role in homeland security by connecting state and local partners with other entities, such as federal agencies, the Intelligence Community, and other stakeholders. They help address the traditional problem of information and intelligence remaining siloed within individual agencies.
Considering that threats to the homeland can cross state lines or may be transnational threats, fusion centers serve to disseminating intelligence across jurisdictions.
Fusion centers can also help to overcome challenges with the quality of shared information and can categorize information that is sensitive but unclassified. These information-sharing practices must also incorporate appropriate protections for privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. Fusion centers may vary in scope based on regional needs.
Some geographic areas may need more fusion center resources based on the size and population of the area they serve. Larger fusion centers tend to have additional resources and may have other agencies associated with them.
Government Agencies and Partners in Intelligence Sharing
Government agencies commonly use their own databases, reporting metrics, and software programs, which can make intelligence sharing efforts difficult. Fusion centers help overcome this issue by serving as critical bridges between agencies and producing intelligence in a standardized format that can be understood by the agencies and stakeholders involved. DHS also operates the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN), a secure system that enables trusted partners to share Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information.
Fusion centers may include representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation® (FBI), the Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, and private-sector companies. Collaboration and intelligence sharing between government and private-sector stakeholders are vital because private-sector stakeholders often operate critical infrastructure that may be targeted in an attack. Sharing homeland security intelligence and analysis helps government agencies and private-sector partners better identify and respond to potential threats.
The Department of Homeland Security Intelligence Council
The Homeland Security Intelligence Council involves senior leadership within DHS, and its mission is to support homeland security through information sharing, intelligence analysis, dissemination, and coordination among stakeholders. In addition to information sharing, the Homeland Security Intelligence Council helps develop policies and priorities that support the Department’s intelligence mission.
A 2024 Government Accountability Office (GAO) review identified nine formal groups within DHS that routinely share information to support leadership decision-making, internal policymaking, and threat identification.
The DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) also plays a central role in collecting, analyzing, and sharing homeland security intelligence with federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private-sector partners.
Fusion centers help facilitate information sharing by bringing detailed information together from multiple sources to detect potential threats and keep our nation safe and secure. Fusion centers and the Intelligence Community may work with international partners to share counterterrorism and homeland security information.
This information sharing through international partners often includes the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL®). INTERPOL connects law enforcement agencies and other organizations around the world to promote information sharing, increasing countries’ capabilities to identify and respond to transnational threats. Resources and justice assistance from around the globe can increase the ability of participating countries to detect threats.
Promoting homeland security is not only the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security or federal law enforcement. Federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private-sector partners all play a role in supporting homeland security and promoting information sharing. Local law enforcement has an important role in identifying threats that may contribute to the broader national threat picture.
Collaboration Among State and Local Partners to Facilitate Information Sharing
Coordination with state and local law enforcement is especially important because there are far more local and state law enforcement officers in the field than federal homeland security personnel. Local and state law enforcement are active in communities on a daily basis and can identify suspicious activity that may be relevant to homeland security. The nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) initiative provides a framework for sharing and analyzing this information across jurisdictions to help identify potential indicators of terrorism.
State and local law enforcement can share information with fusion centers to support homeland security operations and investigations. Assistance from state and local law enforcement can also serve as a force multiplier for homeland security personnel.
Ideally, state and local law enforcement should receive the proper training to respond to homeland security incidents. This training may include:
- Active shooter situations
- Domestic terrorism
- Physical or cyberattacks against critical infrastructure
Law enforcement should be equipped with tools to respond to homeland security threats. In addition to training, state and local law enforcement should receive protective equipment and tools to respond to potential acts of terrorism.
Technology and Future Homeland Security Threats
The threats from terrorist groups evolve every day. Justice programs and the Intelligence Community must remain one step ahead of these evolving threats.
Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) have impacted on terrorism capabilities, creating both new risks and new opportunities for homeland security. While AI may increase the risk of a cyberattack against critical infrastructure, AI can also be used to combat threats to our nation.
For instance, AI can be used to produce reports that describe threats in real time. Also, AI can help organize intelligence information and condense that information into clear, readable summaries for analysts and decision-makers.
In addition, AI can be used to search through large sets of data for potential indicators of terrorist propaganda, online radicalization, and terrorist attack plans. AI can help analysts to quickly identify relationships and patterns within large datasets.
With proper oversight, AI can aid the Intelligence Community in prioritizing investigative leads. However, human oversight of AI-generated intelligence products remains important, because a review by intelligence professionals helps ensure that information is accurate and actionable. This oversight can detect errors, add context, and improve intelligence products.
The Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security at APU
For adult learners interested in protecting the homeland, American Public University part of American Public University System (“APU”) provides an online Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security. In this degree program, students can learn about intelligence and homeland security, critical infrastructure protection, and homeland security legal and ethical issues. Other courses include an introduction to homeland security and defense and border and coastal security.
This bachelor’s degree in homeland security also offers a General concentration so that students can take courses suited to their career goals. Sample courses include emergency planning, hazard mitigation and preparedness, the mind of a terrorist, and chemical, biological and radiological hazards.
For more information, visit APU’s homeland security degree program page.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency®, CISA®, and HSIN® are registered trademarks of United States Department of Homeland Security.
Federal Bureau of Investigation® is a registered trademark of Federal Bureau of Investigation.
INTERPOL® is a registered trademark of International Criminal Police Organization.
Dr. Jarrod Sadulski is an associate professor in the School of Security and Global Studies and has over 20 years in the field of criminal justice. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Thomas Edison State College, a master’s degree in criminal justice from American Military University, and a Ph.D. in criminal justice from Northcentral University.
His expertise includes training on countering human trafficking, maritime security, mitigating organized crime, and narcotics trafficking trends in Latin America. Jarrod has also testified to both the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate on human trafficking and child exploitation. He has been recognized by the U.S. Senate as an expert in human trafficking.
Jarrod frequently conducts in-country research and consultant work in Central and South America on human trafficking and current trends in narcotics trafficking. Also, he has a background in business development.