A Blue Print for Homeland Security Information Sharing
Every day, national and homeland security data is growing in volume and complexity. Threats increase exponentially and frequently evolve.
With stakeholder participation and collaboration, the Government can mitigate these threats with secure and efficient information sharing. For example, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shares data on imminent border threats with Customs and Border Protection (CBP); the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) communicates with airlines and relevant state and local authorities about high risk passengers; state troopers pass on tips to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to help solve a national investigation. No matter what the example is, information sharing is key to keeping our nation secure.
Information Sharing is the exchange of data between people and organizations, often enabled by technology, which can facilitate more effective, timely, and accurate decision-making.
Since we founded Arc Aspicio in 2004, our company has performed on 60 mission-critical projects at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In our work with DHS and its components, we have seen that more, higher quality data means a greater chance of mission success. Even within Arc Aspicio, we have seen the positive effects of sharing best practices, discussing innovations, and connecting stakeholders from different projects.
There are easy ways to integrate information exchanges into an agency or organization. Some ideas include:
- Create informal networks and recurring meetings to share knowledge
- Offer training for experts in data sharing topics and solutions
- Engage data owners in analysis and feedback
- Align security models to emerging Intelligence Community Standards to secure all data
The Government leverages data from many different sources to address the complex problems that face the homeland security community today. Ranging from facilitating veterans’ benefits by exchanging healthcare information to grounding passengers on the No Fly List, information sharing affects everyone’s lives. Many success stories exist. There is still a long way to go.
Sharing data between federal agencies is difficult because of cultural and institutional obstacles. In our Blue Print for Homeland Security Information Sharing (see the link below), we explore what information sharing is, how agencies can go about implementing it in a practical manner, and what boundaries they may face and overcome in the process.
If you would like to discuss information sharing or provide feedback, please contact Rob O'Keefe at info@arcaspicio.com.
