Strong Relationships Drive Trusted Information Sharing

Securing our nation and delivering on the mission depends on consistently sharing critical information with trusted partners at all levels of Government. Building and fostering strong relationships between the Federal Government and state, local, tribal, and territorial stakeholders can drive trusted information sharing leading to greater results in a more effective and efficient way.

For example, law enforcement officials at the local, state, and Federal level must collaborate during planning and execution of a National Special Security Event (NSSE). Information about threats, plans, and real-time situational awareness is critical to make an NSSE go smoothly.

Sharing information and fostering open communication between stakeholders and mission partners drives progress, reduces redundancies, and helps develop innovative solutions quickly. However, with different technology systems, a diverse sets of stakeholders, and different missions and goals, sharing information consistently is complex. Building strong relationships is at the core of information sharing around a special event:

• Establish Clear Roles and Responsibilities – Identify points of contact at all levels of Government to formulate who is responsible for what and how the team will work together

• Plan and Practice – Develop a plan, run tabletop exercises, establish a common shared platform, then practice the actions that must happen based on certain threats or indicators

• Use a Common Technology Platform – While each entity may have their own systems, a central common one to provide real-time situational awareness will help communications

• Focus on Relationships – During the event, there is often downtown. Focus on relationship building to make sure things go smoothly for the current event, establishing relationships for future events or incidents at the same time. Trust is critical

• Share Lessons Learned – Teamwork in execution is critical, but honest lessons learned discussion and clear corrective actions are essential for planning

• Plan for Next Time – Build the lessons learned into the plans for the next event or incident and identify key participants to support early planning.

Trust between partners is not easy to build, and it does not happen overnight; strong relationships take time to develop. Earning trust comes from accumulated direct experiences with your mission partners. It is important to show an understanding of their challenges and needs and a dedication to working towards their objectives. Emphasizing common mission goals helps align resources and strengthen relationships.

When you have worked together before, sharing information, data, and ideas across the levels of Government comes much more naturally. Working together over time strengthens trust, and also promotes innovation in the future.