Since 9/11, enhanced efforts have been made to facilitate information exchange among public safety entities. Fusion centers have since been developed to address this information gap. The centers were to encompass not only law enforcement but key public and private sector partners.
A fusion center is defined as a collaborative effort of two or more agencies that provide resources, expertise and/or information to the fusion center with a goal of maximizing the ability to detect, prevent, apprehend, and respond to criminal and/or terrorist activity.
Today there are 78 designated fusion centers in the U.S. (one in each state and 28 in major urban areas). The designated fusion center in Iowa is the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center located in the Department of Public Safety.
The Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center has the mission of leading and coordinating intelligence and homeland security efforts that protect Iowa, while upholding the Constitution.
View the Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center Intelligence Policy on Privacy, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.