State and Local Intelligence in the War on Terrorism

Abstract

Abstract : Terrorism respects no boundaries. It is both a foreign and domestic matter, one that requires responses from both intelligence and law enforcement agencies, among many other entities. This report asks how state and local intelligence activities have developed in the post 9/11 environment. We focus on the involvement of local law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in intelligence activities designed to counter terrorist actions and support national security objectives. These activities may range from investigation of possible criminal acts that are predicates of terrorist activity to data collection that is incident to the normal activities of LEA officers but that is divorced from any specific criminal case. We assess these developments in three major parts. First, we analyze data from a 2002 survey of law enforcement preparedness. Second, we conducted case studies of individual law enforcement agencies and their post 9/11 intelligence activities. Third, we analyzed available statistics on wiretaps and related oversight activities to gain perspective on how state and local LEA intelligence programs combine to contribute to national intelligence activities. We conclude with a discussion of the policy implications of state and local involvement in counterterrorism intelligence.