SHOULD COPS BE SPIES? EVALUATING THE COLLECTION AND SHARING OF NATIONAL SECURITY INTELLIGENCE BY STATE, LOCAL AND TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

Abstract : Presidential commissions, the Congress, and numerous national law enforcement groups have noted that the unfettered collection and sharing of intelligence is key to the prevention and mitigation of terrorism in the United States. The sharing of classified national security intelligence collected by the United States Intelligence Community with nonfederal law enforcement is, however, problematic, particularly since the tragic events of September 11, 2001. This thesis examines problems associated with the collection and sharing of classified national security intelligence with and by state, local, and tribal law enforcement. It explores four policy options for the collection and sharing of national security intelligence, including Intelligence-led Policing, Nationwide Suspicious Activities Reporting Initiative, the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, the National Counterterrorism Center/National Fusion Center, and the British Special Branch system. It recommends an American adaptation of the British Security Service and British Metropolitan Police Service Special Branch model meant to improve the sharing of classified national security intelligence vital to the protection of the homeland. The recommendations in this thesis are designed to promote a debate on the utility and feasibility of classified national security intelligence collection within the homeland by state, local, and tribal law enforcement.