EFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The head of the Missouri Highway Patrol said the state is no longer producing strategic security reports like the one on the militia movement that sparked controversy this year. At a special hearing in the Capitol on Wednesday, Col. James Keathley also said he couldn't entirely rule them out, especially in light of recent violent events around the country.

“I'm not going to sit here and say that there will never be another strategic report. I can tell you we're not working on one now,” the superintendent told lawmakers in the first of a round of hearings on the now-controversial Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC).

Keathley suggested the fatal shooting on Wednesday at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., by a suspected white supremacist is an example why law enforcement depend on targeted intelligence reports. The recent killing of an abortion doctor in Kansas also puts a different perspective on the MIAC hearings.

“We've had a lot of things happen in the last few weeks that show trends,” Keathley said.

Conservative lawmakers remain upset that a MIAC report that was leaked to the public in February labeled certain groups — like anti-abortionists and presidential candidate Ron Paul's supporters — as security risks.

“Let's be frank. Most people, they may get emotional, they may get excited but they're not going to do any harm. Matter of fact, most of them are peaceful in nature,” said Rep. Shane Schoeller, R-Willard, in an exchange with Keathley.

When another lawmaker asked Keathley if the “Modern Militia” report's writer was “overzealous,” Keathley said he couldn't answer that.

“I can't . . . I don't know,” he replied.

One key question from lawmakers: How does law enforcement differentiate between a passionate political protester and a deranged and potentially dangerous threat? Keathley said that's a difficult question to answer, and characterized it as “a thin line.”

“Obviously, I think we're all struggling with this fusion center concept and this intelligence concept is fairly new. It is difficult to make those decisions,” Keathley said.

The first hearing came months after the original militia report produced by MIAC was scrapped and its director was replaced. Other hearings are planned this summer and fall in Springfield, St. Louis and Kansas City.

Political activist Catherine Bleish testified at the hearing and called the entire MIAC operation a “dangerous” encroachment on free speech.

“This is a very big red flag. What business do we have walking that fine line of identifying people as potential terrorists?,” she asked.

One gun-rights, anti-abortion sheriff warned on the other hand that the committee should instead urge law enforcement to reinstate the strategic reports.

“To think that we would not do strategic work within the fusion center is to say that it's okay to commit certain acts of violence,” said Cole County Sheriff Greg White.

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