Fusion Center Questions

1. Under what authority does the Fusion Center operate (state law, local law, federal law?)

2. What type of information does the fusion collect that is of a non-criminal nature?

3. When was the Fusion Center Created?

4. What entities have participated in or are currently participating in information sharing with the fusion center?

5. Who is responsible and what practices are utilized to ensure all federal, state and local laws protecting privacy and civil liberties are enforced?

6. What information, intelligence and/or data are collected at the Fusion Center and how is it stored?

7. Is there a particular issue or area of interest that the fusion center focuses on?

8. What does the Fusion Center do to ensure the accuracy of the data it receives and disseminates?

9. Do all databases associated with the Fusion Center comply with 28 C.F.R. Part 23?

10. What databases/data sets does the Fusion Center have access to, and how does it access them?

11. Do any non-law enforcement entities participate in Fusion Center activities? If so, who and in what ways?

12. Do any private sector entities participate in the Fusion Center activities? If so, who and in what ways?

13. How are private sector entities selected to participate in the Fusion Center? May private sector entities not selected to participate in Fusion Centers receive the same information that is made available to those private entities that are selected? How would they get access to this information?

14. Do these non-law enforcement entities have access to law enforcement information or databases through their participation in the Fusion Centers? If they are co-located with law enforcement personnel what safeguards are in place to prevent unauthorized access?

15. What staff comprises the Louisiana Fusion Center? How many analysts are staffed, what are their areas of focus, and what agencies do they belong to?

16. Who is responsible for overseeing the non-law enforcement and private sector personnel, and who are these individuals accountable to?
17. Who trains Fusion Center personnel?

18. Do any private companies handle, store or analyze data received from or processed through the Fusion Center? How is that data protected once it is out of government control?

19. Does the National Guard participate in the Fusion Center, and if so, under what authority?

20. Are the National Guardsmen limited in what data they may collect, analyze, or review at the Fusion Centers?

21. Do any active-duty military personnel participate, and if so under what authority and in what ways?

22. How is activity of the National Guardsmen and military personnel monitored to ensure compliance with applicable laws regarding the use of the military in domestic law enforcement?

23. What are the annual costs of the Fusion Center?

24. How do you evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the Fusion Center?

25. Has the Fusion Center worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center or the Anti-Defamation League and if so, in what capacity?

26. What are the titles of the strategic reports, bulletins, BOLO (Be On the Look Out) alerts, etc that Fusion Center has issued since its inception?

27. Is the Fusion Center currently investigating or monitoring any militia related activity?

28. Does the Fusion Center investigate organizers of large events such as rallies and/or protests?

29. Is there a privacy oversight committee or anything similar for the Fusion Center and if so who comprises it?

30. Is there a board of directors or governing body that oversees the Fusion Center?