notedirection
(
nullable: true, editable: true, defaultValue: null, length: 255, alias: Directors, or their designee, please vote for 1 award winner per award category. Only 1 vote per Fusion Center., type: esriFieldTypeString
)
leadershipnote
(
nullable: true, editable: true, defaultValue: null, length: 10000, alias: Candidates for this award have provided exceptional services to their fusion center by leading and enhancing capabilities, increasing collaboration among partners, and instituting positive change. Their actions directly contributed to improving the security posture of their jurisdiction and ultimately our homeland. This may include, but is not limited to, directors, deputy directors, analyst supervisors, lead analysts, individuals leading a group of analysts, acting/serving in a supervisory capacity and/or shows leadership potential., type: esriFieldTypeString
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leadershipaward
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nullable: true, editable: true, defaultValue: null, length: 10000, alias: Fusion Center Leadership Nominees:, type: esriFieldTypeString
, Coded Values:
[Jennifer Andrus: Jennifer Andrus - Alabama Fusion Center & FBI - FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst Jennifer Andrus has been a key leader at the Alabama Fusion Center since 2015. Known for her dedication, energy, and passion, Jennifer serves as a peer, mentor, and leader. She acts as the Alabama Fusion Center liaison to the FBI and the FBI liaison for the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Jennifer has been frequently called upon by the Secretary of Law Enforcement to assist with training, case support, and threat-to-life liaison tasks, consistently demonstrating her strong leadership skills. Jennifer played a critical role during the mass shooting in Dadeville, Alabama, in April 2023. She quickly established an Intelligence Operations Center (IOC) and led a team of FBI and ALEA Fusion Center Intelligence Analysts. In the spring of 2024, when a bomb was detonated at the Alabama Attorney General's Office in Montgomery, Jennifer's exceptional leadership was again evident. She set up a Command Center, coordinating efforts between the FBI's Mobile Division, FBI Headquarters, ALEA, and the AG's office, which led to the identification and arrest of the suspect. Jennifer was also instrumental in bringing the FBI Mobile Division into full compliance with EEI 2.0, including leading the initiative to assign FBI personnel to the Fusion Center. Her efforts ensured that the Mobile Division met and exceeded the required standards, strengthening the collaborative efforts between the FBI and the Fusion Center. Since 2019, Jennifer has led four successful table-top exercises for the Southeast Field-Based Regional Integration and Coordination Plan. She organized and executed these exercises, involving participants from multiple states, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI. These exercises have been recognized as a standard for regional training by the FBI and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Jennifer has presented at numerous training events, including the annual Fusion Liaison Officer Training, Interdiction for the Protection of Children, Alabama's Basic Police Academy, the Alabama Trooper Academy, and monthly Intelligence Working Group Meetings. She is a proven leader in the fusion center, the state, and her department. Regionally and nationally, she is known as a subject matter expert and a leader, contributing significantly to the strong relationship between the FBI, the National Network of Fusion Centers, and the NFCA. For these reasons, I highly recommend SIA Jennifer Andrus for the Fusion Center Leadership Award.]
, [Jonathan Cute: Jonathan Cute - Central Florida Intelligence Exchange - Orlando Police Department Lieutenant Jonathan Cute has been assigned to the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange (CFIX) as the Deputy Director for approximately four years. Deputy Director Cute has been instrumental in leading the charge in the state of Florida and CFIX in a Critical Infrastructure awareness and educational campaign for law enforcement first responders. Deputy Director Cute's determination and dedication to the mission shaped a foundation of a statewide Critical Infrastructure Protection Working Group, which has included the production and distribution of an awareness campaign video for all law enforcement officers within the state of Florida. Furthermore, the awareness campaign has been adopted as part of the curriculum in Florida law enforcement academies. His dedication, input, and tieless efforts have led directly to the creation of a new state statute related to trespassing on property designated as a critical infrastructure. giving briefings of the functions and capabilities of CFIX. Jon has overseen administrative improvements at CFIX to include updating the policies and procedures, updating the privacy policy and enhancing privacy training, initiating the Protective Intelligence program to address foreign malign collection of sensitive defense and space information, has overseen the internship program with the University of Central Florida and has run point on organizing the 2023 Southern Shield conference. Jon has labored to introduce his own police agency as well as many other agencies in the Region to CFIX and the assistance that the analytical staff can provide. Jon has also been instrumental in building solid relationships with Federal and private sector partners alike all while cultivating comradery and performance excellence in the CFIX staff. Jon's passion and drive in this role as the Deputy Director of CFIX has made him an indispensable member of the leadership staff and much deserving of recognition.]
)
outreachnote
(
nullable: true, editable: true, defaultValue: null, length: 10000, alias: Candidates for this award have provided exceptional services to their fusion center. These services or activities have enhanced outreach and liaison programs or efforts and improved the security posture of the jurisdiction and/or the Nation. This may include, but is not limited to, speaking to community centers, schools, private sector engagement and law enforcement training (FLO, TLO, ILO, etc.)., type: esriFieldTypeString
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outreachaward
(
nullable: true, editable: true, defaultValue: null, length: 10000, alias: Fusion Center Outreach Nominees:, type: esriFieldTypeString
, Coded Values:
[Victor Milian: Victor Milian - Southeast Florida Fusion Center - Sergeant Victor Milian has been part of the SERDSTF and the SEFFC for over four years and is a liaison for the health and medical, Communications, and Emergency management groups. In addition to his many roles with the Miami Dade Police Departments Homeland Security Bureau. Sgt. Milian also is the lead terrorism liaison officer (TLO) coordinator for Region 7 within the State of Florida but has gone above and beyond to help coordinate TLO programs around the State. He knows how important the "See Something Say Something" program is to all Fusion Centers within the State and all over the country and is doing his part to spread the word and get everyone involved. His leadership qualities have led the way for others becoming more engaged in TLO, his efforts to help others become instructors and coordinators have increased awareness throughout each region and the State of Florida. Sgt. Milians selflessness is above reproach and should awarded for his hard work and dedication to the SEFFC, the TLO program.]
, [Daniel Saunders: Daniel Saunders - Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center (GISAC) - Daniel Saunders is a Criminal Intelligence Analyst with GBI-GISAC and has been with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation since May 2018. Daniel truly embodies the ideal of an intelligence analyst and provides exceptional service to the many stakeholders he is committed to serving in Georgia, as well as the Fusion Center network. As a senior intelligence analyst, Daniel provides critical, tactical support for high-profile and complex criminal cases. While Daniel's work has always served his Agents, Investigators, and the Georgia Fusion Center well, it has been within the last year that Daniel's outreach efforts have gone above and beyond. He makes it a priority to share relevant potential threat intel (stemming from high profile Georgia-based criminal cases) with agencies in a position to act across the Fusion Center network. Specifically, Daniel has been the primary analyst supporting an active investigation into criminal activity stemming from a group opposing the development of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. Individuals supporting a loosely affiliated autonomous/anarchist collective including participants and supporters who have engaged in illegal activity to further their respective cause(s) and justify violent action. Since 2020, investigation has revealed dozens of individuals who have engaged in a pattern of criminal activity aimed at preventing the construction of the future Atlanta Public Safety Training Center (APSTC) including multiple acts of domestic terrorism, aggravated assault against police officers and civilian personnel, arson, felony narcotics possession, and multi-million-dollar destruction and sabotage of critical infrastructure, government, and private property. A 2023 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) case of 61 individuals related to these criminal efforts to halt APSTC construction is being prosecuted by the Georgia Attorney General's Office within Fulton County. In addition to providing criminal case support for this RICO prosecution, Daniel also reviews and monitors online rhetoric and open calls for retaliatory violence related to the trial and investigation. Daniel documents online posts claiming responsibility for criminal acts attributed to this group and develops intelligence products to make public safety and private sector partners aware of threats for future violence or "direct action." The vague and open-ended nature of these calls for violence makes it difficult to isolate any direct threats to specific agencies or affiliated properties, so Daniel works diligently to contact potential targets of future violence or vandalism and inform the law enforcement agency in a position to act on or mitigate potential criminal acts. He finds lists of affiliated private sector businesses, including out of state locations, or doxed individuals that are being named as "good targets" by group supporters. Daniel's outreach efforts directly inform public safety partners who may not otherwise be aware of potential affiliated properties that could be targeted in their respective jurisdictions so they can plan accordingly. Daniel has found law enforcement officers who have been "doxed" online with their personal information or family addresses posted in tandem with threats against police and notified those agencies to work with their officers for protection. His outreach efforts have helped Georgia law enforcement agencies remain vigilant regarding their officer safety and situational awareness surrounding high-profile cases. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Command Staff increasingly rely upon the robust strategic briefing material Daniel develops to inform State Leadership and allocate resources for high-profile cases, special events, or emerging threats. Daniel continues to prioritize outreach and collaboration with stakeholders from major municipalities like Atlanta Police, Federal Law Enforcement partners, other Fusion Center analysts, and other public safety partners. He is also assigned to assist a variety of specialty work units including Airport Operations, the State of Georgia Bomb Squad and the Atlanta FBI Domestic Terrorism squad. With the significant rise in the number of domestic terrorist attacks and plots at First Amendment protected demonstrations in the U.S, the public safety community is in critical need of intelligence-led strategies for escalating violence and threat rhetoric response. Daniel continues to find ways to engage and inform other agencies about domestic terrorist incidents, and potential threats stemming from violent extremists along the ideological spectrum. Daniel stays informed on the significant shifts and evolution of the domestic terrorism subject matter and has repeatedly found opportunities to relay this information to jurisdiction overseeing major events or potentially volatile or violent demonstrations. He prioritizes continued education within the DT field and stays informed on the many dynamics at play which could result in DT groups mobilizing within Georgia or the Southeast. CIA Saunders has spent countless hours studying these loosely affiliated networks, developed advanced analytical work products to inform the dozens of agencies involved in these cases. He has processed digital forensics from devices seized from group members gaining insight on their communication methods, tactics, or criminal activity. More importantly, he increasingly finds ways to share the intelligence garnered from this analysis with the dozens of agencies involved in mitigating these DT threats. Since the January 2023 officer involved shooting at the proposed site of the Atlanta Public Safety training facility, wherein a Georgia State Trooper was shot and the alleged shooter was killed as a result, online posts have called for retaliatory violence against police. Escalating online rhetoric increased the potential for violence stemming from physical confrontation between violent opportunists seeking to provoke police response or disrupt otherwise peaceful protest demonstrations. Daniel's collection and interpretation of the rhetoric, false narratives, and implied threats regarding the incident directly informed state leadership in a position to allocate resources and prevent violent civil unrest in Atlanta. His intimate knowledge of the investigation, subjects, and related criminal activities was indispensable to the Investigators, responding police, and the Fusion Center network. GBI-GISAC worked to develop relevant products, respond to inquiries from states with potentially related criminal activity, and coordinate intelligence sharing and sit reps to hundreds of agencies. These lingering narratives continue to threaten state property, law enforcement officers, and APSTC affiliated parties. Through significant personal effort and dedication, Daniel's outreach has directly resulted in GBI and Fusion Center network successes. Daniel's enthusiastic commitment to engaging partners through outreach has undoubtedly strengthened the security posture of the entire Intelligence Network. Accordingly, please accept my nomination of Daniel Saunders (GBI-GISAC) for "Excellence in the Field of Fusion Center Outreach" 2024]
)
analysisnote
(
nullable: true, editable: true, defaultValue: null, length: 10000, alias: Candidates for this award have provided exceptional services to their fusion center and the NNFC. These particular services have enhanced analytical programs and improved the security posture of the jurisdiction and/or the Nation. This may include, but is not limited to, individuals who excel in a specific area of analysis (for example Cyber, Terrorism, OSINT, Critical Infrastructure, Tactical, Operational etc.) and collaborative analytic efforts., type: esriFieldTypeString
)
analysisaward
(
nullable: true, editable: true, defaultValue: null, length: 10000, alias: Fusion Center Analysis Nominees:, type: esriFieldTypeString
, Coded Values:
[Thomas Kohlbeck, Tarah Parr, Chelsey Cocke: Thomas Kohlbeck, Tarah Parr, Chelsey Cocke - Virginia Fusion Center - I am nominating the Virginia Fusion Center's Unsolved Violent Crimes and Cold Cases Analytical Support Team (UVCCCAST) for the Fusion Center Analysis Award for their supporting role in solving the 1987 murders of David Knobling and Robin Edwards in Isle of Wight, VA and the 1989 murder of Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell in Hampton, VA. Due to DNA evidence law enforcement investigators have been able to positively link Alan W. Wilmer Sr., who died in December 2017, to the homicides. Wilmer had no felonies on his criminal record, so his DNA had never been obtained until it was necessary for identification purposes following his death. The Virginia Department of Forensic Science in June 2023 issued a Certificate of Analysis confirming a genetic match to Wilmer based on evidence collected from the victims. Had Mr. Wilmer been alive once the positive connection was identified he would have been charged in all three murders. The successful conclusion to these cases would not have been possible without the involvement of the UVCCCAST. The homicides of Robin Edwards and David Knobling have been historically associated to what is commonly known in the Hampton Roads region as the Colonial Parkway murders. In terms of importance, solving these murders are amongst the top priorities in the Commonwealth, a cold case Holy Grail. I am nominating the team because it was a group effort. The team Lead Analyst, Thomas Kohlbeck, deserves a great deal of credit for identifying and partnering with the Virginia Attorney General's Office and the Virginia Department of Forensic Science in pursuit of federal Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grant funds that are used to support two fulltime analysts in the Fusion Center. It was his vision that led to the expansion of his team from one fulltime and two part time employees to three full time and two part time employees. This enabled the team to expand their workload and devote serious time to cases such as the Colonial Parkway murders. Lead Analyst Kohlbeck, SAKI Senior Analyst Tarah Ashley, and SAKI Senior Analyst Chelsey Cocke have dedicated a tremendous amount of time and effort to these investigations and are actively working as part of a multi-agency investigative taskforce that is dedicated to identifying and resolving any other unsolved cases that Wilmer is responsible for. These efforts began long before the DNA comparison was completed by DFS and are still ongoing since Wilmer was forensically linked to these crimes. The team has meticulously reviewed, digitized, and analyzed past investigative reports to identify reevaluate all leads for further investigation. The staff spent countless hours working with forensic labs to retest evidence and explore all options on these two cases and continues to do so on other unsolved cases. While DNA ultimately linked these cases to Wilmer, the work by the UVCCCAST both before and after the identification has allowed the multiagency investigative taskforce to resolve these cases and identify other possible linked cases by learning more about Wimer. These efforts have included identifying Wilmer's geographic movements, associations, friendships, familial lineage, employment, educational background, behavioral characteristics, victimology, and modus operandi. This intelligence has been critical for reviewing other cases that Wilmer could be linked to and for ruling Wilmer out in certain investigations across the Commonwealth. This background information has been extremely critical for use in interviews of family, friends, and associates. There is a saying that luck is "what happens when preparation meets opportunity." I think that these cases prove the statement. The preparation and continued follow-up that has occurred for years by the UVCCCAST and investigators combined with the forensic match exemplifies this. Although these cases are considered solved, the press release and announcement have turned up new leads potentially linking Wilmer to other cases in the Colonial Parkway murders and other unsolved cases. Since the press release the team has been actively taking and following up on these leads and supporting the investigation. UVCCCAST Members Working the Colonial Parkway Murders Lead Analyst Thomas Kohlbeck, Senior Intelligence Analyst Tarah Parr, Senior Intelligence Analyst Chelsey Cocke]
, [Rachel Salter: Rachel Salter - Alabama Fusion Center - I am honored to nominate Intelligence Analyst Rachel Salter for the Fusion Center Analysis Award. Rachel has been an invaluable asset to the Alabama Fusion Center (AFC) for almost five years, consistently providing exceptional service to the AFC, the State of Alabama, and the National Network of Fusion Centers (NNFC). Rachel has played a pivotal role in enhancing the cybersecurity capabilities of the AFC. She coordinates cyber training, intelligence production opportunities, and networking connections for analysts within our center. Her efforts have significantly contributed to the development and sustainment of our center and the broader fusion center network. Rachel's dedication to information sharing has improved the security posture of our jurisdiction and the nation. Rachel collaborates extensively on intelligence products with her peers within the AFC and with local counterparts at the FBI, DHS, USSS, and USMS. Her intelligence production is comprehensive, reflecting the entire threat picture and ensuring that all relevant audiences are informed in a timely manner. Her monthly cyber product, "Cyber Scoop," is highly regarded and widely utilized within the intelligence community. In addition to her primary duties, Rachel is an active member of several working groups and committees within the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the state of Alabama. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama, where she teaches cybersecurity, further demonstrating her commitment to educating and developing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Rachel conducts multiple briefings on cybersecurity, protecting online profiles, and, most importantly, school safety. Her efforts in these areas have significantly increased awareness and preparedness within the community, contributing to a safer environment for all. Rachel Salter's exceptional service, dedication, and collaborative efforts make her an outstanding candidate for the Fusion Center Analysis Award. Her contributions have significantly strengthened our center and the NNFC, enhancing the security of our state and nation through effective information sharing and intelligence production.]
)
membernote
(
nullable: true, editable: true, defaultValue: null, length: 10000, alias: Candidates for this award have provided exceptional services to their fusion center by leading and enhancing capabilities, increasing collaboration among partners, and instituting positive change. Their actions directly contributed to improving the security posture of their jurisdiction and ultimately our homeland. This may include, but is not limited to, directors, deputy directors, analyst supervisors, lead analysts, individuals leading a group of analysts, acting/serving in a supervisory capacity and/or shows leadership potential., type: esriFieldTypeString
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memberaward
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nullable: true, editable: true, defaultValue: null, length: 10000, alias: Fusion Center Member Nominees:, type: esriFieldTypeString
, Coded Values:
[Brigham Doud: Brigham Doud - Virginia Fusion Center - I am nominating Field Lead Analyst Brigham T. Doud for Excellence in the Field of Analysis for his contributions to the Operation Bold Blue Line Initiative which lasted from May 22, 2023 through September 4, 2023. Lead Analyst Doud is the Field Lead Analyst for VSP Division 1 and is in the Fusion Center's Field Analysis Team. Like many other states and urban areas across the country, the Commonwealth has been experiencing high levels of violent crime. To address this problem Operation Bold Blue Line (OBBL) was initiated. A part of this strategy is to partner with local government and surge resources and support from multiple state agencies into the area to include law enforcement. While the plan for OBBL was solid, the intelligence team had a short period of time to plan its operations. The Fusion Center received the overall plan on May 10, 2023 and OBBL commenced on May 24, 2023. The basic idea was simple and effective. Rotate VSP troopers and special agents from around the Commonwealth into a specific city/county on a bi-weekly basis to increase patrol and support local PD investigative teams by arresting violent criminals. The Fusion Center was tasked with intelligence support of the operation. Lead Analyst Doud was the point person for the VFC. Without needing specific guidance, Lead Analyst Doud developed a plan, identified his analytic team and went to work. Although VFC analysts routinely support ongoing criminal investigations, this effort was different. Instead of direct case support they were supporting overall operations in addition to tactical case support. Prior operations and relationships developed by Lead Analyst Doud with key personnel at the local PD enabled him to obtain over 50,000 lines of data from the local PD RMS system. Lead Analyst Doud leveraged that data to accomplish three tasks. 1. Leverage RMS data with other datapoints to develop a top violent offenders list 2. Use the most recent RMS data generate incident and heat maps in ArcGIS 3. Integrate RMS data into VFC intelligence to increase his team's capacity to identify criminal actors and link them to prior criminal activity. Lead analyst Doud used the RMS data to create maps detailing specific locations for drug violations, violent crime, shootings, weapons violations, robberies, homicides, and assaults. The GIS packet included heat maps and kernel density maps and included school, fire, hospital, and police locations. The GIS intelligence was invaluable in conveying to troopers and command staff where violent crime was occurring. In addition to these products Lead Analyst Doud had the vision to incorporate an analyst from the VSP firearms unit into the OBBL intelligence team. The net result was outstanding. This analyst was able to leverage firearms linked to criminal activity to thoroughly identify, through link analysis, significant criminal organizations within the city. Most of this intelligence is now being considered for use in a larger federal case. This would not have been possible without Lead Analyst Doud's foresight in leveraging this information. By far the most important item was leveraging of Microsoft Teams to house a tips, leads and Request For Information (RFI) tracker. Lead Analyst Doud pursued a simple solution and developed a spreadsheet used by the patrol and investigative teams to submit critical incident information for further exploitation by the analytic team. Although rudimentary, the spreadsheet on the shared drive enabled a seamless transmission of the RFIs and tips/lead submissions in one location. This enabled Lead Analyst Doud to assign specific items to his team, track its completion and provide feedback to the submitter. This eliminated the chance of a missed email or other communication because all the information and the response were in one place. These leads were very fruitful, often enabling the intelligence team to link a previously unknown subject to ongoing investigations or validate previously reported information. Lastly, Lead Analyst Doud and his team briefed tactical units on a bi-weekly basis during their initial day of TDY in the city. This was a great opportunity to convey important intelligence and ensure the tactical units could access the latest intelligence developed by the analytic team. Lead Analyst Doud also participated in weekly command staff briefings regarding OBBL. During these meetings he briefed the latest intelligence to mid and upper-level commanders involved in the operation and officials from the Governor's office or the Office of the Attorney General. The methods and processes developed by Lead Analyst Doud during OBBL were adapted to other successful OBBL initiatives in the Commonwealth. Additionally, the success of the intelligence support has furthered the integration of intelligence into Virginia State Police operations and the expansion of Fusion Center capabilities.]
, [Chase Gitter: Chase Gitter - LA - SAFE -Investigative Specialist (IS) Chase Gitter has proven himself an invaluable asset to the Louisiana State Analytical & Fusion Exchange (LA-SAFE) through his dedicated service across multiple crucial roles. Not only is IS Gitter an analyst for LA-SAFE, but he also serves as a liaison for the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP), is a member of the Violent Crime Abatement Investigation Team, and plays a significant role in the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Program, where his contributions have significantly enhanced operational effectiveness and safety. In his work with the LSP sUAS Program, IS Gitter contributed to developing comprehensive training programs and policies. He also assists with quarterly training and keeps abreast of the federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the use of sUAS by law enforcement and the public. During the 2024 Mardi Gras Celebrations in New Orleans, IS Gitter collaborated with the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) to produce a situational awareness snapshot regarding the usage of sUAS technology during the event. This initiative bolstered security measures during the event and served as a proactive alert to law enforcement agencies nationwide about potential similar threats during large gatherings. IS Gitter's analytical skills are equally commendable. Since January 2023, he has authored and disseminated 27 analytical products, 17 of which were joint or triple seals with federal and local law enforcement partners. These products are instrumental in shaping operational strategies, allocating manpower, and anticipating emerging threats. In addition, his collaborations with private sector partners ensure that new trends and tactics are researched, analyzed, and shared with the intelligence community. One notable example of IS Gitter's impact is his intelligence note titled, Illegal Operation of Off Road Vehicles and Street Performers / Drag Racers on Public Roadways Will Likely Continue to Endanger Public Safety Across the City of New Orleans. This insightful product provided actionable intelligence for law enforcement, aiding in mitigating public safety risks posed by illegal street activities. IS Chase Gitter epitomizes leadership, expertise, and profound dedication in every facet of his role within LA-SAFE. His ability to identify trends, meticulous approach to analysis, and collaborative mindset make him an exemplary figure in the intelligence and law enforcement community. With great enthusiasm, I nominate IS Chase Gitter for his outstanding contributions and steadfast commitment to enhancing public safety and operational efficiency.]
)