DEPARTMENT: Police
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus, Chief of Police
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Briefing on the Southwest Texas Fusion Center
SUMMARY:
This memo is to brief Criminal Justice, Public Safety and Services Committee on the Police Department's Southwest Texas Fusion Center.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Fusion centers began as an initiative between DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) after 9/11, with the purpose of serving as focal points for the receipt, analysis, gathering and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT) and private sector partners. The Southwest Texas Fusion Center (SWTFC) was recognized by the Governor in 2010 as one of seven fusion centers in the state of Texas, and was recognized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a major urban area fusion center in 2011.
The SWTFC is an all-threat/all-hazard center for information and public safety analysis, collaborating with regional and national stakeholders throughout the greater San Antonio area and South Texas region. Using intelligence-led policing strategies, the SWTFC engages in information gathering and data analysis to develop for use by our partners. Whether addressing local crime reduction issues or supporting national efforts to safeguard the Homeland, the SWTFC is uniquely situated to respond to crime problems and more accurately predict future threat trends by gathering and sharing intelligence.
The SWTFC is funded and operated by the San Antonio Police Department with an annual budget of approximately $3.9 million supplemented by limited grant funding from the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP). The SWTFC is staffed with 25 sworn personnel and 6 civilian personnel, as well as representatives from the San Antonio Fire Department, Bexar County Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, and DHS. The program is also supported...
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