For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: Andrew L. Lluberes, 202-538-5544
FBI Agent, Northern California Deputy Director Win Individual Awards
New Orleans—The Colorado Information and Analysis Center, an FBI agent assigned to the Joint Regional Intelligence Center in Los Angeles and the deputy director of the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center won awards at the National Fusion Center Conference today as fusion center of the year and as outstanding fusion center federal and state/local representatives.
During an awards presentation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Program Manager for the Information Sharing Environment recognized outstanding fusion centers and their leadership.
Award winners included:
- Fusion Center of the Year–The Colorado Information and Analysis Center (CIAC) was recognized for exemplifying every aspect of a robust and mature fusion center. CIAC leadership has been a strong advocate of fusion centers, organizing and supporting the national build-out of the network. They were specifically recognized for their recent support to the Najibullah Zazi terrorism investigation as well as their leadership during the 2008 National Democratic Convention.
- Fusion Center Federal Representative of the Year–FBI agent Leslie Gardner, assigned to the Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC), was nominated for her leadership in developing the JRIC into a nationally recognized model of cooperation and collaboration between agencies of all sizes and missions. She has been responsible for initiating policies, processes, and programs which exceeded expectations and drove standards across the national network of fusion centers.
- State/Local Fusion Center Representative of the Year–Mike Sena, Deputy Director, Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC), was recognized for his leadership and management of the NCRIC’s growth and maturation. Under his leadership, the fusion center has expanded its all-crimes/all-hazards mission by providing superior customer service and expanding its partnerships across all levels of government.
Bart Johnson, DHS Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, said of the award winners: “It is an honor and a privilege to recognize the outstanding contributions of partners at all levels of government in support of the national network of fusion centers as they continue to evolve to enhance our national security.”
Ed Wall, Administrator of Wisconsin Emergency Management, received the National Fusion Center Leadership Award on behalf of the National Fusion Center Association. He was recognized for his ongoing support to the national network of fusion centers.
In addition, the 12 pilot sites for the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative were recognized for their support to the country’s homeland security mission. These sites included police departments in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami-Dade and Washington; Arizona Department of Public Safety (Arizona Counterterrorism Information Center), Florida Department of Law Enforcement, New York State Intelligence Center, Seattle Police Department/Washington State Fusion Center, and the Virginia Fusion Center.
Tom O’Reilly, Senior Advisor at the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, said of the SAR pilot sites: “We are proud to recognize the important contributions of each of these locations. Their leadership has strengthened our nation’s security.”
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and DHS Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute were the keynote speakers on the first day of the conference, which brought together close to 1,000 fusion center, federal, state, local and tribal partners for the fourth consecutive year.
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