‘Fusion Center’ helped EP law enforcement analyze Orlando massacre, share information
A network of Fusion Centers, one of which is located in El Paso, jumped into action after Sunday’s horrific shootings in Orlando that left 50 dead and 53 others injured.
Authorities told ABC-7 they monitored the situation at the El Paso Fusion Center, which is one of 72 now across the country.
Members of different law enforcement agencies analyze information, identify trends and share timely information with each other.
“Things can be unpredictable,” Sheriff Richard Wiles told ABC-7. “We live in a crazy world, unfortunately. We see far too much of this and it’s horrific when it happens.”
Wiles says Fusion Centers are a relatively new network across the country. Local, state and federal law enforcers all get and share information at the same time.
“We will get immediate emails on our phones to alert us from the fusion center as to what’s occurring and these things come in constantly,” Wiles said. “Every time something new happens in regards to that incident it is updated. They monitor social media in case people make threats or we get information about a crime and that information is taken and given to the appropriate agency, even if its from another jurisdiction.”
El Paso’s Fusion Center is located at the El Paso Police Department headquarters on Raynor in Central El Paso. Police denied ABC-7 access to it.
“It’s probably one of the best I’ve ever seen,” Wiles said. “They had a lot of grant funding that went into it. It’s fully staffed, although it’s not open 24 hours right now. We’re moving towards that and eventually we’ll have that.”
Wiles said although its not currently open all the time, it can be activated at any time, like it was this past weekend.
“If something were to happen that would indicate an immediate threat to this area, they would open it up,” he said. “We’re good here in a lot of aspects and other communities probably don’t have that same type relationship and collaborative effort that we have in El Paso.”
Wiles also told ABC-7 that following the Orlando incident, the FBI and Homeland Security held conference calls the past two days that his agency took part in. He said there are no specific threats related to El Paso at this time.
