The FBI and its Failure to Share Intelligence

The FBI has encountered multiple issues while attempting to modernize and centralize its IT infrastructure systems. The FBI has had to halt its $170 million virtual case file (VCF) management system implementation due to control, culture, and incompatible organizational systems within the FBI itself (Pearlson et al., 2016). Furthermore, 54 FBI field offices basically are acting independently as their own unique agencies, unwillingly and inefficiently sharing information with the rest of the FBI. This is extremely frustrating because many experts have come to the conclusion that the 9-11 terror attacks could have been avoided if there were better interagency cooperation and shared information with each other. This is backed up in the 9-11 Commission Report released August 03, 2004, when it was asked to investigate two issues: the lack of effective information sharing, analysis and the need for executive branch reorganization in response to the 9/11 Commission recommendations and how to remedy problems in information sharing and analysis by transforming the intelligence community from a system of "need to know" to one of a "need to share" (GOV Info, 2004).

The VCF program was not fully backed by the highest levels of management and thus giving the field offices the choice to accept, or reject this new information sharing system. The FBI CIO is now trying to gain buy-in from the field agents up front to ensure cooperation and information sharing throughout the agency. The FBI Director also took away the IT budget from the separate field offices and put it in the hands of the CIO so that IT direction comes from a central point, not from different, remotely separate offices across the world (Pearlson et al., 2016).

Currently, the FBI is working on deploying “Trilogy,” an effort to modernize its IT infrastructure agency-wide. This effort includes resurrecting the VCF program, and introducing the Sentinel, and Next-Generation Identification (NGI) systems. The newly resurrected VCF system will introduce a new portfolio management system to include all of the FBI’s projects, including those from the decentralized field offices, and will insert an enterprise architecture that will implement standards for all FBI Bureau offices. The new case management system is called Sentinel and will provide enhanced information sharing, analysis, and search capabilities within the FBI but will also facilitate information sharing with law enforcement agencies and intelligence communities. Finally, the NGI system is a billion dollar system that contains over 52 million searchable facial images, 100 million individual fingerprint records, millions of palm prints, DNA samples, and iris scans. The NGI system allows the FBI to scan mug shots and pick out suspects from a crowd scanned via security camera or image search on the internet (Pearlson et al., 2016).

From my years in the military and working as a government contractor for them, I have learned that while, yes we have some of the absolute best technology, tools, systems, databases, and equipment in the world to help fight against terrorism and criminals, but without human compliance, these tools are worthless. Billions of dollars can be spent on the highest forms of technology but without mandates or orders coming out from the top levels of the military, sometimes they will not be used. As a lesson learned, if the FBI and other agencies are to be successful in information sharing amongst each other, it has to be mandated from the highest levels of office. Without this, we will go another 20 years, with many more incidents where the lack of information sharing between agencies leads to more wins for the enemy than for us.

 

References

9/11 Commission Report: Reorganization, Transformation, and Information Sharing . GOV Info. (2004, August 3). Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-1033T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-1033T.htm

Pearlson, K. E., Saunders, C. S., & Galletta, D. F. (2016). Managing and Using Information Systems: A Strategic Approach (6th Edition). Wiley Global Education US. https://coloradotech.vitalsource.com/books/9781119255246