American Samoa Fusion Center is the name of a new creation of ASG established as a collaborative effort on safety and security.
A press statement says the Fusion Center is set up under the department of Homeland Security and will provide a mechanism where law enforcement, public safety, and private partners can come together to enhance our territory’s ability to safeguard our homeland and people, and prevent criminal activity within, at, and outside our island’s borders.
The Fusion Center involves six key American Samoa Government agencies: Homeland Security; (2) Public Safety; (3) Legal Affairs Immigration Office; (4) Treasury Customs and Excise Division; (5) Marine and Wildlife Resources; and (6) \Port Administration.
According to the press release, American Samoa is the only U.S. territory without a fusion center and its high time that a locally operated and managed center is established.
The Fusion Center is to serve as the territorial hub with the federal government, through which to coordinate the sharing of intelligence and the gathering, processing, analysis, and dissemination of terrorism, criminal activity, and law enforcement information.
The Fusion Center will be structured to empower front-line law enforcement, public safety, fire service, emergency response, and private sector security personnel to understand local implications of national intelligence.
In addition to local government and community backing, the Fusion Center will also involve the support of ASDHS federal partners, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
