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Procedure 2020Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Procedures Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2020/06/08, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentHOMELAND SECURITY - 1HOMELAND SECURITY 2020.1 PURPOSE These guidelines establish policies and procedures for the processing and dissemination of information concerning Homeland Security by defining the Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) and the Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Programs. 2020.2 INTRODUCTION Shortly after 9/11, several police chiefs in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County organized a Terrorism Advisory Group as an effort apart from the existing Terrorism Early Warning Group (TEWG.) One of the concepts that evolved from this effort was the designation of a Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) from each agency to serve as a conduit of information between members of the public safety community, public/private sector, citizenry and the US Government. These officers became the principal points of contact for all terrorism-related information for their respective agencies. Recognizing the extraordinary potential for the TLO Program to be an effective force multiplier, the concept was grafted into the TWG and later the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center (OCIAC.) The OCIAC is a multi-agency collaborative information collection, analysis and dissemination unit that was developed in 2007 to serve as a fusion center of information serving the County of Orange. The OCIAC serves the Orange County Operational Area through participation and input from law enforcement, fire, public health services and critical infrastructure entities. 2020.3 DEFINITIONS 2020.3.1 TERRORISM The FBI defines terrorism as, "the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a Government, the civilian population or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." Terrorism not only involves individual acts of terrorism, murder, kidnapping and bombings but also includes acts of logistical and material support. 2020.3.2 INFORMATION VS INTELLIGENCE It is important to note a distinction between information and intelligence. Although in conversation it is common to use both terms interchangeably, not all information is intelligence. Information is by itself raw facts or data that must be investigated and evaluated by proper investigative branches before it can be deemed intelligence. Information that has been evaluated by proper channels frequently remains information and never makes it to the intelligence level. It is critical that information gathered be handled in a timely manner as any impedance in the flow can make the data outdated. When information is properly processed it can become intelligence and then becomes subject to designated classifications for its use. The processing of information and intelligence is handled differently as discussed below. Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Procedures Manual HOMELAND SECURITY Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2020/06/08, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentHOMELAND SECURITY - 22020.3.3 TERRORISM LIAISON OFFICER (TLO) A TLO is an individual assigned to field activities that serves as the principal point of contact in matters related to terrorism information. The TLO, though not necessarily an expert in terrorism, receives terrorism training, information and intelligence from the OCIAC, Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC) and other entities engaged in terrorism intelligence and investigations. The TLO educates others within their respective department unit thereby enhancing situational awareness, early warning and operational preparedness. This way, the TLO raises the overall awareness level of terrorism prevention and preparedness that assists to effectively deal with the threat of terrorism. 2020.3.4 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORT (SAR) The SAR is an information report specifically labeled "925-Suspicious Activity Report" and contains facts that are out of the ordinary; these indicators alert suspicion as to a possible connection to terrorism. The SAR is not a crime report and no crime has to have been committed in order to complete such a report. 2020.4 PROCEDURE It is the Homeland Security Division's intent to promote a TLO program that emphasizes gathering of terrorism related information at a field level. Therefore, an important component of the TLO program is gathering relevant information via the Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) program. The program encompasses a separate information reporting system where officers document information, not intelligence, on a SAR information report. During a typical investigation, if an officer detects suspicious activity that might reasonably be related to terrorism, the officer can check with the on-duty TLO and gain insight as to the value of this information. If the information is valuable, it is documented on a 925 SAR report, either as the main information report to the incident, or if the investigation yields a crime report, the suspicious information is not included in the crime report but is documented in a separate 925 SAR report (under a separate case number.) All 925 SAR reports are documented on the department's current crime report form, however, the crime type is labeled 925 SAR and the "Information Only" box shall be checked. This information report is forwarded to the department's Homeland Security Division Sergeant prior to the end of the reporting officer's shift and sent to the OCIAC via fax at (714)289-1025. The TLO is the point of contact for the information flow to and from the OCIAC. The information sent to OCIAC may be deemed intelligence after proper analysis by the FBI or a designee. It is imperative SAR procedures are followed in a timely manner as this information is time sensitive. All intelligence