MONTGOMERY -- The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is proud to announce the recent national recognition of its Alabama Fusion Center (AFC) as one of two Fusion Centers of the Year for 2020. The National Fusion Center Association (NFCA) honored both the AFC and the Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center (GISAC).
Each year, the NFCA holds its annual training conference and awards ceremony in Alexandria, Va. In 2020, the AFC participated virtually and received presentations from the NFCA’s closest federal partners, including FBI Director Chris Wray and former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, along with a briefing on the current trends regarding threat assessments. The NFCA annual training event provides an opportunity for fusion centers and their partners to receive training, exchange best practices and share lessons learned with their colleagues.
AFC Director Jay Moseley said, “I am extremely proud of the work our fusion center staff does each day. This national award is a true testament to the hard work and dedication our team members put into their job every single day. It is truly an honor and privilege to lead this amazing team.”
Part of ALEA’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the AFC and its counterparts in other states and U.S. territories are intelligence- and information-sharing hubs designed to “fuse” information between the intelligence community and local, state and federal governments, as well as private-sector entities. They were implemented following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, which killed almost 3,000 people, and they are charged with improving the nation’s preparedness against terrorist attacks and deterring criminal activity.
In addition to the Fusion Center of the Year award, Deputy Geographic Information Officer (GIO) Jared Bostic received an award for his work with the NFCA Geographic Information System (GIS) Committee. Bostic, Nick Gray with the Illinois Fusion Center and Ryan Walsh with the Boston Fusion Center received The Best Collaborative Effort Award for their work of enhancing geospatial capabilities at fusion centers across the country.
ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said, “This is an extraordinary achievement that speaks directly to the hard work and ability of the AFC and Director Moseley’s leadership. We are immensely proud of Jay and his team.”
The NFCA represents the interests of state and major urban-area fusion centers, as well as associated interests of states, tribal nations and units of local government; promotes the development and sustainment of fusion centers; encourages effective, ethical and lawful intelligence and information sharing; and works to prevent and reduce the harmful effects of crime and terrorism on victims, individuals and communities.
