Bridging the Gap: The Fusion Center Model

A Collaborative Approach to UAP

As a society, we are witnessing a historic shift in the way unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) are treated by the federal government. With increased attention and growing acceptance of the need to study these enigmatic events, it is time to address the elephant in the room: our current approach to UAP reporting and analysis is fragmented and inefficient. To effectively study and analyze the UAP mystery, we must adopt a holistic and all-encompassing approach that includes civilian reports, local public agencies, and the federal government. It is crucial that we leverage the history and success of fusion centers and address the concerns of civilians and local agencies to create a unified front to tackle the UAP enigma.

As of recent, it seems that military UAP reports and encounters have dominated the news and media circuit. With the creation of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), Congress has made it clear that collecting and analyzing UAP reports involving military members and assets, as well as identifying an origin and intent, is a national security priority. However, we congress and the public would be foolish to believe that the UAP issue is confined to only military witnesses and air space. In fact, most UAP sightings occur outside military contexts and are reported by civilians. The National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) estimates that civilians report between 4,000 to 6,000 sighting annually. The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) is at an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 reports a year. Compare these numbers with the roughly 500 or so military reports AARO has handled in the last few years and you’ll see that ignoring the vast civilian data set would be a grave mistake in our pursuit of understanding the phenomenon. Imagine if, during the Global War on Terror, counterterrorism efforts solely focused on incidents around military personnel and assets. What if the US’s COVID-19 pandemic response only included measures pertaining to military members and bases? The UAP topic is no different in that its implication impacts every US citizen. Much information is to be gleaned from civilian reports and coordination must be taking place with local governments, public health agencies, law enforcement, and Fire/EMS departments. I propose adopting the Fusion Center model to help bridge the gap between the federal government and local civilian agencies in the investigation and education of UAP.

The 9/11 Terrorist attacks exposed intelligence and information sharing gaps amongst our intelligence agencies. Fusion centers were created in the wake of the attacks to improve the collaboration and exchange of information among federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners. The idea was to create a centralized hub where multiple agencies could share and analyze data related to public safety, homeland security, and counterterrorism. Initially, fusion centers primary focus was counterterrorism. As time developed, they began to incorporate a broader range of public safety and security issues. Some examples are organized crime, drug trafficking, and natural disasters. Today, there are about 50 state and 20 regional fusion centers in the US that are managed by state or local law enforcement agencies, and supported by the FBI. Fusion centers are not solely support for law enforcement though. A key component of the center is the ability to liaison with Fire/EMS, hospitals and public health agencies, and interact with local governments. The Fire Department I belong to has our own liaison that works directly with our local fusion center full time.

The idea of this fusion center model for UAP is not new. Christopher Mellon has written and spoken numerously about the need to create a “UAP Fusion Center”, to allow the DOD and IC to share information around UAPs. What I’m advocating for is that we take the fusion model developed in the aftermath of 9/11. One that sees local agencies as key stake holders, a valuable source of intelligence collection, and a vehicle for information dissemination to our first responders, health agencies, and local government. But how would this look in practice?

There are strict laws in place designed around protecting the privacy and civil liberties of Americans that might make it difficult to implement a collaboration between existing fusion centers and AARO, directly. These laws, among others, set strict limitations on how intelligence agencies can collect, store, and share information about individuals without their consent. To overcome these legal challenges, a specialized UAP office could be established within an existing federal agency like the Department of Homeland Security or the FBI. This office could be designed to operate within the existing legal framework while still facilitating the necessary coordination and information sharing between AARO, fusion centers, and local governments on civilian UAP reports. In theory, every fusion center could designate a liaison to interact with this new UAP Office. The liaison would be responsible for educating and briefing local agencies, first responders, and elected officials on UAP matters, as well as passing relevant local UAP reports and matters up to the UAP office. Coordination with civilian reporting agencies, such as MUFON, NUFORC, or NARCAP, would be paramount as well.

As I mentioned earlier, there are an estimated 10,000 to 18,000 civilian UAP reports each year. Those are just what’s reported. How many civilian sightings go unreported to MUFON/NUFORC? How many people are calling 911 for a UAP sighting or encounter with no way for first responders to make a report or inform the caller of how to make a report? I know of at least two from personal experience. Last summer, within a three week period, my fire engine company and myself had to two separate UAP encounter incidents. One involved a person showing up to our station after a UFO encounter. The other involved a response to an individual with an encounter and missing time reported. The incidents happened within less than a mile of each other and involved two completely unconnected people. On the second incident, the person was transported to the hospital due to possible skin burns. I’m not here to get into the details of these incidents. I am trying to convey, from a personal anecdote, a real world example of why this gap needs to be bridged. I am fortunate that I try to stay well informed about the UAP topic, but I am the exception, not the rule when it comes to other firefighter, paramedics, police officers, dispatchers, hospital staff, patients, and other civilian witnesses. We are all stakeholders in this topic who should have a clear system of reporting and a concise dissemination of information and education on this topic.

As congressional hearings progress and reports emerge from AARO, it is crucial to establish mechanisms to keep local agencies informed and educated on the potentially world-view shattering revelations related to UAPs. By integrating civilian reports, public agencies, and the federal government's efforts, we can create a more effective and holistic approach to studying and understanding the UAP mystery.

By leveraging the history and success of fusion centers and addressing the concerns of civilians and local agencies, we can create a unified front to tackle the UAP enigma. This approach would not only facilitate better information sharing but also ensure that all stakeholders have access to the latest data and developments in the field of UAP research.