Although the FBI has become a stronger organization since 9/11, it needs to improve its intelligence capabilities, leverage its personnel and improve its information sharing processes, the commissioners of a congressionally mandated review of the FBI said Tuesday at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.
Congress put the commission together last year to assess how the FBI has implemented a series of recommendations proposed by a 9/11 Commission in 2004. Three congressionally appointed commissioners led an external review of the organization over 14 months, sifting through documents and briefings, interviewing personnel and visiting eight field offices to evaluate progress and areas for improvement within the bureau. They released their findings in the report, “The FBI: Protecting the Homeland in the 21st Century,” in late March.
At Tuesday’s panel discussion held at GW, 9/11 Review Commission Executive Director John Gannon and Commissioner Edwin Meese III analyzed the contents of the report alongside FBI Deputy Director Mark Giuliano. Christian Beckner, deputy director of GW’s Center for Cyber and Homeland Security, moderated the discussion.
Mr. Meese said the four goals of the commission were to examine the way the FBI implemented recommendations from the 2004 9/11 Commission, assess the FBI’s response to domestic terrorism since 9/11, analyze previously unknown evidence that may have contributed to 9/11 and recommend ways to share intelligence and counterterrorism policy.
While the report largely praised the FBI for the progress it has made incorporating the recommendations from 2004, it noted several areas the FBI could improve. It said the agency needs to better integrate the FBI’s work—including long-term strategies—into the larger intelligence community.
Mr. Meese also pointed out potential problems in the organization’s leadership because too many senior managers are approaching retirement.
Many areas that the commission’s report highlighted reflect issues the FBI already is working to reform. The commission recommended investing more resources and training in intelligence analysts, whose contributions could benefit the broader intelligence community, Mr. Gannon said.
Already, the culture is starting to shift the FBI, with analysts being trained alongside agents, Mr. Giuliano explained. But integrating the two positions is a cultural challenge that must come from the top down. He added that compared to many other agencies, the FBI is still young, but it is moving quickly to continue its maturation.
Mr. Giuliano also said that the FBI is working on rewarding analysts’ work in strategic intelligence as it has done for agents solving cases.
“The bureau has come a long way—major metrics used to be stolen cars recovered and bank robbers caught,” Mr. Meese added.
Speaking to the importance of shared information, Mr. Gannon underscored the success of Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs), partnerships between various law enforcement agencies used to fight terrorism. The report recognizes that although information integration becomes difficult at a local and state level, JTFFs are highly positive and critical to developing a network and structure of intelligence sharing.
“It’s hard to do, but we have to do it, and we have to keep pushing it no matter how hard it may be,” Mr. Gannon said.
Mr. Giuliano outlined the FBI’s commitment to transparency throughout the review, saying the process provided an opportunity for the organization to get a baseline measurement of its performance.
“We have to constantly look under the hood and see how we’re doing as an organization,” he said. “We will use this as a roadmap to see where we started and where we need to implement changes.”