Targeting Terrorism

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is committed to working with the federal, state, and other local law enforcement agencies to prevent acts of terrorism with in the County and State of Arizona.

MCSO currently has 8 full time sworn Terrorism Liaison Officers (TLOs) that work with the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC) as well as a full time squad of investigators assigned to the ACTIC.

The mission of the ACTIC is to protect the citizens and critical infrastructures of Arizona by enhancing intelligence and domestic preparedness operations for all local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is committed to this mission.

The objective of the ACTIC is to be a “fusion” center by establishing and maintaining an “all-crimes approach” to terrorism prevention. The ACTIC is a true cross-jurisdictional partnership, integrating local, state, and federal responders, emergency management and, when appropriate, the private sector.

Some of the Terrorism Liaison Officers' duties are as follows:

Intelligence:

- Gather and disseminate intelligence on need to know basis

- Preventative and Intelligence teams for large public and private venues

- Undercover operations to monitor and verify received intelligence and/or incidents

- Conduct initial investigations and/or follow up on suspicious incidents involving acts of foreign or domestic terrorism

- Do threat-based intelligence work-ups on businesses or persons involved in illegal activity

Critical Infrastructure:(Critical Infrastructures are systems like our electrical grids, water systems, bridges, dams, etc.)

- Conduct threat assessments or threat vulnerability assessments on key resources, critical infrastructure or high profile venues

- Provide options for consideration to asset mangers of key resources, critical infrastructure, and high profile venues based on Department of Homeland Security or received threat-based intelligence

Response:

- Provide on-scene intelligence and support to Incident Command for all situations that are terrorist, tactical, hazardous material or natural disaster related

- Assist with planning for public and private large scale events

- Assist with terrorist and disaster related training exercises

Ancillary Duties:

Create training curriculums and write policies and procedures for all Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office employees conducting intelligence investigations, as well as for the Terrorism Liaison Officer program.

For more information on what you can do and what to look for see the link to 8 Signs of Terrorism. Click to see 8 Signs of Terrorism.

If you have information about suspicious persons or circumstance that may be related to terrorism call your local law enforcement agencies or the ACTIC:

In Arizona: 602-644-5805

Toll Free 1-877-272-8329

Your Identity can be kept confidential

If it raises concerns in your mind….Call

If you have questions ……………...Call

Are you willing to depend on someone else?

If you don’t call who will?

For more information visit the Arizona Office of Homeland Security Website:

www.homelandsecurity.az.gov