We Haven’t Learned the Lessons From 9-11

It has been 23 years since the terror attacks in America on September 11, 2001. That is nearly a quarter century ago even though it doesn’t seem like that much time has passed. If you recall what was determined by the 9-11 Commission convened by Congress to investigate what failed that allow the largest attack on American soil since the attacks on Pearl Harbor, they cited among other failures that the refusal of federal law enforcement agencies to share information up down and across the law enforcement spectrum was a critical factor. This included the refusal by federal agencies to share that information with local law enforcement. The Commission report referred to a “systemic resistance to sharing information” in their report.

Information sharing is vital to law enforcement efforts in keeping Americans safe. Front line local law enforcement officers are at street level interacting with people everyday. They collect huge amounts of raw information that should be collated, analyzed and turned into intelligence that can be shared with everyone responsible for public safety to prevent and disrupt crime. But is it?

Recently a report was published and given to the Congressional House Judiciary Committee prepared by whistleblowers, retired and active-duty agents and analysts. The report revealed several startling conclusions. Among the findings was that local law enforcement officers have a “disturbing loss of trust in the FBI” and as a result are hesitant to share information with them. Local cops complain that the information sharing is one-way. They share information with the FBI while the Bureau tends to hold their information close to the vest. The report goes on to point out that, “Police officers and sheriff’s deputies on patrol and detectives investigating illegal activity in their jurisdictions have unparalleled visibility into street crimes and when this information is not immediately shared with the FBI, the FBI is left to address complex, evolving threats facing the United States with the unacceptably vast and debilitating ‘blind spot’ because it does not have enough personnel and resources to see into every corner of the country.” Recall that the 9-11 hijackers were freely moving about the United States. They were on no-fly lists yet continued to board flights into and out of the U.S. as they planned their attack. In fact, 3 of the hijackers were pulled over for traffic violations by local law enforcement officers days before the attacks. The cops had no information that the terror suspects were on the infamous radar screen of federal agencies

This is highly disturbing in light of the role that a lack of information sharing law played in the 9-11attacks in 2001. This is not a recent phenomenon. In all my nearly 40 years in local law enforcement this problem has existed. I am a graduate of the FBI National Academy-a program designed to strengthen the relationship between FBI agents and local police. Apparently, it isn’t working. At the Academy in Quantico, Va you could feel that sense of superiority by new agents. There is still this adoration of the Bureau’s first Director J Edgar Hoover.  It is as if his ghost lives there. The previously mentioned report describes FBI personnel generally as, “almost always arrogant, aloof, condescending without any tactical skills to support themselves or the safety of their teams while out on the street.” A source says this is the result of the “new agent training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va, which promotes a cult of narcissism by imbuing a false sense of superiority over all local, state and federal law enforcement.” Their title is “special agent”. What is it that makes them special someone needs to ask.

I can attest to this characterization of FBI agents. A news story on this report says that the picture that emerges of the FBI is of an incompetent, arrogant, bloated bureaucracy that includes a new generation of DEI hires described as ‘completely worthless’ and ‘the worst batch of people’. This inflated self worth should have a hole poked in it and replaced with a sense of humility and professionalism when dealing with local street cops and their agencies said a news story. The FBI used to seek out new hires who had military or law enforcement experience, but it sounds today like diversity, equity and inclusion social engineering experiments in hiring takes precedent.

These are not my descriptions of the agents of the FBI, but it is hard to disagree with the former agents, analysts and whistleblowers. Is it any wonder that at the local level, officers refer to the initials FBI standing for (F)amous (B)ut (I)ncompetent. It would be funny if it wasn’t so serious. This relationship must be repaired and fast. With terrorism re-emerging as a threat again, the next attack according to Director Wray is a question not of if, but when. The success of any relationship starts with a foundation of trust. In my view it is incumbent on the federal agencies to take that first step.

Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. is former Sheriff of Milwaukee Co, Wisconsin, President of America’s Sheriff LLC, President of Rise Up Wisconsin INC, Board member of the Crime Research Center, author of the book Cop Under Fire: Beyond Hashtags of Race Crime and Politics for a Better America. To learn more visit www.americassheriff.com