Fusing drug enforcement: a study of the El Paso Intelligence Center

Van Puyvelde, D. (2016) Fusing drug enforcement: a study of the El Paso Intelligence Center. Intelligence and National Security, 31(6), pp. 888-902. (doi: 10.1080/02684527.2015.1100373)

Abstract

This article examines the evolution of the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), a key intelligence component of the Drug Enforcement Administration, to shed light on fusion efforts in drug enforcement. Since 1974, EPIC has strived to fuse the resources and capabilities of multiple government agencies to counter drug trafficking and related threats along the Southwest US border. While undergoing a steady growth, the Center has confronted a host of challenges that illuminate the uses and limits of multi-agency endeavors in drug enforcement. An evaluative study of the Center shows that it is well aligned with the federal government priorities in the realm of drug enforcement; however the extent to which the Center’s activities support the government’s efforts in this domain is not so clear. The Center needs to improve the way it reviews its own performance to better adapt and serve its customers.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Van Puyvelde, Dr Damien
• Authors: Van Puyvelde, D.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > History
• Journal Name: Intelligence and National Security
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• ISSN: 0268-4527
• ISSN (Online): 1743-9019
• Published Online: 27 October 2015
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 Taylor and Francis
• First Published: First published in Intelligence and National Security 31(6): 888-902
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy