How Fusion Centers Can Assist School Districts

Video Length | 59:17

Recorded | April 2025

Podcast Description

In this Learning Lab episode, host Dr. Celina Bley speaks with staff from two Texas fusion centers to discuss their role in Texas and how they can assist school districts, specifically with school behavioral threat assessments. They discuss how centers collaborate with law enforcement and the importance of having current contact information for the growing number of school district police departments in Texas. They also discuss the Texas Suspicious Activity Reporting Network (iWatchTexas) and the specific reporting process for school safety related reports.

Expert Guests

Malcolm McLaughlin

Malcolm McLaughlin

Malcolm McLaughlin is the Director of the North Texas Fusion Center. He has served in this role since August 2022 and previously served as the Deputy Director from 2020 until 2022 and Intelligence Analyst from 2017 until 2020. ...Prior to his time in the Fusion Center, Mr. McLaughlin served as an Intelligence Officer for the United States Department of Defense from 2003 until 2017. He has worked in the intelligence field for 21 years and has a Juris Doctorate (Law), a Master of Science (Biology), a Bachelor of Science (Microbiology), and a Bachelor of Arts (Spanish).
Read More >>

West Williams

West Williams

West Williams is a detective with the Austin Police Department and is currently assigned to the Austin Regional Intelligence Center (ARIC) where he heads the training and outreach portion of the center. Detective Williams has served ...the Austin Police Department for 17 years and has trained hundreds of threat liaison officers within the Central Texas 10-county Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) on terrorism and suspicious activity recognition and reporting. Prior to working at the ARIC as a detective, West worked in the Robbery Unit, Executive Protection, and SWAT, and spent the early portion of his career on patrol in northwest Austin.
Read More >>

Learning Lab Host

Stephanie Peterson

Celina Bley, Ph.D.

Dr. Celina Bley is the Associate Director of Training and Education at the Texas School Safety Center, located at Texas State University. She started at the Center in February 2019 and brings with her 18 years of district administrator experience in the Central Texas... area. She began in the field as a Communications Director and worked her way up to Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations which included school safety for a 6A District. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Education in the field of Adult, Professional and Community Education from Texas State University. Dr. Bley received her Master of Arts in Adult and Developmental Education and her Bachelor of Arts in German.
Read More >>

Podcast Produced By: Celina Bley, Ph.D., Associate Director of Training and Education

Resources

Fusion Centers

As noted by the US Department of Homeland Security: Fusion Centers are owned and operated by state and local entities, and are designated by the governor of their state.

There are two types of fusion centers:

  • Primary Fusion Centers: A primary fusion center typically provides information sharing and analysis for an entire state. These centers are the highest priority for the allocation of available federal resources, including the deployment of personnel and connectivity with federal data systems.
  • Recognized Fusion Centers: A recognized fusion center typically provides information sharing and analysis for a major urban area. As the Federal Government respects the authority of state governments to designate fusion centers, any designated fusion center not designated as a primary fusion center is referred to as a recognized fusion center.

Texas Fusion Centers

Texas Suspicious Activity Reporting (iWatch Texas)

The Texas Suspicious Activity Reporting Network iWatchTexas website allows persons to report suspicious activities or behaviors that may indicate ongoing or future criminal or terrorist activity.

Texas Suspicious Activity Reporting (iWatch Texas)

Podcast Available On