Domestic Security Alliance Council

Domestic Security Alliance Council

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The Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC) is an American governmental/corporate alliance created at the request of corporations “for an FBI-led organization that would bridge the information divide between America’s private and public sectors” ^[1] in December 2005. The program facilitates information sharing and cooperation between the FBI and over 200 of the largest American companies, which altogether account for over one third of the gross domestic product of the United States. In December 2012, released documents showed that the DSAC and counter-terrorism programs conducted surveillance of non-violent Occupy Wall Street protesters in 2011.

History

The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) was established by the Diplomatic Security Service of the United States Department of State in 1985 as a mechanism for sharing security information between the U.S. private sector and the U.S. government.^[2] The FBI Criminal Investigative Division (CID) began to advise OSAC in 1996. In November 2005, by corporate request, the FBI hosted a steering committee composed of Chief Security Officers for major American companies including Citibank, Coca-Cola and Federal Express; this committee founded the Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC) the following month.^[2] All three of these founding corporations cross-affiliate with the Business Roundtable.

The mission statement of DSAC states that the program is “a strategic partnership between the FBI and the U.S. private sector,” that it promotes the “effective exchange of information” between them, and that it allows the FBI to more easily detect and prevent criminal activity involving interstate commerce.^[2] DSAC is also supervised by the Department of Homeland Security.^[3]

In July 2006, DSAC created a leadership board of 29 business leaders from major companies in the United States. These include companies in the airline, banking, entertainment, food, and other industries.^[2] Two-thirds of the members of the leadership board cross-affiliate with the Business Roundtable. In 2010, over 200 companies participated in DSAC, constituting over one third of the US GDP and almost 10% of its labor force.^[2] Merck Vice President Grant Ashley, American Undersecretary Dawn Scalici, and assistant FBI director Ronald C. Ruecker are all chairpersons of and executives for DSAC.^[2] Merck also cross-affiliates with the Business Roundtable. Other American companies participating in DSAC include Bank of America, Barclays, American Express, MasterCard, United Airlines, Boeing, General Electric, and Walmart.^[4] Of these, Bank of America, Barclays, American Express, MasterCard, Boeing, General Electric and Walmart all cross-affiliate with the Business Roundtable.

Domestic surveillance

Following successful freedom of information requests by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, the FBI released redacted documents in December 2012 showing that the FBI had spied on Occupy Wall Street (OWS) organizers and passed OWS information to financial firms via DSAC prior to the first OWS protests in Zuccotti Park.^[5] FBI officials met with New York Stock Exchange representatives on August 19, 2011, notifying them of planned peaceful protests.^[6] FBI officials later met with representatives of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and Zions Bank about planned protests.^[6]

The FBI used informants to infiltrate and monitor protests; information from informants and military intelligence units was passed to DSAC, which then gave updates to financial companies.^[7] Surveillance of protestors was also carried out by the Joint Terrorism Task Force.^[7][8] DSAC also coordinated with security firms hired by banks to target OWS leaders.^[9]

Previously, in December 2011, DSAC had written a report on law enforcement agencies’ plans for a 12 December protest at US ports, which involved investigation of links between OWS and port trade unions by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.^[10]

The Partnership for Civil Justice, a non-profit, said that espionage facilitated by DSAC treated “protests against the corporate and banking structure of America as potential criminal and terrorist activity,” and said that DSAC was “functioning as a de facto intelligence arm of Wall Street and corporate America.”^[6] Naomi Wolf wrote in The Guardian that surveillance of OWS by the FBI was conducted with the knowledge of the Obama Administration.^[11]

A DSAC brochure^[1] states that the benefits of membership in the DSAC include:

Centralized access to security information not only from the FBI, but from all federal government entities, including the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, the IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Secret Service

Ongoing access to a network of diverse security experts at the highest government and corporate levels

Continuing education for CSOs through the semi-annual Domestic Security Executive Academy at the FBI Academy, Quantico, VA

Continuing education for intelligence analysts through quarterly regional Intelligence Analyst Symposiums

Additional opportunities through participation in DSAC’s committees

See also

Joint Terrorism Task Force

Law enforcement and the Occupy movement

OSAC

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https://www.dsac.gov/about

About DSAC

The Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC) is a strategic partnership between the U.S. government and the U.S. private industry that enhances communication and promotes the timely and effective exchange of security and intelligence information between the federal government and the private sector.

Its goal is to advance the FBI’s mission of detecting, preventing, and deterring criminal acts by facilitating strong, enduring relationships among its private sector member companies, FBI Headquarters, FBI field offices, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Headquarters and Fusion Centers, and other federal government entities. DSAC also expands the U.S. private sector’s ability to protect its employees, assets, and information by providing ongoing access to security information and a network of security experts, as well as continuing education for corporate chief security officers (CSOs) and intelligence analysts.

In the fall of 2005, a steering committee composed of CSOs from a number of the country’s largest corporations began meeting with Bureau officials and members of the State Department’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) at FBI Headquarters. The committee’s objective was to create a domestic security organization modeled after OSAC to connect private sector security experts with each other and to serve as a vehicle for exchanging information with the Bureau. The FBI agreed to set up and lead this Domestic Security Alliance Council, which was officially approved by the FBI Director in December 2005.

In 2008, DHS joined the program, and in 2011, the DSAC program was formally elevated to the level of the FBI Director’s Office. In 2012, the inaugural DSAC charter was signed, which established the joint operation of DSAC by the FBI and DHS. Top executives from both agencies have committed resources to carry out the DSAC mission.

The DSAC program has grown to include more than 509 member companies representing almost every critical sector and over 50 unique business industries. DSAC member companies account for greater than 50 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product and employ more than 20 million people.

DSAC increases coordination among FBI Headquarters divisions and FBI field offices to strengthen collaboration between the federal government and the private sector. A significant element of this approach involves strategically assessing, realigning, and maximizing private sector points of contact to improve the value of both internal and external partnerships. Working with both member company CSOs and Special Agents in Charge of local FBI field offices, DSAC hosts regular executive-level meetings and encourages greater collaboration, understanding, and alignment of local, state, and national security priorities.

Together with its partners, the Domestic Security Alliance Council looks forward to developing strategic and cohesive relationships between the FBI, DHS, and the private sector.