Welcome to the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security
The role of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security is mandated by both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Kentucky General Assembly. Essentially, it has the following responsibilities:
- Counterterrorism, including threat and vulnerability assessments, suspicious activity intelligence gathering and analysis, classified information sharing with law-enforcement sources, and provide guidance on the prevention or mitigation of terrorist activities/attacks.
- Community safety and security, including first responder training, Neighborhood Watch support, the management of Eyes & Ears on Kentucky, community presentations about personal safety and assistance to Citizen Emergency Response Teams.
- Administrative oversight of the Kentucky Intelligence Fusion Center, which is a multi-agency of local, state and federal officers primarily engaged in law-enforcement support activities ranging from our own security analysts and GIS operatives to Kentucky State Police support personnel to the Missing and Exploited Child Center to providing work areas for the FBI, Secret Service, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Department of Corrections and other law-enforcement agencies including the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Police.
- The Kentucky e-Warrant program that improves the issuance of warrants for law-enforcement officers through high-tech means.
- Federal-grant administration to support cities, counties and agencies for acquisition of interoperable communications equipment, victim rescue gear, DHS-approved fire department and EMS equipment and devices essential in helping thwart attacks on infrastructure vital to the security and economic stability of both Kentucky and the United States.
- Law Enforcement Protection Program to provide funds for body armor, firearms, and electronic-control weapons for law-enforcement agencies.
 |
Mission Statement |
 |
"Lead the Commonwealth's coordination and collaboration efforts with public and private preparedness partners to ensure a Ready and Prepared Kentucky."
Click the following link to download our Mission Statement
|
Homeland Security Information Network |
|
The Homeland Security Information Network was created to interface with existing information-sharing networks to support the diverse Communities of Interest engaged in preventing, protecting from, responding to, and recovering from all threats, hazards, and incidents under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.
HSIN is uniquely qualifed to meet the missions of DHS and its information-sharing partners because of its ability to support and enhance collaboration among COIs that represent all levels of government including federal, state and local offices.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/HSIN.
Interested parties can contact Shelby Lawson, Deputy Executive Director of Operations at the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security, about becoming a member of the HSIN law-enforcement community. He can be reached at shelby.lawson@ky.gov.
|
Recent News |
|
 Executive Director Thomas L. Preston's interview in the July 2009 issue of Security Management magazine -- http://www.securitymanagement.com/article/state-perspective-kentucky-005852
Kentucky Office of Homeland Security and Kentucky Fire Commission officials at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the inflatable Fire Safety House in the exhibit hall of the Homeland Security Conference and Kentucky State Fire School in Lexington on June 13. The Fire Safety House will be on display in the KOHS area at the Kentucky State Fair on Aug. 20-30.
|
Swine Flu |
|
Kentucky Public Health Commissioner William Hacker, M.D., is urging health-care providers and public-health officials to be on the alert for potential cases of swine flu in Kentucky.
For more information on swine flu and updated case counts, visit cdc.gov/swineflu, healthalerts.ky.gov or www.pandemicflu.gov.
|