Enhancing Regional Collaboration -- Taking the Next Step

摘要

Enhancing regional collaboration has been identified as one of the eight National Priorities for Homeland Security by the President of the United States. While South Carolina has made significant efforts in expanding regional collaboration, such as the creation of regional Counter Terrorism Coordinating Councils (CTCCs), there is still much work to be done. There are several teams and capabilities in place throughout the state, but they are uncoordinated, lack structure, and have no plan or strategy by which to guide them. State agencies have different regional operational structures, adding to the redundancy and uncoordinated homeland security planning efforts. This thesis examines why collaboration is difficult to achieve, and based on an examination of the literature as well as the benefits of regional collaboration as observable in other states, will make specific recommendations for South Carolina to expand regional collaboration. The recommendations are applicable to states throughout the nation to ensure that homeland security planning efforts are coordinated, and that regional collaboration is expanded at the sub- state level. The thesis also summarizes the efforts of other states to achieve homeland security regional collaboration. Three states that have taken on regional collaboration and formed true regional partnerships, created strategic plans, and allocated funding on a regional basis are Iowa, Michigan, and Arizona. The final sections of the thesis provide a brief overview of how additional states have enhanced regional collaboration.