The Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center (MCAC) was established as a model facility for the analysis and dissemination of information in statewide support of law enforcement, public health and welfare, public safety and homeland security. It is one of the four components of the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC).

Primary Function of the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center  

The primary function of the MCAC is to provide analytical support for all federal, state and local agencies involved in law enforcement, public health and welfare, public safety and homeland security in Maryland. It is meant to provide strategic analysis to better focus the investigative activities being conducted by law enforcement agencies within the state and to better enable public health and safety agencies to perform their important protective functions. By design, the Center is not an investigative body, but is meant to address a serious analytical deficiency in the state. In addition, the Center, through its Watch Section, enables public and private entities within our state more efficiently to receive and to disseminate critical information to other similar entities established by other states, as well as with any national centers created by the federal government, such as the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC), the Homeland Security Operations Center (HSOC) and CT Watch.  

Structure and Organization  

The Executive Committee of the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) of Maryland has selected from the ATAC membership an Executive Director and two Assistant Directors of the MCAC. The Executive Director is an employee of the Maryland State Police (Retired MSP Lieutenant Colonel).  A Lieutenant of the Anne Arundel County Police Department is an Assistant Director and supervises the Watch Section. A Supervisory Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is an Assistant Director and supervises the Intelligence Analysis Section (IAS). The IT Support Section is supervised by an employee hired by the ATAC Executive Committee and reports to the MCAC Director. While the ATAC Executive Committee is the policy making body, relying heavily upon input from the general membership of the ATAC, the day to day operation of the MCAC is the responsibility of the assigned Director and Assistant Directors. The MCAC management reports, and is responsible, to the ATAC Coordinator, who ensures that the ATAC Executive Committee’s policies are adhered to.

The Center is not intended to supplant the numerous investigative bodies now in force within Maryland, such as ICE’s Technology Transfer Task Force, the various HIDTA investigative groups, the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), etc., but to act in support of these bodies, enabling them to be more effective and focused in their important tasks.

Center staff consists of assigned personnel from over 24 federal, state and/or local agencies with homeland security, public safety, public health and/or law enforcement responsibilities. It is intended that the Center be as inclusive as possible in order to promote efficiency in its critical functions and to achieve the desired synergistic effect.

Location

The Center is centrally located within the state in order to facilitate its accessibility by all agencies.