Horizons Online Edition

Issue date: 11/11/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Kirk Marvin Robert Parrish (right), Director of Security for Arizona Public Service answers questions at the symposium.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott campus hosted the Fifth Annual National Security Symposium on Thursday, Nov. 5. The symposium was open to students, faculty, and members of the community. Experts in the fields of security and intelligence came to discuss the challenges to homeland security in the twenty-first century.

The event was divided into three panels and one speaker with a few breaks and time for question and answer sessions at the end of each section.

The first panel discussed the partnership between the public and private sectors and protecting the homeland. One topic brought up was InfraGard. InfraGard is an effort to improve information sharing and analysis between members of the private sector and the FBI. "Information sharing is essential to preventing hostile attacks," said Special Agent Paul Scaff, FBI.

Randy Parsons from Sky Harbor Airport expanded on the idea of information sharing. Observing the organization of millions of people onto and off of planes every day, Parsons understands the need for good security.

The evolution of the relationship between the private and public sector was slow, but both "recognized the urgency to come together," according to Parsons.

Two areas where security is particularly important are that of infrastructure and energy. Robert Parrish, Director of Security, Arizona Public Service, talked about the transportation of energy and securing facilities. Parrish is also a part of InfraGard, and he thinks the organization is good for private companies because it is harder for these groups to get information independently.

Also participating in the first panel was Daniel Hattis, legislative assistant and advisor to Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, who is on the Homeland Security Council. Hattis spoke on Kirkpatrick's behalf because she was in Washington, D.C., working.

As computers have become so important in all reaches of modern life, Kirkpatrick believes that cyber security has become just as important. "It is vital that both private and public sectors make it secure," said Hattis.

The second panel focused on cooperative intelligence in the defense of the homeland. In order to bring all gathered information together, fusion centers have been developed. Detective C.J. Wren spoke about the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center, whose mission is to "protect citizens and critical infrastructures."

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