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Program Chair Harvey Clark introduced Doug Price, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Division of the FBI. Doug described the FBI as an intelligence-based, threat-driven organization that has continued to evolve over the years.
He discussed four focus points of the FBI in our times:
1. Counterterrorism - El Quaeda has been greatly weakened, but in its place, ISIS (ISIL) has emerged in Iraq and Syria. They are concerned with the threat from home-grown violent extremists who are being radicalized via the internet. He said there are people that fit this description living in Arizona.
2. Counterintelligence - the biggest espionage threat is toward businesses, corporations and universities. The frequency and breadth of this kind of espionage is disturbing. We are trying hard to stem the onslaught but we are losing this battle - there are too many ways to break in and get the information.
3. Cybersecurity - this is a never-ending game of offense vs defense. Cybersecurity - or the lack of it - touches everything we do. It is not easy for the FBI to compete in the market for employees with the skills needed to block these raids. He mentioned the hacking of email to steal the bottom line negotiating position of a company.
4. Traditional Crimes - crimes such as bank robberies, human trafficking, white collar crimes, public corruption, border issues and civil rights protection are also on the FBI's list of responsibilities.
Doug is concerned about technology companies (Google, Apple) "going dark" - that is, developing new software that excludes law enforcement from a back door access to cell phones and cameras. It will hurt intelligence gathering greatly. We need a dialog about appropriate amounts of privacy.
Infra Guard is an association of business people with the FBI. It is a group to share information about hacking with information flowing both ways.
Doug mentioned an 8 week citizen FBI Academy for folks to learn in more detail what the FBI does and how they do it. If interested in attending, contact Doug. He closed by saying that cooperation between the FBI and other law enforcement agencies in Arizona is excellent - an opinion seconded by Chief Kelly.
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