Investigative Support Center (ISC)

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 The Midwest HIDTA Investigative Support Center (ISC) is a combined  Federal, state, and local intelligence and information sharing  Initiative.  The ISC facilitates intelligence sharing among law  enforcement agencies through the systematic collection, analysis, and  dissemination of secure, accurate, and timely drug intelligence. 

This  cooperative model of sharing promotes interagency communication and  coordination of activity regarding counter-drug efforts; enhances  officer safety through deconfliction; eliminates duplication of effort;  and is critical to combating the increasing threat of narcotics  traffickers and criminal organizations.

The Midwest HIDTA ISC  provides operational, tactical, and strategic support to investigations  conducted by the HIDTA Initiatives.  The ISC also supports the National  HIDTA strategy and goals by developing intelligence related to regional,  national, and international drug trafficking threats. 

The  dissemination of actionable intelligence, along with ongoing case  support and drug trend/threat analysis, enables law enforcement entities  throughout the Midwest to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking  organizations and other associated criminal groups at the highest  level.  Using all available intelligence systems, such support  unequivocally reduces the flow and distribution of illicit drugs and  drug proceeds across the Midwest HIDTA region and beyond. 

 The watch center researches and deconflicts information to the fullest  extent using all available investigative and analytical tools.  Using a  systematic approach, phone numbers, names, addresses, seizure data,  license plates and other identifying information are queried against  Case Explorer, criminal databases, motor vehicle files, state systems,  open source databases, federal proprietary databases, EPIC and phone  deconfliction systems, such as DICE and DARTS, to fully identify  investigative overlaps and provide intelligence products to law  enforcement. 

 The Long-term Case Support analysts provide analytical case support  to HIDTA funded initiative investigations ranging from telephone toll  analysis, pen register analysis, Title III analysis, and seizure  analysis.  The Long-term Case Support analysts also identify overt acts,  stash house locations, sources of supply, organizational members and  co-conspirators, trafficking routes and methods, relevant seizure  information and key events, links to other investigations, and provide  investigators with potential targets and relevant information to expand  the investigation. 

 The Midwest HIDTA, ISC prepares and disseminates an annual threat  assessment and additional strategic analysis products pertaining to drug  trends, drug availability, price changes, smuggling methods and  changes, trafficking routes, emerging drug threats, officer safety  issues, and drug trafficking organizations most impacting Midwest law  enforcement. 

 The DHE provides analytical support to interdictors and investigators.   DHE analysts exploit the most appropriate criminal systems and  intelligence databases and provide a quick response to interdictors to  help them obtain reasonable suspicion, or probable cause, to search a  vehicle.  Pursuant to the seizure, DHE analysts provide first level  analytical support using all available intelligence systems to enhance  the initial investigation.