Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council

The Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) for the District of Vermont was formed immediately following the events of September 11, 2001. It is the organization responsible for establishing and sustaining policies and procedures coordinating law enforcement information sharing efforts combating terrorism within the District of Vermont. It acts as the point of contact for information coming from and going to Washington, D.C.

The ATAC consists of representatives from various federal, state and local agencies and the private sector and is overseen by the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont.

While the ATAC works, principally, within the District of Vermont, it coordinates its work with the other 92 ATACs nationwide, policy makers in Washington, D.C., and its' Canadian partners. The ATAC complements the operational work conducted by the national Joint Terrorism Task Forces.

The efforts of the ATAC are fluid and dynamic, directed toward both proactive and reactive measures. The policies and procedures of the ATAC are the result of work conducted by various working groups made up of the various participants. Recognizing that terrorists may employ long-term, secretive and sophisticated planning, the ATAC program is structured to maximize national success beyond individual investigations and cases. By bringing together the expertise of varying disciplines in a coordinated effort, the ATAC will remain among our highest priorities.

COMMITTEES
The Anti-Terrorism Task Force (ATAC) is comprised of Working Groups that meet periodically to address the following issues:

INTELLIGENCE/SECURITY
Mandate: to coordinate the secure flow of information within and without the ATAC and create proactive measures for the gathering of information.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Mandate: to coordinate the infrastructure of ATAC information sharing systems to allow the dissemination of relevant information.

BORDER SECURITY
Mandate: to coordinate all border security initiatives together with Canadian counterparts.

TRAINING
Mandate: to gather all relevant training information and disseminate to ATAC participants, create periodic monthly security bulletin, establish outreach program to participants and the public.

PROJECTS/STRATEGY
Mandate: to address the direction of anti-terrorism efforts, identify deficiencies and best practices and make necessary recommendations.