06/21/2011

Kathleen M. O'Toole

Intelligence agencies that once zealously guarded their independence have learned to collaborate and share information, but technology has created an avalanche of information that demands more and better analysis and dissemination, Kathleen M. O’Toole, Chief Inspector of the Garda Síochána, said today.  

“When I was a young police officer, we didn’t have enough information; now we have too much,” said O’Toole, who has held her current police oversight position in Ireland since 2006 and previously served as the first female police commissioner of Boston, Mass.

O’Toole, who will be among the distinguished panelists at this year’s Global Intelligence Forum hosted by the Mercyhurst College Institute for Intelligence Studies in Dungarvan, IE., July 11-13, said she will share her personal experiences as a champion of collaboration, particularly in breaking down the barriers among  federal, state and local authorities in intelligence-sharing.

What comes to mind immediately, she said, is the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, the first national political convention since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“We had to consider everything, from a major terrorist attack to the actions of home-grown anarchists,” she said. “We needed to leverage every possible resource, from federal intel analysts in Washington, D.C., to beat cops in the neighborhoods of Boston.  The result was a phenomenal effort that included everyone.” 

It worked so well, in fact, that it became a catalyst for the launch of the Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC).  A component of the Boston Police Department, BRIC is an all-hazards fusion center and is a collaboration of local, state and federal partners that works to enhance the analysis and sharing of information to fight crime and prevent acts of terrorism. It was established in 2005.

O’Toole said she believes that governments have come a long way in sharing intelligence since 9/11, although roadblocks to cooperation remain.

In the U.S., for instance, she said, “I think there is still perceived tension between the Bureau and Homeland Security. There are outstanding people in both organizations and I don’t think they get as much credit for working together as they deserve. I also think the federal government has to do a better job of delineating who is responsible for what and help alleviate some of the confusion.”

Moving forward, she said, attention has to be paid to continued collaboration, but more has to be done in dealing with the information overload triggered by the growth of technology.

“I think we have gotten better at sharing it, but technology has created so much available information that we need to be able to sort through it efficiently, collect the important pieces and disseminate appropriately. That calls for additional highly skilled analysts.”

O’Toole ends her tenure as Chief Inspector of the Garda in December, leaving it as she has so many roles in her life – with lessons learned.

“The Garda is a wonderful organization,” she said. “I’m pleased with the contributions my team has made, but I’ve learned a great deal, too.”

O’Toole has been a thoughtful student these many years, enabling her to reach leadership pinnacles in what has long been a man’s world. Besides being the first female to serve as the Boston police commissioner and the Garda Inspectorate, she was also the first female Secretary of Public Safety in Massachusetts.

“I’ve had many wonderful mentors along the way,” she said, among them former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld and former New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton. “I learned early on about the importance of principled leadership.  I’ve always said, ‘We’ll go where the truth takes us and never shy away from taking responsibility for our actions.’”

Please visit our website for more information on the Global Intelligence Conference.

-interview by

Deborah W. Morton

Media Relations Manager

Mercyhurst College