NCIS operates globally, with a lean force structure, and core missions charted to prevent terrorism, protect secrets and reduce crime in service to the Department of the Navy (DON).  To accomplish these missions requires dynamic partnerships with the DON and with other law enforcement organizations local and globally.

NCIS special agents, intelligence analysts and security specialists routinely work with local, state, federal and foreign law enforcement to address criminal incidents, identify and mitigate threats to U.S. and forces and assets, and pursue joint proactive operations.

Outreach efforts include:

• Support of the DON’s enduring strategy for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), which requires that NCIS focus initiatives on identifying and mitigating any threat that could impact the security, safety, economy, or environment of the United States.  The DON MDA strategy also recognizes that “…trust and cooperation cannot be surged.”
• The NCIS Security Training and Assessment Team (STAAT) conducts more than 500 physical security assessments at ports, hotels and air fields around the world for the U.S. Navy in preparation of ship visits.  Through NCIS Special Agents in Charge (SACs) and through the Commander Naval Installation Command (CNIC) the STAAT provides various levels of law enforcement and security force training for foreign security personnel. 
• NCIS staff psychologists share “lessons learned” in behavioral assessment with law enforcement partners around the world as well as providing operational consultation for NCIS agents. 
• Within the Criminal Investigations division, specially trained agents often share best practices and insights to other law enforcement through seminars on Threat Management.
• And, Cold Case experts have impacted the forensic methodologies of agencies in the US and law enforcement entities elsewhere in the world
• Quarterly crime reduction campaigns coordinated through NCIS targeted to Navy fleet are a proactive step towards ensuring force readiness.

NCIS brings the credibility of its U.S. law enforcement code of conduct to its partnership building as the lynchpin for success.  More importantly, this rule of law framework makes it possible for NCIS to initiate successful information sharing programs that help uncover the indications and warnings of adversarial threats. 

• NCIS Law Enforcement and Information Exchange (LInX) program has drawn together law enforcement agents across county and state boundaries to link crime and suspicious incident data.  These information sharing networks are helping law enforcement solve cases across previous boundaries.
• Now the Department of Defense (DoD) is collaborating with NCIS to introduce the Defense Law Enforcement Data Exchange (DDEX) project to expand upon the success of this program to include thirteen DoD agencies. Similar to LInX, the DDEX will be populated using data already collected by the defense criminal investigative organizations in fulfilling their functions, such as incident, offense, and case reports.

This focus on partnership initiatives around the world is critical to effective analysis and action to thwart threats and harden the target.