Saunders to guide state intelligence center

Des Moines Bureau

DES MOINES – James Saunders, assistant director of the state Division of Criminal Investigation, has been appointed to direct the Iowa Intelligence Fusion Center – an office that coordinates the sharing of intelligence among local, state and federal law enforcement officials.

Eugene Meyer, commissioner of the state Department of Public Safety, announced Wednesday that Saunders will assume the new duties on June 11. He succeeds Russ Porter, who is leaving the center's directorship to accept an appointment with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be selected to serve in this capacity,” Saunders said in a statement. “Director Porter and staff in the Iowa Intelligence Fusion Center have done an outstanding job promoting and facilitating information sharing between the many entities, both public and private, having a vested interest in protecting Iowans.”

An Okoboji native, Saunders has served as an Iowa State Patrol trooper, a DCI special agent, state coordinator for the Iowa Law Enforcement Intelligence Network (LEIN), chief of the DPS public information bureau, and DCI assistant director overseeing the support operations bureau. He holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from William Penn University, a certificate of public administration from Drake University, and is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command.

“Over the last 23 years here at the Department of Public Safety, Jim's proven himself to be a leader, regularly bringing together key stakeholders on a variety of issues in an effort to find solutions that will help law enforcement better protect Iowans,” Meyer said. “These skills make Jim an exceptional candidate for the Director of the Fusion Center.”