Alum honored for efforts in area of criminal and terrorist activity
Ironically, Dave Carabin ’02 despises large crowds, yet he’s responsible for the welfare and safety of hundreds of thousands at Boston’s most populous events, including the Boston Marathon and the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular held annually on July 4.
As director of the Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC) and Boston Police Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Analysis, Carabin’s days are focused on preventing crime and keeping the masses safe.
Any given day might find him handling grants to purchase the latest technology or hopping on a national conference call regarding threats that are developing overseas. Carabin might also be providing the federal government with the latest findings on heroin use in the Metro Boston region.
“We are the criminal information and analysis brokers between local and federal law enforcement agencies,” he explains.
The BRIC is a criminal intelligence sharing and analysis center, also referred to as a “fusion center,” and Carabin’s efforts within his agency have gotten it—and him—noticed by the National Fusion Center Association and Partners.
The purpose of a fusion center is to collect, analyze, collaborate and communicate information with local, state and federal agencies to help detect, prevent, investigate and respond to criminal and terrorist activity.
BRIC was singled out late last year among the 77 state and major urban centers for its counter-terrorism and criminal intelligence services as providing best practices to the nation. Carabin had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., to accept the national fusion center award, which was sponsored by IBM.
“To say I was honored by this achievement is an understatement,” says Carabin. “I’m still floating.”
Carabin is experienced in the work of fusion centers. He helped create the State of Utah’s intelligence fusion center in 2008 while serving as the intelligence bureau chief for the Utah Department of Public Safety and commander of the Statewide Information and Analysis Center.
Carabin was recognized in 2010 for these efforts when he was awarded both the Emergency Management Digital Distinction Award and the Environmental Systems Research Institute’s Special Achievement in GIS Award.
Carabin also spent time on the staff for the Newport News Police Department in Virginia. He earned a master’s degree in Homeland Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Carabin returned to Boston in May 2010 to lead the department for which he once worked.
Only a few years earlier, Carabin spent a chunk of his time at Westfield State on the football field and track. He majored in criminal justice and minored in psychology and business management.
A friendly smile and welcoming demeanor let this Middleboro native make friends easily. A strong work ethic and passion for the law enforcement field led him to an internship in his senior year that would forever change his life.
Professor John Jones, then chair of Criminal Justice, matched Carabin’s specific interest in crime analysis to classes in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), in which Carabin learned to analyze patterns and trends. Kimberly Tobin, Ph.D., led engaging classes on topics related to criminology theory, gangs and crime prevention.
Carabin became more interested in disrupting criminal networks and utilizing intelligence analysis rather than traditional policing. That’s when Jones recommended an internship with the nearby Springfield Police Department.
The department transitioned to an intelligence center during Carabin’s internship, and he was able to gain experience with the Crime Analysis unit. This experience proved invaluable in his job search after graduating from Westfield State in 2002.
“I found out after the fact that I was selected over other candidates because I had hands-on experience,” says Carabin. “I give a lot of credit to the internship program for me being where I am right now.”
Carabin’s attachment to Westfield State runs deeper than his successful career. Fellow alumna and close friend Caitlin Beilke ’02 actually introduced him to his wife, Ashley. The couple welcomed daughter Siena in October 2013.
In addition to embracing fatherhood, Carabin also looks forward to his annual snowboarding trips with classmates Mike Chagnon ’02 and Justyn Faber ’02.
“I very much value my relationships and friendships from Westfield State,” says Carabin. “Times sure have changed, but it’s good to maintain those friendships.”
