37 Managing Intelligence and Responding to Emerging Threats: The Case of Biosecurity Patrick F. Walsh Introduction This chapter builds on other security management themes discussed in this volume, particularly risk management, crisis management and the relation- ship between the public and private sectors in planning and responding to various security issues. For security managers, intelligence should also play a vital role both in understanding and managing a myriad of existing and emerging issues in the security environment. The list of issues that security managers must deal with is potentially endless, but includes supporting sim- ple operational decision-making about high-volume crime to managing more complex security threats (cyber-security, organized crime and terrorism). The focus here, however, is the examination of biosecurity and how issues related to it have evolved in the post-9/11 security environment. Using biosecurity as a case study, the chapter will discuss the role that intelligence can play both in interpreting potential bio-threats and in helping policymakers and security managers develop strategies to prevent or mitigate risks associated with them. The rationale for focusing on biosecurity is due to the unique challenges bio- threats present to policymakers and security planners. Biosecurity is a complex, diverse (across the plant, animal and human continuum) and multidimen- sional suite of issues. Threats range from the simple unintentional release of biological agents (for example, food poisoning) to more complex intentional acts discussed later such as biocrime, bioterrorism and biohacking. Further, unlike the ‘digital footprints’ left by a cyber criminal, the intentional and ille- gal use of naturally occurring biological agents may not present early signs of an offence prior to an outbreak of disease. This ‘element of surprise’ presents challenges for community safety and intelligence agencies whose job it is to provide warning about bio-threats prior to them occurring. 837 M. Gill (ed.), The Handbook of Security © Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Nature America Inc. 2014