From the thesis: "Collaboration between law enforcement agencies can improve community service by increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Law enforcement collaboration often involves partnerships and other methods to increase productivity. Despite the benefit, the outcomes of functional partnerships need additional study. How might a shared resource model be more efficient and effective than consolidations in concurrent jurisdictions? This thesis evaluated the law enforcement collaboration models of complete and functional consolidation and a shared resource model to determine the more productive law enforcement and homeland security response. Jurisdictions currently follow complete or functional consolidation, as New York City did in 1995 when the city merged three independent police agencies into one department. This thesis evaluated consolidations throughout the country to determine whether the method selected improved outcomes. Although law enforcement consolidation is a popular concept, it often fails to produce the expected results. A shared resource model achieves the benefits expected through other methods without consolidating police agencies. These benefits happen without experiencing the disadvantages outlined in this thesis. Before law enforcement agencies contemplate complete or functional consolidations, they should conduct a comprehensive evaluation to determine whether a shared resource model might realize the benefits expected from law enforcement agency consolidation."