One significant step proposed by government officials following the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States was establishment of fusion centers as a collaborative effort among governmental and non-governmental agencies with the goal of maximizing the ability to detect, prevent, apprehend, and respond to criminal and terrorist activity. The problem addressed in this qualitative study was the complexity in managing the unique intergovernmental collaborative process employed in fusion centers that are executing homeland security operations and the insufficient level of study of fusion centers. Scholars and government officials have not denoted an efficient or preferred management model for fusion center collaboration. Descriptions of public management networks (PMNs) and governmental networking methodologies exist within literature but no scholarly research theory or analysis applied to fusion centers nor did government officials address or assess the method or effectiveness of intergovernmental networking. The formal Tampa, Florida collaborative effort commenced in 2006 as a cooperative agreement among the senior supervisors of the Tampa Federal Bureau of Investigation field office and the Tampa Bay Florida Department of Law Enforcement region and included the collocation of state and local law enforcement personnel in the federal task force and within the federal facility. A comprehensive case study using qualitative methodology within the Tampa fusion center permitted cross-sectional analysis from data derived from interviews conducted with 23 law enforcement professionals as well as observations recorded during 12 fusion center collaborative meetings. Fusion center organization demonstrated the characteristics of a network model and the Tampa center exhibited the attributes of an action type PMN. Establishment and evolution of the Tampa center collaborative efforts revealed increased collaboration and cooperation oriented to law enforcement for homeland security. Organization of the Tampa fusion center was within federal fusion center guidelines and application of emerging state guidelines could further enhance collaboration and standardization. Research revealed several best practices created within the fusion center in the areas of staffing, organization, and communications. Fusion centers organized within federal guidelines provide a unique opportunity for further research into aspects of network models, including expansion of knowledge regarding PMNs and study of distributed management.