TOPOFF 3 Exercise Analysis Will Take Up to Six Months
In a briefing, senior DHS Officials reported that the administration will spend four to six months analyzing the results of the $16 million TOPOFF 3 counterterrorism exercise before releasing formal results. The drill, which ran April 4 to 8, tested the ability of participants from 27 federal agencies, state and local governments, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations and other countries to prevent and respond to simulated terrorist attacks.
Source: Chris Strohm, “Administration ends largest counterterrorism exercise ever,” Govexec.com, 8 April 2005, online at http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0405/040805c1.htm
New Hampshire First Responder Network Now Online
Using $2 million from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, New Hampshire has become the first state in the nation to install a secure satellite communications system to connect more than 600 law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency medical services and hospitals with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Homeland One First Responder Network links fire, police and emergency services into one network that enables personnel to access up-to-date training modules that they can view at any time to keep up with new training requirements and developments.
Source: Warren Hastings, “NH first to install system linking with Homeland Security,” The Union Leader (Manchester, N.H.), 30 March 2005: A2
Maryland's Ballistics Database Helps Convict Murderer
Prince George's County, Md. prosecutors were able to win a first degree murder conviction thanks to evidence produced by the state’s ballistics database that connected a firearm to the man charged in the case. Maryland’s Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) was created by state lawmakers in 2000, but has been criticized in a Maryland State Police report that called IBIS costly and ineffective.
Source: Ruben Castaneda and David Snyder, “Ballistics Database Yields 1st Conviction; Oxon Hill Man Tied To Murder Weapon,” The Washington Post, 2 April 2005: B1
First Responders in D.C. Region to Get Biometric IDs
About 200,000 first responders in the Washington, D.C. region will be issued biometric smart card IDs under a new program to be deployed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and spearheaded by the department’s Office of National Capital Region Coordination. The initiative will involve police, fire and emergency response agencies in the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Source: Alice Lipowicz , “First responders to get biometric IDs,” Government Computer News, 6 April 2005, online at http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/35473-1.html
DNA Cold Hit Solves 1991 Murder in Vermont
Thanks to a cold hit from the FBI Laboratory's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a man has been charged in the 1991 slaying of woman in Stowe, Vt. Investigators across the state have followed more than 1,000 leads in the years since the murder, but it was the suspect’s 1997 conviction for aggravated assault that helped CODIS solve the case.
Source: Andy Netzel, “DNA ties suspect to 1991 homicide; Scoville case has taken 1,000 leads and 14 years,” The Burlington (Vt.) Free Press, 1 April 2005: 1A
Maine State Police Find Success with Crash Database
Maine State Police officials are pleased with the success of their online crash reporting system, which has eliminated a great deal of paperwork and has sped up the process for drivers since it was launched in October 2004. Since accident reports became available online through the Maine State Police Crash Database, more than 60 percent of requests received are electronic, and more than 800 online requests were received during March.
Source: “Augusta: State Police Report Success of Online Crash System,” Bangor (Maine) Daily News, 5 April 2005: B2
