NCJ Number
181744
Journal
Sheriff Volume: 52 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2000 Pages: 18-22
Date Published
January 2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) in El Paso, Tex., provides tactical and operational intelligence support to law enforcement officers who conduct ongoing investigations involving the movement of drugs, drug money, or illegal aliens.
Abstract
Users can run database queries on persons, vehicles, aircraft, vessels, addresses, or telephone numbers. EPIC can also post a variety of alerts and lookouts; analyze highways and airport drug and cash seizures; and forward actionable leads to the case agent. EPIC is a resource of national and sometimes international scope in that it has access to millions of records relating to drugs and drug-money movement nationwide and to the immigration status of both legal and illegal aliens. Most of this information is available to certain Federal and State police personnel. In addition, Federal and State agencies with direct EPIC access can make queries on behalf of local police agencies. This means of access is sufficient in most cases. The EPIC information comes from hundreds of sources. EPIC was established 25 years ago as a result of a proposal from the Department of Justice to establish an intelligence clearinghouse to coordinate efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs Service, and Immigration and Naturalization Service along the border of the United States and Mexico. Photographs and case examples of how EPIC is supporting law enforcement and sources of further information on how EPIC can support a police agency