On July 18-19, 2009, the Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council (LECTAC) convened in Arlington, VA to review the Technology Working Groups' technology needs and the operational requirements established during the 2009 TWG meetings.
The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC-National) system established 17 technology working groups (TWGs) to represent the identified core technology portfolios of NIJ's Office of Science and Technology (OS&T): biometrics, geospatial technologies, body armor, information-led policing, communications technologies, less-lethal technologies, community corrections, modeling and simulation, corrections, personal protective equipment, electronic-crime, pursuit management, DNA forensics, school safety, explosives, sensors and surveillance, and general forensics. These TWGs meet twice each year to hear briefings and establish and prioritize technology needs in their portfolio areas. LECTAC meets annually to review the high-priority technology needs as established by the TWGs and create a "Top 10" list of technology needs for NIJ which is detailed in this publication. The LECTAC involvement strengthens links between NIJ and the law enforcement and corrections community by providing executive level reviews and analysis of present and future technological needs of the criminal justice system while recommending research and development priorities to NIJ. LECTAC members are appointed by the NLECTC-National and represent Federal, State, and local criminal justice agencies; labor organizations; and national and international law enforcement, corrections, and criminal justice organizations. This "real world" input helps shape the activities of NIJ's Science and Technology portfolios, as well as NIJ-funded research supporting the development and implementation of new technologies for use by law enforcement and corrections.