NCJ Number
213204
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2006 Pages: 50,52,56
Date Published
January 2006
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article outlines the services offered by the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ’s) CommTech program, a communications technology program focused on improving interoperability.
Abstract
The CommTech program utilizes opportunities for operational testing in order to integrate, test, and evaluate technologies that address the Nation’s interoperability needs. The goals of NIJ’s CommTech Program are two-fold: (1) to provide information about strategies and methods for improving interoperability across public safety disciplines and jurisdictions, and (2) to conduct research and development in areas such as standards development. CommTech generally provides two types of technical support: (1) on-site technical assistance, and (2) interoperability equipment. The article describes the assistance offered by CommTech to the agencies investigating the 2002 Washington, DC, area sniper shootings and events such as the 2005 Presidential Inauguration. In the case of the Washington, DC, area sniper shootings, agencies within affected jurisdictions needed a way to link databases and communicate seamlessly with one another. CommTech offered software called COPLink to connect multiple databases, free of charge. CommTech also offers critical incident planning assistance, such as assistance with drafting Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) and with conducting domestic preparedness drills. In almost all cases, the services of this NIJ office are offered free of charge to law enforcement agencies. Exhibits