Minneapolis Response To Bridge Collapse Emergency Applauded

May 1, 2008

A new federal report gives Minneapolis generally high marks for its response to the Interstate 35W bridge collapse, but finds room for improvement as well....

DHS Unveils Small Vessel Security Strategy

May 1, 2008

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a new Small Vessel Security Strategy (SVSS) designed to close security gaps and reduce risks associated with the potential exploitation of small maritime vessels....

Secure Border Initiative To Adjust—Not Terminate

May 1, 2008

The Secure Border Initiative-Network (SBInet) program, spearheaded by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is entering a new phase this summer that will include the installation of its first permanent surveillance towers and changes in the radar and communications systems....

TSA Orders More Security Training For Airport Screeners

May 1, 2008

Airport screeners are being trained to help them think creatively about possible security threats that might not be apparent on first glance....

Utilities Review Roadmap For Securing Cyber Systems

Apr 17, 2008

Water utilities are better positioned to protect themselves against cyber attacks or accidental cyber events following the introduction of the “Roadmap to Secure Control Systems in the Water Sector,” a project sponsored by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The cyber security document, developed by a working group of the Water Sector Coordinating Council, was among the many innovations shared during the fifth AWWA Water Security Congress, held recently in Cincinnati....

GE Initiates Interoperability To Advance Security Integration

Apr 17, 2008

GE Homeland Protection Inc., a business of GE Security Inc., has established a strategic initiative to promote greater interoperability among security products globally. As part of this initiative, GE Security intends to organize collaborative industry events to pursue broader integration of advanced security technologies.
The goal of the initiative is to create a free and open security sensor communication protocol. Ultimately, it’s expected that the initiative will result in integration of security products, down to individual sensor data fusion levels, that could broadly deliver increased security, reduced operational costs and enhanced customer experiences....

D.C. Government Plans Centralize Security Monitoring For City

Apr 17, 2008

The D.C. government plans to begin centralized monitoring of about 5,000 security cameras it maintains throughout the city, giving emergency-management officials a broad look into schools, public housing and other sites.
According to The Washington Post, the city says the system will save money and provide 24-hour monitoring, rather than the sporadic attention in the current patchwork of camera systems. But civil liberties advocates expressed alarm.
"Having it all together in one place brings us one step closer to the kind of scary movie scenario where they can track somebody moving across the city," says Art Spitzer, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union for the Washington area....

SIA Calls For Collaboration To Improve HSPD-12 Implementation

Apr 17, 2008

In testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement, Rob Zivney, vice president of marketing for Hirsch Electronics and member of the Security Industry Association (SIA) Board of Directors, called implementation of HSPD-12 a pioneering effort that will require both a financial investment and development of new infrastructure.
At the hearing, Zivney urged the subcommittee to direct the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of E-Government and Information Technology to establish a dedicated “physical security team” composed of professionals with substantial knowledge of physical security technologies and physical security infrastructure within federal agencies. As part of its responsibilities, this physical security team would support the ongoing efforts of the Interagency Security Committee charged with developing physical security policies, standards, and strategies at non-military government facilities....

Telework Survey Reveals IT Support Expanding

Apr 3, 2008

CDW Government Inc. (CDW-G), a source of Information Technology (IT) solutions to governments and educators, has announced the findings of its fourth annual telework survey. According to the national survey of Federal government and private-sector employees and IT professionals, private-sector employers have taken significant steps to expand telework initiatives, and private-sector telework adoption is approaching the Federal level, with 14 percent of private-sector employees teleworking, compared to 17 percent of Federal employees.
The CDW-G survey shows that 76 percent of private-sector employers provide technical support for remote workers, up 27 percentage points over 2007. Federal agencies remain strong advocates for telework, also called telecommuting, with 56 percent of Federal IT professionals indicating that their agencies provide IT support for teleworkers....

Report Says Coast Guard Struggling With Homeland Security Goals

Apr 3, 2008

The Coast Guard is struggling to meet its Homeland security missions in addition to its traditional missions, according to a new report from Homeland Security Inspector General Richard Skinner.
“The Coast Guard continues to experience difficulty in meeting its Homeland security performance goals,” the report states.
The Coast Guard did not meet performance goals for two of its Homeland security missions in fiscal 2006, the most recent year studied. The unmet goals were defense readiness, which it failed to meet for the sixth year in a row, and interdiction of illegal migrants, which it failed to meet in four of the six years surveyed, the report states....

AAAE, Airports Form Biometric Consortium

Apr 3, 2008

In an effort to further bolster airport security, the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and a number of representatives from key airports across the country are working to create, through a detailed Concept of Operations, a biometric-based solution for the next generation of aviation worker credentialing and access control. The effort -- known as the Biometric Airport Security Identification Consortium (BASIC) -- is aimed at using the experience and expertise of the airport community to ensure that ongoing efforts to deploy biometric-based systems in airports come to fruition as quickly as possible in a manner that does not disrupt airport operations or diminish security.
Along those lines, participating airports have identified several key principles that must be part of future biometric-based credentialing and access control systems....

DHS: All Jurisdictions Meet Initial REAL ID Requirements

Apr 3, 2008

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has granted REAL ID extensions to all 56 U.S. jurisdictions, ensuring that driver’s licenses and ID cards across the country will achieve a higher security standard, and that all will continue to be acceptable for official purposes after the May 11, 2008 deadline mandated by Congress in the REAL ID Act of 2005.
Maine, which had been the only state not granted an extension, has committed to take significant additional steps to achieve a level of security commensurate with REAL ID. Specifically, Maine Gov. John Baldacci will seek legislation to halt Maine’s current practice of issuing licenses to those not lawfully present in the United States. Maine will also begin capturing and retaining photographs of individuals applying for a state ID, even if no ID is issued....

IATA Against Airlines Collecting Departing Passengers' Fingerprints

Apr 3, 2008

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is against the proposal of the U.S. Congress to require airlines to be collectors of foreign travelers' fingerprints as they leave the United States. IATA told All Headline News that such a move would result in long queues at check-in counters.
While Congress had approved the mandated fingerprint collection for incoming and outgoing foreigners, the law did not specify who takes charge of collecting the fingerprints. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pointed to airlines....

Study Finds EEV Ineffective, Intrusive and Expensive

Mar 20, 2008

D.C. Airports Give Travelers A ‘Fast Pass’ Through Security

Mar 20, 2008