TSA Canine Program To Enhance Air Cargo Security
Mar 20, 2008
Lawmaker Says Security Agency Is Faltering
Mar 20, 2008
Report Finds Inconclusive Answers To Radiation Detector Test
Mar 6, 2008
Department of Homeland Security tests of new radiation detection machines last year did not show whether the costly devices performed well enough to be used as planned at ports and borders to protect the country against nuclear attacks or dirty bombs, according to a new report about the process.
The performance tests were organized by the department's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, which has been trying to deploy the machines along the borders and at ports in a $1.2 billion project, despite allegations from government auditors that the office misled Congress about their effectiveness and later conducted flawed tests to show they worked well....
"Diamond" Self-Select Lanes In Airports To Expand Nationally
Mar 6, 2008
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced the expansion of its popular "Self-Select Lanes" to six additional airports by the end of April.
Salt Lake City International and Denver International Airports recently instituted the self-select lane process and have seen an overall increase in throughput and greatly increased customer satisfaction. The term "Black Diamond" comes from the signs used in skiing to denote skill level suggested for specific runs.
"In keeping with Secretary Chertoff's instruction to examine our screening procedures, TSA is looking for ways to improve the passenger screening experience while increasing security," says Kip Hawley, TSA administrator....
Study Finds Security Spending Not Decreasing Death By Terrorism
Mar 6, 2008
A study by three U.S. economists reveals that boosting international police cooperation and increasing aid to developing countries would be far more cost-effective ways to fight terrorism than pouring the money into Homeland security.
The researchers, Todd Sandler and Daniel Arce of the University of Texas at Dallas and Walter Enders of the University of Alabama, say that global spending on Homeland security measures, such as intelligence-gathering, checks on air passengers, import inspections and protecting vulnerable infrastructure, has increased by about $70 billion a year since the Sept. 11 attacks....
DHS Defending "Virtual" Border Barrier Progress
Mar 6, 2008
Michael Chertoff, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, has vowed to install more high-tech equipment along the border with Mexico and says that the first section of a "virtual fence" was working despite problems and delays.
"The system is now functionally working ... it does add value," Chertoff told the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. However, he told Reuters later that border officials have reported "it was not optimal, it wasn't as good as it could be."
Chertoff announced in February that a $21 million, 28-mile virtual fence of sensing towers and advanced communications dubbed "Project 28" had met the department's standards for acceptance from contractor Boeing Co....
National Security Organization Announces Business Plan Contest
Mar 6, 2008
Roger London, chairman of the National Security Initiative, an organization devoted to promoting America's long-term national security interests, has announced the inaugural American Security Challenge, a business plan competition for innovators with ideas and technologies aimed at bringing leading edge technology to market to secure America's long-term physical and economic security.
The challenge seeks to bring the power of American innovation together with the power of the free market by providing critical bridge capital to start-up companies. "Our free market economy is the foremost accelerator in the world for innovation. We believe that providing a forum for great minds to bring their ideas to fruition by providing access to that market will contribute greatly to our nation's long term security," says London....
DHS Looks Ahead To Transition With New Administration
Feb 21, 2008
The handoff to the next presidential administration is a year off, but Paul Schneider, the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, is making plans and keeping track of key lieutenants with a color-coded chart.
The chart shows critical jobs at 25 agencies and offices in the department. Schneider's goal is to make sure that either the No. 1 or No. 2 in each post is a career civil service employee. The Washington Post reports that when Bush administration political appointees go out the door next January, the career employees will provide for continuity of operations on the borders, at airports and in the headquarters.
It will be the first transition for Homeland Security, created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
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DHS Releases Test On Portable Explosives Trace Detector
Feb 21, 2008
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T Directorate) released a test report on a new portable explosives trace detector, the XD-2i. Their evaluation was conducted at the DHS S&T Transportation Security Lab (TSL) and the final test report (DHS/STD/TSL-08/02) is available to recognized government and military agencies.
The Transportation Security Laboratory is a Department of Homeland Security Federal Laboratory located at the William J. Hughes Technical Center, Atlantic City International Airport, New Jersey, and is a part of the Science and Technology Directorate of DHS. Their core mission is to enhance Homeland security by performing research, development and validation of solutions to detect and mitigate the threat of improvised explosive devices....
NACD Urges Caution On Chemical Security Legislation
Feb 21, 2008
The Transportation and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee has approved by voice vote a committee print of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act, to extend and modify the authority of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to regulate security practices at chemical facilities. Following this session, National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) President Christopher L. Jahn issued the following statement:
"NACD is concerned that Congress is prematurely considering changes to the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). [January 2008] was the deadline under CFATS for any facility that possesses a chemical of interest that meets or exceeds a screening threshold quantity to submit the 'Top Screen' consequence assessment questionnaire to determine whether that facility is high risk and must take the next steps of completing a Security Vulnerability Assessment and developing a Site Security Plan....
Biometric Technology Working For Military Network
Feb 21, 2008
Since the Department of Defense distributed more than 11 million Common Access Cards (CAC) as its primary form of identification and enhanced protection to the military network, the number of network intrusions attempts by the enemy has nearly halved.
Although the CAC has proved to be a valuable tool, there are still security gap concerns if cards are lost or stolen and corresponding Personal Identification Numbers are cracked. To fill that void, the Air Force is using biometrics as a way to provide positive identification and authentication.
Several bases are using biometric hand scanners for physical access to the base or secure areas such as Scott Air Force Base. Base officials have been able to save more than $400,000 in manpower costs through their Metrolink biometric access gate. ...
NYC Subway Becomes Home To Improved Security
Feb 7, 2008
In what officials describe as a first for a U.S. mass transit system, teams of police officers armed with submachine guns and bomb-sniffing dogs will soon begin daily patrols of the busiest sections of New York City subways.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has said that a major boost in funding from the Department of Homeland Security made the extra protection possible for the city's vast subway system, long considered a potential target for terrorists.
"Whether conventional crime or terrorist threat, we will not let our guard down," Kelly said at a news conference at Grand Central Terminal, where officials announced the increase in security dollars....
ASIS, Others, Merge To Establish Voluntary Preparedness Framework
Feb 7, 2008
A new federal law calling for the creation of a voluntary private sector preparedness standards program has resulted in the collaboration between ASIS International, Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRII), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Risk and Insurance Management Society Inc. (RIMS), to prepare a report in response to the Homeland security legislation.
The interdisciplinary team from ASIS, DRII, NFPA and RIMS combined their expertise and perspectives to develop a mechanism to address verifiable private sector preparedness called for in the new Homeland security law: "Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007." The interdisciplinary team's conclusions and recommendation have been released in a report titled "Framework for Voluntary Preparedness."...
National Security Residing Since Terrorist Attacks, Chertoff Says
Feb 7, 2008
Weak border controls, the risk of chemical bombs and more security issues that have been raised since the Sept. 11 attacks have made Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff say that the United States could be backsliding on national security.
"A couple of years after 9/11, it would not have seemed conceivable that a 'business as usual' mentality could creep back into our public mind-set. It has begun to return," Chertoff told a forum at Harvard University.
"I'm concerned that we are beginning to backslide," he said, citing several areas where the United States has faced trouble while seeking to get tougher on security after the 2001 attacks....
DHS IT Budget Focused On Border Control
Feb 7, 2008
Roughly half of the Homeland Security Department's $5.4 billion information technology budget will go to ongoing system development and modernization programs for border control and protection.
Cybersecurity funds largely will come from alternative sources, says DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, who describes the budget as a whole as "strong and fiscally sound."
DHS divided spending in its IT budget into four parts: IT investments by mission, IT infrastructure and office automation, enterprise architecture and planning and grants management. The bulk of IT funds ($3.7 billion) were allocated to investments by mission....
