Justice Department names new CIO

Attorney General John Ashcroft has named Vance Hitch as Justice Department chief information officer.

Hitch formerly was a senior partner with Accenture Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda, where he worked on development of Maryland's information technology strategic plan. He also managed projects for the Defense, Justice and State departments as well as the CIA and the National Security Agency.

Hitch joins the department at a time when Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, have called for reforming the FBI's IT operations in the wake of a critical inspector general report. Hitch also will oversee major systems upgrades at the Immigration and Naturalization Service, where clashing databases have contributed to problems controlling the nation's borders.

Ashcroft called for development of an IT strategy when he reorganized the department for war time operations last November. Hitch is to oversee development of that plan.

Citing the department's role in the fight against terrorism, Hitch said in a statement: "Technology is a tremendous asset in this new war."