U.K. police communications go digital

A new digital radio system has been deployed by nearly all police forces in England, Scotland and Wales.

Alaska emergency radio network goes live

The new Alaska Land Mobile Radio System is now operational for 8,000 first responders, and is in the process of adding state troopers and additional police and emergency responders to the system.

Northrop Grumman snares Customs surveillance pilot

Northrop Grumman Corp. has won a five-year, $33.7 million contract to set up a pilot project for a border security surveillance system that eventually may be integrated into the upcoming Secure Border Initiative Network.

Dems and Republicans spar over Katrina communications

A top official in the Bush Administration is claiming that major hurdles preventing information-sharing among first responders in the Katrina response have been fixed, but Democrats accused the administration of scant progress on the issue.

Boeing lays out SBI strategy

The Boeing Co. team competing for the upcoming $2 billion Secure Border Initiative Network surveillance system contract touts its experience in managing large projects for the government, as well as Israeli-based expertise in border security.

GSA adds SI to HSPD-12 list

SI International Inc. is the latest company named as a qualified systems service provider for Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 by the General Services Administration.

IG: Holes exist in Homeland Security RFID systems

The Homeland Security Department has gaps in the security controls for its Radio Frequency Identification systems, according to DHS inspector general Richard Skinner.

Lockheed Martin will proof ID system for HHS

Lockheed Martin Corp. won a proof-of-concept contract to implement biometric identification cards for Health and Human Services Department employees.

Homeland watch | In brief

The Transportation Security Administration's re-baselining of the Secure Flight airline passenger prescreening system, which is set for completion in September, may get a boost from the uncovering this month of the London airline terror plot.

Katrina forces rethinking

Whatever the failures in the response to Hurricane Katrina ? and the scale and number of breakdowns were unprecedented ? the final tally must include the IT systems that did not function in those chaotic weeks or were never even implemented.

NSA, Swan Island team on info-sharing initiative

The National Security Agency has signed a cooperative agreement with Swan Island Networks Inc. to develop a secure information-sharing solution for the intelligence agency.

Texas funnels grants to pair of homeland security projects

The state of Texas will direct funding to two high-priority IT projects as it allocates the $86 million it is due to receive in federal homeland security grants this year, Gov. Rick Perry (R) said Wednesday.

TWIC effectiveness may be compromised

The Transportation Security Administration's newly disclosed plan to begin implementation of the Transportation Workers Identification Credential without requiring card readers is running into opposition from a biometric industry representative.

FEMA solicits help overhauling warning system

According to an Aug. 14 notice, the Homeland Security Department is looking for a contractor to maintain, repair and refurbish the existing 24-hour emergency telephone network that links it with governors' offices and emergency officials in all 50 states.

Heritage: Congress should avoid Basic Pilot expansion

Major expansion of the Basic Pilot employee verification program being considered by Congress would be costly, ineffective and cause additional serious harm to victims of identity theft, according to a new research paper from the Heritage Foundation.

CSC cuts ribbon on border security center

Computer Sciences Corp. has created a solution center for border security and immigration, one of 17 such centers it operates to focus on specific capabilities for government IT markets.

TSA to wrap up Secure Flight reassessment

The Transportation Security Administration expects by next month to complete its reassessment of its controversial Secure Flight airline passenger-prescreening program, according to a GAO letter to Congress.

DOD revises security clearance guidance

The Pentagon has cleared the way for defense industrial workers who are facing delays in renewing their security clearances to remain on the job, Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn., said last week.

IG: Weak spots still hamper DHS info security

The most significant IT control weaknesses at the agency involve entitywide security, access controls and service continuity, according to Homeland Security Department inspector general Richard Skinner.

National Guard calls up General Dynamics for services support

General Dynamics Information Technology has won a contract worth up to $20 million over five years to support the National Guard Bureau in a range of personnel, financial, planning and logistics functions.