Ridge unveils plans for national information network

An information network will link every state and major urban area in "real time" with federal officials by this fall, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said on Tuesday.

"Better information that is shared and understood faster between the federal government and state and local partners is the way" to secure the country, said Ridge during a demonstration of the services currently being used by the Washington, D.C., metropolitan police department.

Ridge said the network would be implemented in two phases. More than 300 law enforcement and emergency responders across the country will get software licenses, technology and training to participate in the network and by the end of the year the system will be expanded to provide classified information up to the "secret level."

The system would provide governors, police and emergency "first responders" speedy access to Homeland Security's round-the-clock operations center, which employs the Joint Regional Information Exchange System. It also would allow state and local officials to communicate with each other. Currently, 100 law enforcement and other agencies are using the system.

The D.C. police network included screens showing a message board with "situational awareness" information on the national level and a separate screen with D.C. metro area information. It also plugs into the Transportation Department and the Federal Aviation Administration, and televisions screens tuned into 24-hour cable news programs.

Ridge said the network also would be used to transmit photos, maps and streaming video as well as "vast amounts of data from open sources," such as articles from foreign newspapers.

The secretary said wireless laptops would be incorporated to provide information to officials from the scene of a situation.

The system also would access law enforcement databases, such as the Justice Department's RISS.Net and LEO programs, according to a fact sheet released by Ridge's office. It said the systems are "complementary programs" that will be connected through an interface that would focus on terrorism. And the new information network also would feed daily reports and warnings directly to the RISS.Net system.

Combining Homeland's real-time exchange system with Justice's criminal database "will enhance the capabilities of Homeland Security law enforcement partners," said the release.