[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 171 (Wednesday, November 18, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2806-E2808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEARCH

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 17, 2009

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to offer my 
support of House Resolution 851 recognizing and honoring the 40th 
Anniversary of SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice Information 
and Statistics. For the past 40 years, SEARCH has worked to identify 
and solve information management problems of law enforcement agencies 
across the United States.
  Accurate, efficient and effective communications between and among 
Federal, State and local agencies have posed challenges to effective 
public service since the beginning of organized governments in America. 
Thus, in 1969, the Department of Justice's Law Enforcement Assistance 
Administration developed SEARCH, a 10-State project designed to test 
the feasibility of an interstate automated exchange of criminal history 
records. The program was a success, and over the past 40 years, SEARCH 
has maintained a leading role in providing solutions to information 
management challenges nationwide.
  SEARCH is a nonprofit organization created by and for the States and 
governed by a membership group that includes one appointee from each of 
the 50 States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its mission is 
``to improve the quality of justice and public safety through the use, 
management and exchange of information; application of new 
technologies; and responsible law and policy; while safeguarding 
security and privacy.'' SEARCH has succeeded in using information 
sharing technology to help agencies to make accurate, informed, 
immediate and well-secured decisions about criminal justice and 
security issues.
  SEARCH has played a crucial role in developing systems of 
collaboration for law enforcement agencies across the Nation. A few 
examples include: the Interstate Identification, a national index of 
criminal histories maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; 
the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, a mechanism for 
determining eligibility to buy a firearm; the National Fingerprint

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File, a tool that allows States to maintain their own fingerprint 
records while still sharing information with Federal and State law 
enforcement agencies around the country; and the Integrated Automated 
Fingerprint Identification System, a national fingerprint 
identification and criminal history system maintained by the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation. Such systems have been critical in sharing 
data to enhance law enforcement capabilities nationwide.
  It is important to recognize, however, that accuracy in law 
enforcement is as important as vigilance. Accurate law enforcement 
requires strict focus on privacy rights especially when sharing 
information. SEARCH has been instrumental in championing privacy and 
civil rights in law enforcement. SEARCH has addressed the need to 
protect privacy, civil rights and civil liberties while promoting 
public and individual safety.
  For example, in its ``Guide to Conducting Privacy Impact Assessments 
for State, Local, and Tribal Information Sharing Initiatives,'' SEARCH 
identifies the potential risks of law-enforcement agency information-
sharing. It writes: ``[Data Sharing's] inappropriate or reckless use 
may irreparably damage reputations, threaten individual liberty, place 
personal safety at risk, or deny individuals access to some of life's 
most basic necessities such as employment, housing, and education. 
Greater information-sharing capabilities and opportunities are 
accompanied by equally greater responsibilities for protecting the 
privacy of the information being used and exchanged.'' In 
that document, SEARCH goes on to instruct agencies on how to assess the 
potential privacy risks of their information-sharing programs, and how 
to develop policies to help mitigate some of those risks.

  I further congratulate SEARCH on its cutting edge technological 
advancements. Who could have guessed at the inception of SEARCH in 1969 
that communications systems would evolve as far as they have? Over the 
years, SEARCH has managed not only to keep up with the remarkable 
technological advances of the past 40 years, but to be at the cutting 
edge. The original purpose of the SEARCH project was to examine the 
possibility of an automated system for exchanging information about 
criminals.
  Today, it uses a variety of technological tools ranging from 
biometric technologies to cellular device data recovery tools to aid in 
crime prevention. SEARCH also trains and equips law enforcement 
agencies nationwide on issues of high-tech crime. It provides courses 
through its outreach training program on topics including: systems 
security, digital data recovery, and computer forensics. Further, 
SEARCH provides resources for investigators investigating crimes 
involving the internet such as online child exploitation. Such focus on 
technological advances is part of the reason for the success of SEARCH 
over the past 40 years and will certainly be an important component of 
its continued success over the next 40.
  In addition to those SEARCH activities designed to aid law 
enforcement, I think it is important to recognize and applaud SEARCH's 
impact on public safety through its communications interoperability 
training programs. Information sharing and agency collaboration plays 
an important role, not just in crime prevention, but also in disaster 
relief. In August 2008, SEARCH was instrumental in enhancing Texas' 
communications response to Hurricane Gustav.
  Gustav approached the State of Texas as a SEARCH All-Hazards Type III 
Communications Unit Leader, COML, training course was being conducted 
in my home town of Houston. As the hurricane bore down, the SEARCH 
instructors immediately mobilized the State emergency managers along 
with their students to construct the State's emergency communications 
response to Gustav. The instructors then deployed some students from 
the course to use the course's teachings to coordinate interoperable 
communications for emergency first responders. This is just one example 
of how SEARCH's programs have benefited, not only the people of my home 
State of Texas, but people all across the country. Efficient emergency 
response communications are an important part of keeping Americans 
safe.
  Providing 40 years of effective information management tools to 
Federal, State and local agencies across the Nation is a wonderful 
accomplishment. Indeed, SEARCH has managed to stay at the forefront of 
communications technology as it pertains to law enforcement and public 
safety. It has effectively navigated America's transition to the 
information age of the 21st century and provided services to aid 
governments in saving lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to vote in favor of this 
resolution to salute SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice 
Information and Statistics, for its success in providing quality tools 
for law enforcement and public safety across the United States of 
America.
    

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