Improving interagency information sharing using technology demonstrations
Subtitle: the legal basis for using new sensor technologies for counterdrug operations along the U.S. border
By: Daniel Gonzales, Sarah Harting, Jason Mastbaum, Carolyn Wong
Contributors: Harting, Sarah, author; Mastbaum, Jason, author; Wong, Carolyn, 1952- author; Rand Corporation. National Security Research Division
Publisher: Rand Corporation
Published: 2014
Place of publication: Santa Monica, CA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 84
ISBN-13: 9780833084941
Copyright date: 2014
Subjects: Interagency coordination; Military law; Civil-military relations; Drug traffic; Law and legislation; Border security; Technological innovations; Prevention
Other titles: Legal basis for using new sensor technologies for counterdrug operations along the U.S. border
Description: The Department of Defense has developed new sensor technologies to support military forces operating in Iraq and Afghanistan. These new capabilities may be useful in counterdrug operations along the southern U.S. border. DoD has held technology demonstrations to test and demonstrate new technologies along the southern border, because the field conditions along the border closely resemble those in current military theaters of operation and because they can also reveal whether new technologies are useful for CD operations led by domestic law enforcement agencies. However, there are legal questions about whether such technology demonstrations fully comply with U.S. law and whether advanced DoD sensors can legally be used in domestic CD operations when they are operated by U.S. military forces. In this report, the authors examine federal law and DoD policy to answer these questions. Some parts of U.S. law mandate information sharing among federal departments and agencies for national security purposes and direct DoD to play a key role in domestic CD operations in support of U.S. law enforcement agencies, while other parts of the law place restrictions on when the U.S. military may participate in law enforcement operations. Reviewing relevant federal law and DoD policy, the authors conclude that there is no legal reason why a DoD sensor should be excluded from use in an interagency technology demonstration or in an actual CD operation as long as a valid request for support is made by an appropriate law enforcement official and so long as no personally identifiable or private information is collected. The authors recommend DoD policy on domestic CD operations be formally clarified and that an approval process should be established for technology demonstrations with a CD nexus.
Notes: "RR551"--Page 4 of cover.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 81-84).

"This research was sponsored by the Rapid Reaction Technology Office  within the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and  Logistics ..."
Table of contents: title: Preface.; title: Summary.; title: Introduction.; title: Relevant U.S. law.; title: Relevant Department of Defense policy.; title: Thunderstorm demonstrations and approval processes.; title: Findings and recommendations.; title: Appendixes.; title: References.