COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. In this Order, and on our own motion, we authorize Virginia to relocate existing 700 MHz narrowband operations to state-licensed channels and grant a conditional waiver of the requirement to coordinate operations on these channels with Kentucky.. Action by: Deputy Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. Adopted: 12/29/2016 by ORDER. (DA No. 16-1460). https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-1460A1.pdf
Released: 12/28/2016. PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU RELEASES ITS INITIAL FINDINGS REGARDING THE 2016 NATIONWIDE EAS TEST. (DA No. 16-1452). (Dkt No 15-94 ) This Public Notice provides an initial overview of the nationwide EAS test results and highlights several opportunities for strengthening the EAS.
https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-1452A1.pdf
In reply comments to an FCC notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on the 800 MHz band and proposed changes to Part 90 rules, controversy in the industry involves the rules governing priority access to the 800 MHz expansion band (EB) and guard band (GB) spectrum. While not all members supported the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) proposal, particularly with respect to SMRs, the LMCC’s reply comments recommended that all existing 800 MHz incumbents, whether business/industrial land transportation (B/ILT), public safety or SMR should be afforded time-limited priority access to available channels within the EB/GB. Replies Urge Incumbent Priority Access to 800 MHz Expansion, Guard Bands
President-elect Donald Trump has named Thomas Bossert, a former deputy national security adviser to President George W. Bush, as a homeland security adviser. Currently the CEO of CDS Consulting and a fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, Bossert is a veteran policymaker for cybersecurity and counterterrorism initiatives. Trump’s Pick for Homeland Security Adviser is a Cybersecurity Expert
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2017 body-worn camera policy and implementation program. Eligible applicants are limited to public agencies of state government, units of local government and federally recognized Indian tribal governments that perform law enforcement functions. In addition, any department or agency that performs criminal justice functions can apply. DOJ Body-Worn Camera 2017 Grant Applications Due Feb. 1
Brigham Young University (BYU) has been awarded $527,112 to develop a web authentication middleware tool called TrustBase that will significantly upgrade the current Internet website authentication process and improve online security by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). DHS S&T is funding development of TrustBase in coordination with the National Science Foundation. The BYU team is developing TrustBase to address the weaknesses of the certificate-based authentication system. S&T Awards $527K To Brigham Young For Cybersecurity Tech
The Department of Homeland Security Office for Interoperability and Compatibility announced the next in-person meeting of the P25 CAP Advisory Panel. The meeting will be held in Orlando, Florida, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive Convention Center, 8978 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819 on Wednesday, February 1 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm in conjunction with TR-8 meeting. For more information, please monitor the P25 CAP Advisory Panel website here. The agenda and other announcements will be posted there.
DHS S&T OIC has released a new Compliance Assessment Bulletin (CAB) here, which clarifies requirements for P25 CAP encryption testing and addresses the interoperability challenges resulting from shipping of radios with non-standard encryption without a standards based encryption. Additionally, this CAB clarifies encryption requirements providing better alignment with SAFECOM Grant guidance. The P25 CAP is releasing this as a draft CAB to allow for a 30-day public comment period. Please provide any comments to P25CAP@hq.dhs.gov by January 22, 2017.
Three public safety groups say they are concerned by the wireless industry’s plan to exclude certain calls from quarterly 911 live call data reports mandated in the FCC’s 911 indoor location accuracy order adopted last year (TRDaily, Jan. 29, 2015). In an ex parte filing yesterday in PS docket 07-114, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International, the National Emergency Number Association, and the National Association of State 911 Administrators responded to a recent filing by CTIA concerning a proposed template for reports and details on calls that carriers plan to exclude. The first reports are due Feb. 3, 2017.
“APCO, NENA, and NASNA worked with CTIA in an attempt to ensure the reports are consistent with the Commission’s rules, and thus reflect as closely as possible the actual numbers of 9-1-1 calls acted upon by PSAPs,” the groups said in their filing. “Unfortunately, CTIA’s filing indicates that the carriers intend to unjustifiably exclude a significant number of calls. APCO, NENA, and NASNA are particularly concerned that the carriers intend to exclude 9-1-1 calls made from roaming handsets and non-service initialized (NSI) devices. Continue reading
December 19, 2016–The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau today solicited comment at the request of the National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA) on how smartphone 911 apps interface with 911 systems. Comments are due Feb. 2, 2017, and replies March 6, 2017 in Rulemaking 11780. Continue reading
Completion of a consolidated Department of Homeland Security (DHS) headquarters at the St. Elizabeths West campus should save taxpayers $1.2 billion over 30 years and enhance the department’s coordinated national security efforts according to the new report, DHS Headquarters Consolidation at St. Elizabeths: Better Results for Less Money, released by Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), the senior Democrat on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. “The headquarters consolidation project at St. Elizabeths is crucial to the success of the department and to realizing the unified, cohesive DHS envisioned by Congress when it created the department 14 years ago,” Carper said. Completion of DHS HQ Consolidation Will Enhance Operations, Save Taxpayers, Report Says
National Public Safety Telecommunications Council 