Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Schools through Visual Data and the Mississippi Google Earth Enterprise System

The Congressionally Selected Awards Program, authorized by the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 111-8), helps improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and/or assist victims of crime (other than compensation). Funds should be used for the projects selected by Congress, in the amounts specified in the joint explanatory statement incorporated by reference into Pub. L. 111-8, and generally consistent with one or more of the following statutory purposes: improving the functioning of the criminal justice system, preventing or combating juvenile delinquency, or assisting victims of crime (other than compensation). Each of these purposes is framed using language drawn, respectively, from the former Byrne discretionary statute, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Victims of Crime Act, and the Violence Against Women Act. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 09 Congressional Budget and by the joint explanatory statement that is incorporated by reference into the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Act.

Jackson State University will use the FY 2009 Congressionally Selected Award to fund their Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Schools through Visual Data and the Mississippi Google Earth Enterprise System Project, which will prepare law enforcement to better respond to emergency incidents such as the Columbine and Virginia Tech tragedies. This initiative serves to improve law enforcement and emergency management planning, mitigation, response, and recovery capability with respect to critical infrastructure surrounding rural Mississippi schools and to introduce this technology to current and future practitioners of law enforcement and GIS. Grant funds will be used to validate existing GIS data on critical infrastructure; complete the attribute of data with the addition of data relevant to an emergency response; document the floor plans of Mississippi schools; collect interior imagery to create virtual tours to enhance response capability; incorporate data into the Mississippi Google Earth Enterprise System, which is a secure, easy-to-use, visual emergency management system for the consumption of relevant data; and propagate technology in law enforcement through two conferences for current and future law enforcement and practitioners of GIS technology.

NCA/NCF