Georgia Homeland Security Bulletin on MATRIX
from: http://www.gahomelandsecurity.com
August 1, 2003
Georgia's Homeland Security Bulletin
No. 20-03
State of Georgia
Homeland Security
Information on MATRIX and RISS ATIX
MATRIX . . . Multi-State Anti-TeRrorism Information EXchange
What: MATRIX is an informational program developed to increase and enhance the exchange of sensitive terrorism and other criminal activity information between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
When: MATRIX was created in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Why: It became overwhelming evident that there existed an increased need for timely information sharing and exchange of terrorism-related information among members of the law enforcement community. Existing information systems could no longer keep pace with the massive amount of data that must be analyzed in order to fight the global war on terrorism and the growing problem of domestic crime.
Who: MATRIX was designed specifically to assist first responders in both the fight against terrorism and in a wide spectrum of serious crimes. Where: Thirteen states have agreed to participate in the MATRIX project: Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Ohio, and Utah.
How: To become involved in MATRIX, law enforcement agencies should contact Bill Shrewsbury, Vice President of Homeland Group, Seisint Corporation, MATRIX System, at (863) 381-0113.
More about MATRIX . . .
The MATRIX pilot project is an effort to increase and enhance the exchange of sensitive terrorism and other criminal activity information between local, state, and federal agencies. The project leverages and integrates existing and proven technology to provide a new capability to assist law enforcement in identifying and analyzing terrorist and other criminal activity, and appropriately disseminating it to law enforcement agencies nationwide in a secure, efficient, and timely manner.
- The Power of the System - MATRIX creates complete and accurate investigative reports in a fraction of the time it takes to generate traditional reports and presents massive amounts of data in an easy-to-use interface. The user can easily see relationships between people, places and things that were previously impossible to discern.
- An Integration of Law Enforcement Databases - MATRIX seamlessly combines separate State databases to create an integrated law enforcement database across participating states. Criminal histories, drivers license information, vehicle registration, pictures and other key investigative data all come together into an investigative report.
- Public and Commercially Available Databases - Databases include: Property Ownership, Address History, Marine Vessels, U.S. Directory Assistance, Public Utility Service Connections, Bankruptcies, Liens and Judgments, UCC Filings, and U.S. Domain Names.
- Visual Mapping and Investigative Tools - One click on a target address and an investigator can get a list of everyone that has ever lived at that address and their corresponding biographical information. In addition to visual mapping, photos of individuals can be displayed in photo "line-ups" generated from the investigator's query results thereby making investigations move more quickly and with more clarity.
- Factual Analysis - The interaction between algorithms and integrated databases, combined with an analyst's expertise, gives investigators a jump-start in focusing on key targets of interest. With minimal input and the push of a button, witnesses, associates, relatives, and suspects can be identified and located.
- The Value of Speed - Requests that previously may have taken hours, days or week now take seconds. Investigative queries and analyses can be done in "real time" in response to crises such as threatened acts of terrorism or child abductions.
- Success Stories - Florida has successfully implemented MATRIX state-wide. Success stories include significant contributions and breakthroughs at speeds that otherwise would not have been possible in cases involving: terrorism, violent crimes, drug trafficking, identify theft, white collar crime, kidnapping, armed robbery, sexual assault, fugitive investigations and numerous others.
- Data and Security - States participating in MATRIX will connect to the MATRIX Data Center via RISSNET, or Regional Information Sharing System Network. RISSNET is the secure intranet that currently connects 5,700 law enforcement agencies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data security will be regulated by codicils and by-laws developed by the MATRIX group to ensure system integrity.
RISS ATIX . . . Regional Information Sharing Systems Anti-Terrorism Information EXchange
What: RISS ATIX provides a capability for secure interagency communication, information sharing, and dissemination of national security, disaster, or terrorist
threat information to participants who have not traditionally been served by RISS. RISS ATIX allows participants access to sensitive but unclassified
homeland security information.
When: Although the initial RISS Program has been operating since 1974; ATIX was created in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Why: Increased emphasis has been placed on the need for improved information sharing and collaboration among all levels of law enforcement and criminal justice, the intelligence community, and executives and officials from government and non-government "communities". By establishing RISS ATIX, the RISS Program has expanded accessibility to riss.net to deliver secure interagency
communication, information sharing, and dissemination of national security, disaster, and terrorist threat information to additional groups of users.
Who: Executives and officials from government and non-government communities with the responsibility for planning and implementing prevention, response, mitigation, and recovery efforts regarding terrorism and disasters may be participants. Individuals, referred to as RISS ATIX â??participants,â?? are
provided access to specific resources available via riss.net.
Where: The RISS Program consists of six regional intelligence centers serving law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. terrorities, Canada, Australia, and England.
How: For more information on becoming a RISS ATIX participant, call Frances Butler, State Contact for ATIX at (404) 635-4693 or write via e-mail at fbutler@dps.state.ga.us.
Note: There are 20-25 more licensed slots available for Georgia in 2003. Participants are approved according to guidelines established by the RISS Directors National Policy Group.
More about RISS ATIX . . .
RISS ATIX resources include:
- RISS ATIX Bulletin Board -- The RISS ATIX Bulletin Board is a collaboration bulletin board that provides a forum for participant discussion and for posting of terrorism, homeland security, and disaster-related information. Additonal features are an online chat capability and on-screen paging among online participants, all within the riss.net environment.
- Secure Web Pages and Services -- RISS ATIX participants will have access to secure web sites containing general and community-specific information, and links to restricted and public web sites and other sources of terrorism and disaster-related information. Additionally, the web sites will enable the dissemination of sensitive but unclassified homeland security information and alerts, warnings, watch lists, advisories, etc. from such agencies as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, and other state and federal resources.
- Notification by Secure E-mail -- RISS offers a secure e-mail capability for all participants utilizing RISS services to enable the distribution of alerts and sensitive but unclassified homeland security information. Delivery of alerts can be directed or restricted to specific RISS ATIX participants based on their geographic location, their RISS ATIX community group, or their individual status as individuals within their RISS ATIX community group.
Additionally, RISS ATIX participants can send secure, encrypted e-mail from their @atix.riss.net e-mail address to other @riss.net e-mail addresses, including @epicmail.riss.net, @cbidoj.org, @hidta.net, @leiu.org, and @leo.gov.