Policy

A pair of new bills aim to reshape the Secret Service 

Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., penned new legislation to shift the agency’s jurisdiction for investigating financial crimes and alter how it designates its protective perimeter in the wake of the Trump assassination attempt. 

Updated Policy

How federal agencies are responding to the Trump assassination attempt

FBI, Secret Service and others are taking a lead role and deploying personnel in response to Saturday's shooting.

Cybersecurity

House passes bill barring spy agencies, law enforcement from buying Americans’ personal data

The measure doesn’t have support from the Biden administration, which argues it threatens national security and worsens Americans’ privacy protections.

Cybersecurity

US, international partners disrupt LockBit ransomware operations

Officials have also developed a tool for victims targeted by LockBit to potentially decrypt their compromised data.

People

How DHS is providing security tech, cyber support for Super Bowl LVIII

The Department of Homeland Security said it is “leveraging its significant technology assets and dedicated personnel” to protect the Feb. 11 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Cybersecurity

US disrupts China-linked cyber campaign impacting critical infrastructure, Justice officials say

The hackers infected privately owned small office/home office routers to conceal the origins of their intrusions into critical infrastructure systems.

Artificial Intelligence

Stop funding predictive policing tech without ‘evidence standards,’ lawmakers tell DOJ

Seven Democrats are urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to cease grant funding for predictive policing systems until DOJ ensures they are not having “a discriminatory impact.”

Artificial Intelligence

Law enforcement needs standards for using AI algorithms, GAO official says

The director of Science, Technology Assessment and Analytics at the Government Accountability Office told lawmakers there should be transparency in how such algorithms work and when they are used.

Emerging Tech

House Dems seek guardrails for law enforcement’s use of facial recognition

The bill would require agencies to obtain a warrant showing probable cause that an individual has committed “a serious violent felony” before facial recognition can be used.

Artificial Intelligence

DHS looks to AI to help solve child abuse cases

An interagency collaboration within the Department of Homeland Security is tapping machine learning capabilities to halt international child abuse cases.

Acquisition

Federal law enforcement training centers are shopping for enterprise IT services

The interagency organization tasked with training federal, state and local law enforcement officers is prepping for an enterprise IT support services contract that ranges from hardware and software to zero trust architecture and configuration management support.

Policy

All Veterans Affairs police officers to be issued bodycams, dashcams by end of 2023

The Department of Veterans Affairs said it will begin issuing in-car and body-worn cameras on June 20, starting with officers at the VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network in Long Beach, California.

Digital Government

White House Wants Public Input on Improving Criminal Justice Data Collection

To enhance law enforcement agencies’ data collection and transparency efforts, the government is asking the public to “help us understand the data practices currently in use and those that should be prioritized.”

Emerging Tech

DHS Tech Office Develops a Portable Gunshot Detection System

The new gunfire detection tool can be deployed in temporary locations and is designed to reduce instances of false positives.

Policy

Bipartisan Bill Aims to Prevent Money Laundering via Cryptocurrency Companies

The new legislation would apply existing financial regulations to digital asset wallets.

Emerging Tech

FinCEN to Treat Digital Asset Regulation as a 'Key Priority,' Director Says

As digital currencies and assets continue to go unregulated, federal law enforcement is actively engaged in developing guidance to prevent financial crime.

Cybersecurity

How the FBI stumbled in the war on cybercrime

Although cyberattacks were becoming more sophisticated, FBI officials told counterparts at DHS and elsewhere in the federal government that ransomware wasn’t a priority.

Digital Government

Treasury Fines Crypto Mixer on Money Laundering

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network imposed over $29 million in fines for Bank Secrecy Act violations.