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Department of Justice (DOJ)
Challenge: To enable crime related information sharing among local police departments, sheriff’s offices, probation offices, courts, and other law enforcement agencies for the DOJ.
Solution: INDUS integrated data from multiple data sources to develop the Community Safety Information System (CSIS), a web-based geospatial information system application that enabled local, state, and federal personnel to analyze crime trends and factors to make timely decisions. |
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
| | Customs & Border Patrol Operation Waypoint
Challenge: To provide a comprehensive spatial picture of the U.S. Border that can be integrated with other intelligence and apprehension records to form high-quality, geointelligence to share with other federal, state, and local agencies to coordinate responses to incidents and threats.
Solution: Since 2003, INDUS has been supporting “Operation Waypoint”, a standardized, comprehensive GPS data collection project with a nationwide mission to inventory Border Patrol assets, strengthen asset management, and provide a decision-making tool for future asset allocation. Being a law-enforcement agency, the Border Patrol employs GIS tools and capabilities to predict crime trends in order to be proactive in defending our borders by tracking, interdicting, and preventing the smuggling of narcotics, aliens, or terrorists and their weapons. In the field, agents collect GPS positions, attribute information, and digital photographs. INDUS tested and procured the appropriate GPS units and developed a “Data Dictionary” to ensure consistent data collection. INDUS developed the curriculum and trained Agents gathering data for the Pilot project at the Yuma Sector when they were issued a standard kit of equipment. The kit consists of a hard-shell drop case that includes a ruggedized Windows Pocket PC-based PDA (personal digital assistant) with integrated GPS unit, digital camera and accessories, software, and accompanying documentation. As agents collect photographs, they use PDA functions on the GPS unit to record spatial (location coordinates) and attribute information and make notes that would enable later linking of the images to GPS positions on a desktop GIS map display.
Quotes: “The work they have done has been essential in my completion of various YUM Sector and WEL Station taskings to include the ORBBP process, map making, intelligence analysis, Camp Grip defensive posture, tactical infrastructure placement and our movement of the 1155 and 1153 checkpoints. Their help has been critical to me with making very important decisions…and assisted Wellton Station to accomplish our mission.”
Gregory C. Lambert
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent
Wellton, Arizona Border Patrol Station
29820 Frontage Road
Wellton, Arizona 85356
“Commend the INDUS staff for their extemporary efforts in supporting the Border Patrol mission. As you are well aware, the Headquarters Border Patrol GIS team has been heavily-tasked of late, including several, immediate-need requests for senior staff. While carrying out these requests has been challenging, the INDUS team has continually met the mark, often completing tasks ahead of schedule and exceeding expectations. Their diligence and hard work has not gone unnoticed as we have received positive feedback from countless internal and external entities. Those accolades do not only reflect positively on your team but also INDUS as a whole. We sincerely appreciate the dedication that the INDUS team continues to exhibit and are highly encouraged that they do not simply consider their positions as employment but rather a critical function in helping to secure our nation’s borders.”
Scott Crozier
Management & Program Analyst (GIS)
Office of Border Patrol
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Room 6.5E
Washington, DC 20229
“The CBP Field Operations Academy recognized the benefits this tool could have i n supporting our employees w hen t hey need i t the most…allow us to plan for and
Assist during the aftermath of a disaster.”
Radames “Tony” Torres, Assistant Director
U.S.C ustoms a nd B order Protection Academy
Operations Division
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| | Customs and Border Patrol, Border Safety Initiative (BSI)
Challenge: Reduce migrant deaths and make the U.S. border safer for undocumented aliens, agents, and border residents through the use of GPS, GIS, and remote sensing to readily target and respond to areas involving a high incidence of death or rescue.
Solution: The Border Patrol created a method for tracking the volume and types of rescues performed, as well as the number and types of migrant deaths that occur in each southwest border sector. Using GIS tools developed by INDUS, field personnel enter this information into the Border Safety Initiative Tracking System increasing the accuracy and utility of reports.
Perhaps the most important factor in implementing a proactive BSI is adherence to strict protocols for the collection of geographic data. Knowing where things are and why is the first step in preventing and responding to incidents involving injury or death.
For instance, a component of BSI entails the deployment of stationary rescue beacons along the border. Undocumented aliens and agents can set off these rescue beacons should they need emergency assistance. The beacons alert rescue personnel that a person in the desert may need help. Because Operation Waypoint monitors rescue beacon transmissions as part of its regular collection effort, it can help management determine where to place new beacons.
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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Challenge: EPA’s Geographic Information Officer (GIO) needed quick-turnaround technical support to create a web mash-up featuring environmental data for the Puget Sound which would be the focal point of EPA’s largest annual conference. The goal was to challenge the Environmental Information Symposium participants to identify and share the best information resources, tools, ideas, and contacts in their arsenal to inform the protection of the Puget Sound.
Solution: INDUS’ staff provided the technical support to build the mash-up and integrated knowledge of EPA data sources to add to the mash-up. The mapping mash-up was developed by INDUS staff in a few short weeks using open software tools such as MediaWiki, PHP, JavaScript, Google Maps, Virtual Earth, OpenLayers, GeoServer, Web Map Service (WMS), KML, GeoRSS, and XML Web Services.
We assisted conference attendees in contributing and integrating their own data sources into the mapping mash-up. During the conference, EPA received over 175 contributions of ideas, data and applications, and over 18,000 pages were viewed on the site during the challenge. |
Department of Homeland Security
Challenge: Provide Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emergency managers with seamless data to enhance situational awareness during all-hazards mission and activity planning and 24 hour disaster response.
Solution: INDUS provides GIS Analysts as part of Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to Disaster Field Offices (DFOs) for rapid deployments, often within 24-48 hours. INDUS’ on-site GIS Analysts provide advanced geospatial systems that provide real-time, enhanced imagery and map generation to assist DFOs 24 hours a day. Our GIS Analysts provide training for local analysts in the use of equipment and software in order to transition the GIS production work to local analysts. Our GIS Analysts have provided support during disasters, such as Space Shuttle Columbia, Hurricanes Katrina and Isabel, Tropical Storm Isidore, the earthquake in Alaska,; wildfires in Arizona and California, tornadoes in Maryland and Minnesota, and various flood situations.
INDUS provides research into and development of, innovative high-quality GIS products on a crisis-specific basis; conducts research into the integration of current and emerging GIS technologies for FEMA DFO operations; and conducts special studies and technology demonstrations, as needed.
INDUS maintains a set of GIS suites consisting of servers, workstations, printers, and plotters, and provides a network engineer to set up the suites at DFOs and inspect the suites upon their return. INDUS is also responsible for upgrading the suites and repairing any damage sustained during shipping to or from use at DFOs. |
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