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Senate Committee Passes Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Act

On September 21 the Senate Finance Committee approved legislation exempting nominal benefits that volunteer emergency responders receive as a reward for their service from being subject to federal income tax, withholding, and reporting. Language from the Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Act (VRIPA), which excludes property tax benefits and up to $600 of other types of benefits for the 2017 tax year, was added to the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act, which the Committee approved by a voice vote.

FBI Takes Lead Role in Training Nation's Public Safety Bomb Technicians

After a 45-year partnership with the U.S. Army, the FBI yesterday formally accepted primary responsibility for the Hazardous Devices School at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, the facility that trains and certifies every one of the nation’s public safety bomb technicians.

NIST Seeking Feedback on Authentication for Law Enforcement Vehicle Systems

Law enforcement vehicles often serve as mobile offices for officers. In-vehicle laptop(s) or other computer systems are used to access a wide range of software applications and databases hosted and operated by federal, state, and local agencies, with each typically requiring a different username and password. The operational environment presents unique security challenges, as officers must frequently leave the vehicle unattended, perhaps on short notice, and must be able to gain access to systems quickly, possibly while the vehicle is in motion.

Coming Soon: Lighter Body Armor for Soldiers

New fabrics, lighter ceramic plates and flexible thermoplastic sheets are some of the solutions that promise to lower the weight of body armor.

Lighter body armor has been a long-time pursuit, as Army leaders for years have been concerned about the heavy load that soldiers carry in combat. Reducing that burden could pay big dividends in terms of force readiness and well being, defense officials said.

Hurricane Matthew Barrels Toward Southeast U.S. as Officials Ready for Potentially Strongest Storm in a Decade

Hurricane Matthew roared into the Bahamas early Thursday as it continued its march toward the Southeastern United States, where authorities in states readying for the storm’s devastating combination of winds and rain declared emergencies and urged about 2 million people to evacuate.

The hurricane remained a powerful Category 3 storm but its sustained winds strengthened overnight from 115 mph to 125 mph. Forecasters warned that it could once again become a Category 4 storm as it neared Florida’s Atlantic Coast and that could lead to “life-threatening” situations.

Military Labs Continue to Create World-Class Future Tech

World-class scientists and engineers have been creating cutting-edge technologies for warfighters at military laboratories for nearly 100 years, and a Sept. 28 hearing on Capitol Hill focused on technologies being developed today for future wars.

Laboratory directors from all three services addressed innovation through science and engineering in support of military operations during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee’s emerging threats and capabilities subcommittee.

Department of Justice Awards $119 Million to Hire Community Policing Officers

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch today announced $119 million in grant funding through the Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 184 law enforcement agencies across the nation, aimed at creating, or in some cases protecting, more than 900 law enforcement positions. The Attorney General made today’s announcement in Dallas, where the Dallas Police Department will receive $3.1 million through the COPS Hiring Program to hire 25 officers.

FBI: US Likely to Face Higher Risk of ISIS-inspired Attacks as Group Loses Land in the Middle East

The United States is likely to face a higher risk of Islamic State-inspired attacks over the next two years as the group loses land in the Middle East, a top official with the Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Wednesday.

"I'm fairly convinced that 2017 and 2018 in the homeland will be more dangerous than we've seen before, because as we shrink ISIS, they'll lash out," Michael Steinbach, executive assistant director of the FBI's national security branch, told a security conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

DOJ Announces $20M for Police Body Cameras

The Justice Department announced Monday it's awarding more than $20 million for law enforcement agencies around the country to establish or enhance their use of body cameras, a move that comes after several fatal shootings of black men by police that have prompted widespread protests.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced the grant at the opening of a Justice Department summit in Little Rock focused on reducing violent crime. The department said the grants are being awarded to 106 state, city, tribal and municipal law enforcement agencies.

NASA’s Artificial Intelligence Could be Firefighters’ ‘Guardian Angel’

NASA recently introduced AUDREY, an artificial intelligence system that could revolutionize how firefighters safely battle fires.

AUDREY, the Assistant for Understanding Data through Reasoning, Extraction and sYnthesis, is part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Next Generation First Responder program, an initiative meant to develop new ways to keep first responders safe through enhanced situational awareness and communication through data.

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