Lawmaker questions FBI's computer planning

A senior member of a House Appropriations subcommittee yesterday questioned efforts by the FBI to upgrade existing computer technologies after the September 11 attacks, saying Congress has spent $1.6 billion on new FBI computers since 1993.

"I've been sitting on this subcommittee for 18 years," Rep. Harold Rodgers told FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III during a hearing. "I've heard director after director after director say, 'Give us the money. We're going to modernize this computer system.'"

I saw our two local FBI agents on TV news here recently and they both had what appeared to be at least Windows 95 desktops.
Like Mr. Rodgers, I'm just not buying it.
They've had to have had some training since they started upgrading the systems or are they all just staring at the monitiors doing nothing?
Pump more milk from the cows.

The FBI Academy Investigative Computer Training Unit (ICTU)
The Investigative Computer Training Unit (ICTU) located at the FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia provides investigative computer instruction, training, and curriculum development to FBI and other law enforcement personnel throughout the world. Primarily, ICTU trains FBI agent recruits, FBI field agents, FBI professional support staff, domestic and international law enforcement officers attending the National Academy, and other law enforcement officers. Training covers a variety of computer topics including how to use the computer as an investigative tool, communications device, research platform, and a tool for examining and/or analyzing digital evidence.

A Report to the American People on the Work of the FBI 1993 - 1998
In the five-year period from 1994 through 1998, the FBI has trained a total of nearly 700,000 law enforcement officers in a variety of courses.
More than 41,000 FBI employees were trained during that period at the FBI Academy at Quantico.
At the same time, law enforcement personnel from other Federal, state, and local agencies were trained at Quantico--over 23,000 in the five-year period.
Blowing more smoke IMO!

The Feebs have been working on a lot of 386 and 486 machines.
Have you got a source for that? I've seen that stated several times, but I've never seen it in print. Or is it one of those "everyone knows 'such-and-such'" things?
A point of contention.
FBI Laptop Stolen
Old technology?
If they wanted to correspond electronically they had to do it by fax.
A point of contention...
The FBI's Role in Support of Domestic Preparedness
The FBI in late 1998 began its initial preparation in anticipation of a fully functional NDPO (National Domestic Preparedness Office). For example, we began assigning staff and space within FBIHQ, as well as initiated garnering the interagency support and agreements critical to the mission's success. A robust information sharing system has been designed and established that facilitates collection and dissemination of information from, to, and among the federal, state and local first responder community. A widely distributed newsletter has been put in place as an effective means to comprehensively share ideas and experiences across the community, and NDPO has issued special bulletins to alert the emergency response community to trends or threats that pertain to domestic preparedness.
NDPO also has effectively capitalized on the burgeoning advantages of the Internet by establishing a "common communications link," an Internet-based, community-wide system that is gathering 100 new users every month. NDPO's web site helps support this common information exchange mechanism.

Hmmmm...doesn't sound like a fax to me. And it sounds like it has been around for a few years?

I can only find generic statements and articles like this...
FBI awards contract to update aging computers
The FBI last week issued a task order worth at least $51 million to upgrade thousands of the bureau’s outdated computers and servers.
The order to upgrade 27,000 personal computers and 350 servers at 650 locations over three years was awarded to Reston, Va. contractor DynCorp Information & Enterprise Technology Systems.
In the project, known as Trilogy, DynCorp will also build local- and wide-area networks for the bureau. The first two years of the three-year effort to revamp the FBI’s outdated information systems will cost $242 million.

And then this...
Chapter 3: Tools and Resouces to Support Investigations 1993-1998
Recognizing changing technology and the needs and abilities of FBI Agents, I insisted that we issue a laptop computer in addition to the traditional Agent equipment (handgun, credentials, badge) to each new Special Agent. The FBI also has computer-based training rooms and a computer training unit dedicated to training all FBI personnel in the latest computer technologies to enable them to better perform their jobs. The use of computers has made the FBI more efficient in many ways. The use of computers has also made the FBI's job more challenging. The widespread use of computers and the rapidly developing technology of computer systems have combined to dramatically increase the volume and complexity of computer evidence in high-tech criminal investigations. Consequently, the FBI created The Computer Analysis and Response Team (CART) Field Examiners to assist with information retrieval. Recently, FBI investigations relating to child pornography, terrorism, drugs, and public corruption were among the cases that required the response of the FBI's CART examiners to extract relevant data from computer and network systems. Examiners also provide forensic examinations and on-site field support to all FBI investigations and programs where computers and storage media are required as evidence. The CART caseload increased to approximately 2,400 cases in 1998.
Another valuable program used in important FBI investigations is the Rapid Start/Crisis Management Information System. It is designed to provide immediate lead tracking and information management support in crisis situations by processing data from the start of an investigation. It has, for example, provided support in major bombing incidents including those at U.S. Embassies in East Africa, the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, and Centennial Olympic Park.

Do you see how confusing it can be? Here is Louis Louis saying his people are getting state of the art training on the latest equipment as late as 1998 with brand new equipment and you say those folks had old computers to work with.
My question is still...Which is it? The latest in computer technologies or old junk?
I'm still trying to figure out exactly what that euphamistic term "electronic communications (EC) really means too.

No doubt there is some misapplication in this, but when you break out the numbers, we're talking in the neighborhood of $4300 per employee per year since 1993. Given the changes in the technology during that time (1993 = 486 chipsets, 50 - 60 mhz, 50 meg hard drives), and the aggressive custom software development during that time, I think the numbers are entirely plausible. Figure 3 entire desktop hardware replacements, 3 or 4 operating system changes, upgrades to all desktop applications, a couple of changes in strategic applications direction with accompanying training, and back office infrastructure swapout x 3. I'm no fan of government spending but it sounds plausible to me...possibly even underfunded for a technology driven organization.

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