"Federal law enforcement's plan to develop a $5 billion secure wireless communication system is at "high risk of failure"

Audit criticizes feds' $5B wireless system
By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
Tue Mar 27, 10:13 AM ET

WASHINGTON - Federal law enforcement's plan to develop a $5 billion secure wireless communication system that would allow agents to share information across government agencies is at "high risk of failure," a Justice Department audit concluded Monday.

Almost six years in development at a cost of nearly $200 million, the Integrated Wireless Network (IWN), designed to replace antiquated systems at the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other key agencies, is "not on the path that was envisioned," the audit concluded.

By 2021, the system was supposed to support 81,000 federal agents in 50 states at a cost of $5 billion.

The system was planned to allow agents to communicate across agency lines. For example, it would allow an FBI agent to tap into information obtained from another department or agency, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or CIA. It could also be used to coordinate federal agents as they respond to a disaster.

The audit by the Justice Department's inspector general concluded that the project partnership between Justice and DHS was "fractured."

Beyond the potentially significant financial losses, Inspector General Glenn Fine said failure of the IWN could "affect the safety of (federal) law enforcement officers" because existing systems have "limited functionality, diminished voice quality and weak security, making them vulnerable to hacking."

The critical report is more bad news for embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who remains under fire for the dismissal of eight federal prosecutors and the findings of an earlier report by the inspector general that disclosed the FBI had abused its surveillance authority granted under the USA Patriot Act.

"Failure of the IWN project would represent a significant missed opportunity to achieve needed communications interoperability among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies," Fine said.

Enhanced communications systems for public safety agencies took on increased urgency after the 9/11 terrorist attacks after it was revealed that some emergency responders could not communicate with their counterparts.

Justice and DHS officials acknowledged many of the weaknesses outlined in the audit.

Lee Loftus, assistant attorney general for Justice Department administration, said the department was "working" with DHS and the Treasury Department to define the agencies' commitment and funding requirements to support the network.

Loftus, however, took issue with findings that the government had little to show for its six-year investment of $195 million. Among the gains, the assistant attorney general said, were the purchase of 32,506 digital, mobile radios and the launch of 12 interoperable federal broadcast channels in 10 cities.

DHS, meanwhile, said it is assessing whether the project is worth completing.

"DHS will work with DOJ and Treasury to assess the viability of the IWN as a joint project … and determine what should be the best way ahead for all three departments," said Paul Schneider, DHS' undersecretary for management.