The Nationwide Network Working to Bring Mobile Biometrics to Your Community (FirstNet)

Public Intelligence ^ | December 18, 2013 | Public Intelligence

[NewHampshireDuo]

A federal law passed in February 2012 to help middle class families by creating jobs and cutting payroll taxes included a section mandating the creation of a nationwide interoperable broadband communications system for law enforcement and first responders.

The system, which is being created under the direction of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), seeks to create a nationwide broadband network capable of being used for a variety of law enforcement purposes including remote surveillance, mobile biometric applications like field fingerprint scanning and facial recognition, as well as automated license plate reading.

The system is currently in a pilot phase with less than a dozen locations around the country participating in the initial rollout of the FirstNet network. However, comments from FirstNet board members indicate that the future goals of the system include an interoperable network operating in all 56 states and territories of the U.S. that is capable of integration at the state, local and federal level.

[NewHampshireDuo]

Benign aid to public safety organizations? National spy network? Broadband network only for the feds that will run independent of a shut down internet network?

The article is over a year old but the program is beginning to really ramp up. I like the way it was bundled into another "middle class" jobs program.

[ClearCase_guy]

Create jobs! And lower taxes! And build a nation-wide broadband spy network!!

Huh?

[Gaffer]

I myself am not in favor of giving the government any expanded powers to do anything, regardless for what purpose they purport. I don’t trust them, I don’t think I’ll ever trust them again. This is not my country any more.

[Up Yours Marxists]

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, 1150 A.D.

[BenLurkin]

A federal law cutting payroll taxes included a section mandating the creation of a nationwide communications system for law enforcement

Yup.

Government is out of control.

WAY out of control.

[NewHampshireDuo]

This basically gives the federal government the ability to override local and state command and control. Not good.

[Iron Munro]

Create jobs! And lower taxes!
And build a nation-wide broadband spy network!!
Huh?

You must understand that your government is doing this for you.

[9thLife]

Maybe that explains this:

For the first time ever, last week, I heard "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a test of the emergency broadcast system" coming from the PA system in a NYC subway station. Twice, in fact.

[piasa]

Plan to kill Ham radio?

[piasa]

Good point. As it happens, a woman working on the Firstnet Project at Commerce was the one who “discovered” the pipe bomb on Jan 5, 2021 that was placed outside the RNC building and which led to the “discovery” of the second by the DNC building some distance away.

[piasa]

I wonder where those less than a dozen locations are where it is to be tested?