Summary: GAO reviewed the Department of Justice grant award program for seven regional intelligence networks. Because the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration is being phased out, GAO found that there is a need for: (1) a defined role for the networks which will enhance their relationship with Federal law enforcement agencies; (2) an oversight board to establish operating policy standards and review grantees' compliance with them; (4) a body to oversee the networks' day-to-day operations; and (5) a means to evaluate the impact of the regional intelligence networks and discern whether the networks complement, rather than duplicate, the work of the Federal law enforcement agencies. Because sophisticated operations of criminal organizations transcend local jurisdictional boundaries, local law enforcement agencies saw the need to group together and collectively upgrade their investigative and information gathering efforts. These multi-State regional intelligence projects are in the process of evolving into a unique network of systems which will provide a criminal intelligence data bank and intelligence information processing and analysis capabilities. The networks depend entirely on the Federal Government for funds. Six of the seven networks received seed money from the Federal Government; however, funds were not available to provide for continuing operations. In 1981, the President proposed that $6.33 million in funds available to the program be deferred. However, only half of the deferral was approved by Congress. No funds have been requested in the 1982 budget for these projects. The Attorney General should: (1) define a role for the networks which will enhance their relationship with Federal law enforcement agencies; (2) reestablish the Intelligence Systems and Policy Review Board at the departmental level with representation from appropriate Federal law enforcement agencies, and the board should set and review regional networks' compliance with criminal intelligence system operating policies; and (3) assign the administrative responsibility for grant funding and project monitoring to a Justice agency such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, while reserving all policy decisions for the Board.
