TUCSON, Ariz. — Knowledge Computing Corporation today announced that its award-winning COPLINK(R) solution suite will be deployed by the State of Missouri to support comprehensive information sharing and collaboration among local and state law enforcement for solving crimes and thwarting terrorism. The Company’s COPLINK solution and team were selected after a highly competitive process. Missouri-based Professional Services & Resources, Inc. (PSRI) will serve as a subcontractor to Knowledge Computing Corp. Funding for the project, known as Missouri Data Exchange (MoDex), was made possible by a unique partnership between state and local law enforcement, which together, pooled federal funding to maximize the initiative’s reach, effectiveness and return on investment.
“Local law enforcement buy-in and active participation have consistently proven to be the cornerstone of the most effective law enforcement information sharing initiatives across the country,” said Robert Griffin, CEO of Knowledge Computing Corp. Missouri’s thought leadership in approaching a statewide initiative this way, and in choosing a proven performer at the local, state, regional and federal level like COPLINK, is an effective model for other states planning to implement criminal information sharing initiatives.”
“Government has a fundamental duty to keep our streets, our schools, and our neighborhoods safe, so that Missourians can reach their full potential,” said Missouri Governor Matt Blunt.” We have already seen the tremendous benefits of information sharing through the Missouri Information Analysis Center, and I commend local law enforcement for their vision and foresight to bring this software to Missouri. By working together they will be able to provide a tremendous asset to build on MIAC’s success and strengthen and protect our communities.”
“I know from my own experience in law enforcement that access to accurate and timely information and intelligence will help save lives,” said Mark James, Director of the Department of Public Safety. “This data sharing program will give law enforcement the advantage against criminals by identifying relationships, associations and patterns that will help us solve more crimes and increase public safety across Missouri by getting offenders off the street more quickly.”
COPLINK provides unparalleled analysis and decision support for rapidly identifying criminal suspects, relationships and patterns that help solve crime and thwart terrorism. Using a NIEM and LEXS API compliant interface, it works by allowing vast quantities of structured and seemingly unrelated data -- including data currently housed in various incompatible databases and records management systems -- to be securely organized, consolidated and rapidly analyzed over a highly secure intranet-based platform.
One search using known or partial facts from an ongoing investigation can produce qualified leads that would otherwise be unapparent in seconds -- a process that prior to COPLINK was not possible or often takes days or weeks to accomplish. Through sophisticated analytics, including powerful visualization tools, COPLINK builds “institutional memory,” reduces knowledge gaps and prevents criminals from falling through the cracks.
“Another benefit of the program is its power to generate new investigative leads in rapes, murders, burglaries, robberies and other crimes,” said Mick Covington, Executive Director of the Missouri Sheriff’s Association. “Vague physical descriptions and bits of information given by crime victims or witnesses, such as tattoos, car colors, and nicknames, take on new life when they are researched in a regional database.”
“Across our state, policing agencies face tough challenges when trying to share information. This software will enable law enforcement to compile data in one central repository and give every police officer access to that critical information,” said Sheldon Lineback, Executive Director of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association.
There are 12,655 full time sworn officers within the Missouri law enforcement geographical area. COPLINK will be accessible to authorized law enforcement officers, investigators, detectives, highway patrol troopers, and crime analysts throughout the state and will be used for law enforcement purposes only. This includes sworn officers serving communities across 114 counties, the city of St. Louis, approximately 535 municipalities and other state law enforcement entities.
COPLINK will allow MIAC and other agencies to instantly cross-reference and analyze law enforcement records systems statewide, significantly improving operations and results. Gov. Blunt opened MIAC in December 2005 to provide a public safety partnership consisting of local, state and federal agencies, as well as the public sector and private partners. It collects, evaluates, analyzes, and disseminates information to agencies tasked with Homeland Security responsibilities in a timely, secure manner. MIAC collects incident reports of suspicious activities to be evaluated and analyzed in an effort to identify potential trends or patterns of terrorist or criminal operations within the state.
MIAC also facilitates two-way communication between federal, state and local law enforcement communities within the region. When COPLINK is fully deployed in Missouri, it will also link into the FBI’s Regional Data Exchange system known as RDEX, further enhancing Missouri’s ability to collaborate with other regional, state and federal agencies in solving crime and thwarting terrorism.
When COPLINK is used to create statewide networks, each participating agency has real-time control over what data is shared, with whom and when. In addition, data continues to reside and be updated at its existing source, with automatic refresh mechanisms triggering updates within COPLINK. These safeguards help protect the integrity of the data and sensitive information while allowing for the creation of ad hoc regional task forces to address specific criminal activity.
Access to COPLINK will be restricted based on individual user security clearance levels, and the sensitivity of the data itself based on strict policy protocols spelled out in a memorandum of understanding between participating agencies. COPLINK also creates a detailed audit trail for every search conducted. This serves two purposes. Officers seeking to question or obtain a warrant on suspects identified through COPLINK are able to clearly demonstrate with hard facts how that person fits the criminal profile and how others were excluded. The Systems Administrator is also able to monitor use for audit purposes to identify any abuse that would result in suspension of a user’s access privileges under the privacy and use protocols established by MoDex participants in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
With the addition of the State of Missouri, COPLINK now supports nearly 1300 jurisdictions nationwide spanning across 20 states, including four of the nation’s five largest cities, helping police officers fight crime, thwart terrorism and improve community safety. A powerful force multiplier, COPLINK is documented as conservatively providing a 14:1 investigative time advantage, reducing the time it takes to identify qualified suspects, thereby enabling law enforcement to keep more feet on the streets.
Winner of numerous awards, COPLINK was recognized twice by the International Association of Chiefs of Police for deployments in Tucson, Arizona and across the State of Alaska. The Center for Digital Government also recognized COPLINK as one of the best-of-breed and most innovative IT projects undertaken by cities in the nation.
Many law enforcement agencies worked together to bring COPLINK to Missouri including, the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Police Chiefs Association, Missouri Sheriff’s Association, Cole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri Department of Corrections.
About Knowledge Computing Corporation
Knowledge Computing Corp. provides technology-based crime-fighting solutions to leading edge law enforcement agencies nationwide. Its critically-acclaimed COPLINK(R), solution, in use since 1998, is based on knowledge management technology first prototyped by top-ranked researchers in the Artificial Intelligence Lab at the University of Arizona in Tucson through a grant by the National Institute of Justice. The technologies developed at Knowledge Computing Corporation have been tested and proven by law enforcement agencies around the country. For more information: http://www.knowledgecc.com/ or http://www.coplink.com/ .
Contact
Amy Smith of WhiteOak Communications, +1-703-200-8218, asmith@whiteoakcom.com, for Knowledge Computing Corporation
Web site: http://www.knowledgecc.com/
http://www.coplink.com/