Drug Control: Communications Network Funding and Requirements Uncertain

Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request and a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) efforts to integrate and coordinate U.S. command, control, communications, and technical intelligence assets used for drug interdiction into an effective communications network.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Office of National Drug Control Policy	Because the planned satellite communications network may eliminate the need for some of the communications equipment currently scheduled to be brought under the master plan, the Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), should finalize satellite communications systems plans and requirements as soon as practicable.	Closed – Not Implemented Considerations for developing a satellite communications network for law enforcement have been permanently dropped.
Office of National Drug Control Policy	Because the planned satellite communications network may eliminate the need for some of the communications equipment currently scheduled to be bought under the master plan, the Director, ONDCP, should advise relevant agency heads to proceed with only the most critically needed high-frequency and other radio equipment acquisitions until the satellite plan is completed and potentially overlapping requirements are identified.	Closed – Not Implemented Considerations for developing a satellite communications network for law enforcement have been permanently dropped.
Department of Defense	To facilitate oversight of drug interdiction communications network implementation and gauge its progress, GAO recommends that once master plan equipment requirements are fully resolved, the Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), should, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and other relevant agency heads, establish a time goal and funding schedules for completing the network and obtain firm commitments from the agency heads to meet them.	Closed – Not Implemented The DOD response indicates its willingness to assist whenever ONDCP calls upon them.
Office of National Drug Control Policy	To facilitate oversight of drug interdiction communications network implementation and gauge its progress, GAO recommends that once master plan equipment requirements are fully resolved, the Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), should, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and other relevant agency heads, establish a time goal and funding schedules for completing the network and obtain firm commitments from the agency heads to meet them.	Closed – Not Implemented Considerations for developing a satellite communications network for law enforcement have been permanently dropped.
Office of National Drug Control Policy	In the annual National Drug Control Policy reports to Congress, the Director, ONDCP, should detail the funding and acquisition schedules required for completing the network and the progress made toward achieving them.	Closed – Implemented ONDCP completed the plan and requested funding to implement the plan from the committees responsible for the drug community oversight. The executive branch, in its FY 1993 budget submission, submitted a plan for implementation and also requested funding for the program.

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Topics

Justice and Law Enforcement

Command control communications systemsComputer networksDefense procurementDrug traffickingInteragency relationsLaw enforcementNarcoticsMilitary forcesCommunicationsSchool districts