Tucked away on the fourth floor of Johnston Hall is a program that keeps those who serve and protect in the know.
The FBI Law Enforcement Online Program is a system set up for law enforcement, criminal justice and public safety officials to communicate without the scrutiny of the general public and without someone overseeing the system, said Ed Cogswell, a spokesperson for the FBI.
Since LSU and its corporate sponsors came up with the LEO idea, officials thought it would be appropriate to put the facility on campus, said Jim Fernandez, vice provost and executive director of the National Center for Security Research and Training.
Recently, New Orleans and Baton Rouge received $14 million from the Department of Homeland Security to fight terrorism, according to the Associated Press.
“Louisiana is already a leader in homeland security preparedness,” said U.S. Rep. David Vitter, R-Metairie in an AP article. “These funds will help us make a good system even better by improving communication and coordination among local and state responders.”
While none of that money is expected to be given to the LEO program, none of the money has been allocated yet, Fernandez said.
Most of the money will go to training exercises, Fernandez said.
Cogswell said during recent Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, LEO was used to communicate information about potential terrorists traveling across the border so law enforcement could be on the lookout for those particular escaped fugitives.
“We call that a BOLO, ‘be on the look out,'” he said.
The LEO program was operating for a number of years prior to Sept. 11 to communicate information about wanted persons and criminal activity, Cogswell said.
On Sept. 11, the system was used significantly more than usual. LEO transmitted a lot of information on that day, but Cogswell said he was unsure of how much.
The information was useful in contacting and advising officials with useful information, he said.
LEO is accessed through the Internet using a dial-up connection, like America Online or the Microsoft Network, a DSL service, cable modem or LAN connection, according to the LEO Web site.
The Viral Private Network is a program used to ensure all information exchanges are secure between LEO members. The LEO network also scans all “inbound” and “outbound” e-mails for viruses, according to the Web site.
Cogswell said there is an audit system to ensure there is no corruption or leaks from employees within.
“We can revoke anyone who has the ability to use it,” he said.