Volume 2, Issue 3	NDPIX  NEWS	July 2001

National Drug Pointer Index (NDPIX) - A Progress Report

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) completed programming and testing of NDPIX during April of 1997 and received its first actual record in October of that year. Much has changed since then and so we present a progress report on the current status of NDPIX and the advances that we expect in the near future.

Registration

As of June 30, 2001, 543 law enforcement agencies have signed NDPIX Participation Agreements and registered 4,857 individual users.

As a measure of the scope of this membership, NDPIX members employ approximately 240,080 sworn officers.

Participation

DEA, State and local agencies actively participating in NDPIX have entered 144,595 investigative targets, representing 57,997 cases, into the database and are adding over 3,900 new targets per month.

NDPIX Match Notification

NDPIX matches input transactions to its database and, for record matches, provides to both the entry maker and record owner the name, agency, and telephone number of the other party. Exchange of investigative information between the parties is the key to success of NDPIX.

Recent statistics indicate that approximately 6% of incoming transactions find matches in the database and on average find almost two records per match. The expected start up of additional Federal, state, and local agencies will increase the frequency of record matches and therefore the value of the system.

NDPIX Support

DEA established the NDPIX Support Staff in mid 2000 to aid prospective participants through their registration, start-up activities, and to support the overall management of the program. The Support Staff works with DEA Field Divisions to promote further use of NDPIX among Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This includes participating in planning sessions with prospective participants as well as making formal presentations on NDPIX at conferences where the focus is on narcotics.

DEA personnel have participated in the following recent activities:

• Missouri Sheriff's Association Marijuana Eradication Conference, April 17-19, 2001, Osage Beach, Missouri.
  
• Law Enforcement Coordinating Conference called by the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida April 17-19, 2001, in Sandestin, Florida.
  
• Maryland State Police Conference for local agencies on the anticipated role of NDPIX as the state point of contact system. Conference held at the Maryland State Police Headquarters on April 19, 2001.
  
• Illinois State Police in Chicago, on April 25, 2001, to discuss plans for implementing an NDPIX capability for their message switch.
  
• Arkansas Crime Information Center Conference in on May 15, 2001, in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
  
• Arkansas Narcotics Officers Association, May 16, 2001, in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
  
• International Association of Chiefs of Police, 25th Annual Law Enforcement Information Management Training Conference and Exposition May 21-25, 2001, in Plano, Texas.

The Support Staff welcomes requests to attend or support any future meetings, conferences, seminars, etc. where NDPIX will be discussed and promoted.

NDPIX Support

NDPIX Support Staff
Intelligence Division
Special Agent H. Blue Richards, Unit Chief
Drug Enforcement Administration
Washington, DC 20537
(202) 307-8430 or 1 800 276-5558

Contacts for State/ Local Agencies:

Team 1.
Mina Hunter (202) 307-3648
mhunter@dialup.usdoj.gov

Team 2.
Patricia Gosby (202) 307-3604
pgosby@dialup.usdoj.gov

Team 3.
Jennifer Gabriel (202) 353-1064
jgabriel@dialup.usdoj.gov

Team 4.
Elizabeth Spricigo (202) 307-8430
espricigo@dialup.usdoj.gov

Annual NDPIX Survey

DEA surveyed NDPIX users earlier this year for their assessments of NDPIX and for any suggestions they might have on ways to improve performance. Respondents were thorough in preparing their information and many were helpful enough to include thoughtful comments on their perception of NDPIX performance. The comments included general assessments of experience with NDPIX as well as suggested improvements and, as a general rule, indicated that NDPIX is fulfilling its objectives. We thank all the survey participants for their honest evaluation of the NDPIX Program. We welcome any comments or suggestions from NDPIX users throughout the year. Comments from the first Annual NDPIX Survey follow:

1. Implementation delayed; training materials not available.

   The Support Staff can provide materials that might be adaptable to your situation.

2. Operation would be smoother if we could track inputs, hits, and telephone contacts.

   We have received several such suggestions and are considering development of a simplified
   off-line tool that would provide such information. More on this in future communications.

3. Regarding event based deconfliction, this would be an extremely beneficial use of NDPIX.

   NDPIX is a pointer system and is limited to target based deconfliction (focus on an investigative target).
   Event based deconfliction that may focus on, for example, an arrest or drug seizure is beyond the NDPIX mission.

4. Absence of Case Number in Match Notifications makes it difficult to exchange data with the other point of contact.

   DEA is now reviewing this policy.

5. Our use of data string formats complicates the entry process. What alternatives are available?

   The Support Staff can suggest names of software vendors who provide screen formatting compatible
   with NDPIX data.

6. We need statistics on NDPIX usage of all states in our region.

   We are considering development and publication of such usage statistics.

7. There is not enough participation in NDPIX to provide enough useful matches.
   
   This is true; however, several Federal, state, and local agencies are scheduled
   for imminent start up. This will increase the frequency of useful matches.
   
   
8. Why does NDPIX include the use of Soundex in searching on name?
   
   The use of Soundex can produce a match where a misspelled name would have
   caused NDPIX to miss the match.
   
   
9. Our agents tell us that NDPIX is not convenient to use.

We will research this, but expect that the comment may result from the use of string formats for
data entry rather than the formatted screens that many agencies employ.

   10.  Our agents advise that they would benefit from a statewide printout of known drug traffickers.

Although, a good idea, it goes beyond the mission of NDPIX as a drug pointer system.

d

All Comments and Success Stories are welcome and may be printed in future issues. Please send your comments and success stories to Tricia Gosby or Mitch Morris, Editors, NDPIX NEWS, Intelligence Division, Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington, D.C. 20537, telephone 202-307-3604.