6 U.S.C. § 162 : US Code - Section 162: Mission of Office; duties

Search 6 U.S.C. § 162 : US Code - Section 162: Mission of Office; duties

(a) Mission
The mission of the Office shall be - 
(1) to serve as the national focal point for work on law
enforcement technology; and
(2) to carry out programs that, through the provision of
equipment, training, and technical assistance, improve the safety
and effectiveness of law enforcement technology and improve
access to such technology by Federal, State, and local law
enforcement agencies.
(b) Duties
In carrying out its mission, the Office shall have the following
duties:
(1) To provide recommendations and advice to the Attorney
General.
(2) To establish and maintain advisory groups (which shall be
exempt from the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(5 U.S.C. App.)) to assess the law enforcement technology needs
of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.
(3) To establish and maintain performance standards in
accordance with the National Technology Transfer and Advancement
Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-113) for, and test and evaluate law
enforcement technologies that may be used by, Federal, State, and
local law enforcement agencies.
(4) To establish and maintain a program to certify, validate,
and mark or otherwise recognize law enforcement technology
products that conform to standards established and maintained by
the Office in accordance with the National Technology Transfer
and Advancement Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-113). The program
may, at the discretion of the Office, allow for supplier's
declaration of conformity with such standards.
(5) To work with other entities within the Department of
Justice, other Federal agencies, and the executive office of the
President to establish a coordinated Federal approach on issues
related to law enforcement technology.
(6) To carry out research, development, testing, evaluation,
and cost-benefit analyses in fields that would improve the
safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of law enforcement
technologies used by Federal, State, and local law enforcement
agencies, including, but not limited to - 
(A) weapons capable of preventing use by unauthorized
persons, including personalized guns;
(B) protective apparel;
(C) bullet-resistant and explosion-resistant glass;
(D) monitoring systems and alarm systems capable of providing
precise location information;
(E) wire and wireless interoperable communication
technologies;
(F) tools and techniques that facilitate investigative and
forensic work, including computer forensics;
(G) equipment for particular use in counterterrorism,
including devices and technologies to disable terrorist
devices;
(H) guides to assist State and local law enforcement
agencies;
(I) DNA identification technologies; and
(J) tools and techniques that facilitate investigations of
computer crime.
(7) To administer a program of research, development, testing,
and demonstration to improve the interoperability of voice and
data public safety communications.
(8) To serve on the Technical Support Working Group of the
Department of Defense, and on other relevant interagency panels,
as requested.
(9) To develop, and disseminate to State and local law
enforcement agencies, technical assistance and training materials
for law enforcement personnel, including prosecutors.
(10) To operate the regional National Law Enforcement and
Corrections Technology Centers and, to the extent necessary,
establish additional centers through a competitive process.
(11) To administer a program of acquisition, research,
development, and dissemination of advanced investigative analysis
and forensic tools to assist State and local law enforcement
agencies in combating cybercrime.
(12) To support research fellowships in support of its mission.
(13) To serve as a clearinghouse for information on law
enforcement technologies.
(14) To represent the United States and State and local law
enforcement agencies, as requested, in international activities
concerning law enforcement technology.
(15) To enter into contracts and cooperative agreements and
provide grants, which may require in-kind or cash matches from
the recipient, as necessary to carry out its mission.
(16) To carry out other duties assigned by the Attorney General
to accomplish the mission of the Office.
(c) Competition required
Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, all research and
development carried out by or through the Office shall be carried
out on a competitive basis.
(d) Information from Federal agencies
Federal agencies shall, upon request from the Office and in
accordance with Federal law, provide the Office with any data,
reports, or other information requested, unless compliance with
such request is otherwise prohibited by law.
(e) Publications
Decisions concerning publications issued by the Office shall rest
solely with the Director of the Office.
(f) Transfer of funds
The Office may transfer funds to other Federal agencies or
provide funding to non-Federal entities through grants, cooperative
agreements, or contracts to carry out its duties under this
section: Provided, That any such transfer or provision of funding
shall be carried out in accordance with section 605 of Public Law
107-77.
(g) Annual report
The Director of the Office shall include with the budget
justification materials submitted to Congress in support of the
Department of Justice budget for each fiscal year (as submitted
with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31)
a report on the activities of the Office. Each such report shall
include the following:
(1) For the period of 5 fiscal years beginning with the fiscal
year for which the budget is submitted - 
(A) the Director's assessment of the needs of Federal, State,
and local law enforcement agencies for assistance with respect
to law enforcement technology and other matters consistent with
the mission of the Office; and
(B) a strategic plan for meeting such needs of such law
enforcement agencies.
(2) For the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which
such budget is submitted, a description of the activities carried
out by the Office and an evaluation of the extent to which those
activities successfully meet the needs assessed under paragraph
(1)(A) in previous reports.