Grants or Other Direct Federal Funding

In response to our inquiries, officials at each of the DOD components we contacted told us that they did not provide grants for any purposes, including crime technology-related assistance, to state and local law enforcement agencies during fiscal years 1996 through 1998. Support Services and Systems

Regarding support services and systems, DOD’s crime technology assistance to state and local law enforcement totaled an estimated $30 million for fiscal years 1996 through 1998. However, we determined that these activities did not meet our definition of crime technology assistance. In-Kind Transfer Programs

During fiscal years 1996 through 1998, DOD’s in-kind assistance to state and local law enforcement totaled about $95.9 million. Other Transfers Indirect Assistance May Result From DOD Research and Development Efforts

In its counterterrorism and counterdrug efforts, the federal government has invested considerable funds in recent years to develop technologies for detecting explosives and narcotics. Although not directly intended for state and local law enforcement agencies, some of DOD’s research and development efforts have had spin-off benefits for these agencies. That is, proven technologies have resulted in crime-fighting products’ becoming commercially available for purchase by all levels of law enforcement. We did not attempt to identify all relevant examples nor to quantify the costs associated with specific products because DOD’s research and development efforts primarily and directly support federal agency needs rather than those of state and local law enforcement. Also, (1) any spin-off benefits to state and local law enforcement may not occur until years after federal research and development funds are expended and (2) the acquisition of commercially available products generally is dependent on these agencies’ own budgets.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the crime technology assistance provided by the Department of Defense (DOD) to state and local law enforcement agencies during fiscal years (FY) 1996 through 1998, focusing on: (1) grants or other types of direct federal funding; (2) access to support services and systems, such as counterdrug or other intelligence centers; and (3) in-kind transfers of equipment or other assets.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) DOD said it provided no crime technology-related grants to state and local law enforcement agencies during FY 1996 through FY 1998; (2) although each state's National Guard received funds for its counterdrug program, these funds did not meet GAO's definition of crime technology assistance, with one exception; (3) GAO also did not find any other type of direct funding; (4) identifiable crime technology assistance provided by DOD to state and local law enforcement agencies during FY 1996 through FY 1998 totalled an estimated $125.9 million; (5) of this amount, about $95.9 million involved in-kind transfers, representing about 76 percent of the total; (6) although not directly intended for state and local law enforcement agencies, some of DOD's research and development efforts in recent years have had spin-off benefits for these agencies--particularly DOD's efforts to develop technologies for federal use in detecting explosives and narcotics; (7) for example, proven technologies have resulted in crime-fighting products--such as bomb detection equipment--becoming commercially available for purchase by all levels of law enforcement; and (8) GAO did not attempt to identify all relevant examples nor to quantify the costs associated with specific products because: (a) DOD's research and development efforts primarily and directly support federal agency needs; and (b) the acquisition of any resulting commercially available products generally is dependent on state and local law enforcement agencies' own budgets.