The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) will attend the APCO 2018 Annual Conference and Expo August 5 – 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our program managers will showcase some of the latest technology helping public safety overcome cybersecurity threats and analyze large amounts of data. If you’ll be at the conference, stop by booth #1149 to meet with our experts, or attend one of our panel sessions:
An Update on DHS' Efforts to Improve Emergency Communications
When: Monday, August 6, 2018 – 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Hear about efforts to improve interoperability and implement new technology solutions for public safety communications from the directors of the DHS Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) and Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC).
Panelists:
- John Merrill, Director, Office for Interoperability & Compatibility, DHS S&T
- Admiral Ron Hewitt, Director, Office of Emergency Communications, DHS
Service Denied: Cyber and Jamming Threats to Public Safety
When: Monday, August 6, 2018 – 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Cybersecurity threats are a pressing challenge for many industries, and they can be deadly for public safety. Public Safety Answering Points and first responders need consistent, secure communications, but cyber threats like denial of service attacks and illegal jamming can take down networks critical for public safety. DHS S&T, DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP), APCO International and Virginia Beach Emergency Communications and Citizen Services will host a discussion about denial of service attacks and how public safety organizations can prepare to identify and mitigate cyber threats.
Panelists:
- Sridhar Kowdley, Program Manager, DHS S&T
- Stephen Williams, Director of the Emergency Communications and Citizen Services Department
- Jay English, Chief Technology Officer, APCO International
- Douglas Pruss, Chief Information Security Engineer, DHS CBP Office of Information and Technology
Ball of Confusion Untangling the Growing Mass of Video Data through Analytic Applications
When: Tuesday, August 7, 2018 – 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Availability of video imagery is increasing exponentially. This imagery will be flooding communication centers across the country. While this mass of data may contain critical nuggets of information for situational awareness or forensic analysis, in the aggregate it presents a ball of confusion. Analytics offer a path forward to extract the critical information form a ponderous mass of data. Real-time analytics can pull out information required for proactive and predictive law enforcement efforts. However, powerful analytic tools present significant challenges for privacy and civil liberties. This session will examine current research in all these issues.
Panelists:
- Cuong Luu, Program Manager DHS S&T
- Donald Zoufal, Professor, University of Chicago
- John M. Contestabile, Program Manager, Homeland Security - Emergency Response Systems, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
- John Garofolo, Senior Advisor for Information Access Programs, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Second General Business Session
When: Tuesday, August 7, 2018 – 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Where: Venetian-Palazzo: Galileo Ballroom
John Merrill, Director, Office for Interoperability & Compatibility, DHS S&T will discuss the latest updates on research and development for public safety communications from DHS S&T during APCO’s Second General Business Session.
Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP) Advisory Panel Meeting
When: Wednesday, August 8, 2018 – 1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Where: Sands Expo Convention Center, meeting room Cassanova 605-606, on level 1
The AP meeting will take place at the Sands Expo Convention Center, meeting room Casanova 605-606, on level 1. P25 CAP AP members, industry, public safety, and interested attendees will have the opportunity to discuss various topics during the open Q&A. Among the expected topics is continued discussion in the addition of Inter RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI) and Console Subsystem Interface (CSSI) testing to the P25 CAP. An agenda including all logistical information is forthcoming. For those who cannot attend in person, note the following conference bridge will be available: Dial-In: 866-951-1151 and Call ID: 7492054#.
P25 CAP Coordination Meeting for P25 ISSI/CSSI Conformance Testing
When: Wednesday, August 8, 2018 – 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Where: Sands Expo Convention Center, meeting room Cassanova 605-606, on level 1
DHS OIC is convening a P25 CAP Coordination Meeting for P25 ISSI/CSSI Conformance Testing at the Sands Expo Convention Center, meeting room Cassanova 605-606, on level 1. This meeting will bring together stakeholders involved with P25 CAP Conformance testing of P25 ISSI and P25 CSSI products. Participants from P25 Vendors and representatives from a federal test lab, a test tool developer, tool validation support, P25 CAP AP and DHS OIC will gather and discuss the scope of testing and the logistical issues to begin pre-formal testing of the P25 ISSI/CSSI Conformance test tool with P25 products. An agenda including all logistical information is forthcoming. For those who cannot attend in person, note the following conference bridge will be available: Dial-In: 866-951-1151 and Call ID: 7492054#.
Check back for additional details about S&T’s presence at APCO, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for updates.