Taking into consideration HIDTA’s far-reaching and interconnecting local, state and federal law enforcement resources, the Domestic Highway Enforcement Strategy, a coordinated nationwide program is an exciting new approach to interrupting the drug market.
HERE ARE FIVE QUESTIONS FOR ROCKY STONE ABOUT THE STRATEGY:
[And for those of you who are wondering, no, that’s not his real name…He was nicknamed “Rocky” the week he came home from the hospital…His real name is James.]
1. DHE WILL BE PROVIDING A COORDINATED NATIONWIDE HIGHWAY INTERDICTION STRATEGY. HOW WERE THE NINE REGIONS SELECTED?
In August 2005 during a meeting of the Southwest Border COBIJA participants, it was discussed and recommended that the COBIJA concept be expanded across the country. The proposal included dividing the United States into nine regions. This request was forwarded to ONDCP and assigned to the National HIDTA Program Intelligence Committee for review and recommendations. In December 2005, members of the Intelligence Committee developed and presented a Nationwide Domestic Highway Enforcement (DHE) Strategy to all HIDTA Directors and ONDCP, at which time the Strategy was approved for implementation. This included modification of the original nine regions with each region being headed by a HIDTA Director (Regional Coordinator) for coordination and funding to support this Strategy being provided by ONDCP.
2. WHEN WILL THE PROGRAM OFFICIALLY ROLL OUT?
The implementation of the DHE Strategy began in June 2006 and will continue through the end of this year with Regional Coordination Meetings being held in each region.
3. HOW CAN THE VARIOUS HIDTAS LEARN ABOUT DHE?
I have been selected as the DHE Program Coordinator. HIDTA participants can contact me at 520-547-8751, or on my cell phone at 520-225-8218. There is also a national HIDTA DHE brochure describing the Program being developed and it will be available soon. Additionally, nine Regional Coordinators will be hosting meetings in the next two months to provide assistance in implementing the Strategy within their regions.
4. HOW WILL THE OUTCOMES BE COMMUNICATED?
The DHE outcomes will be communicated in two areas which are based on the focus of the ONDCP funding. The outcomes are focused first on HIDTA Goal 2 – Increase the Efficiency of Law Enforcement Agencies. This will occur by improving federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts re DHE intelligence and information while conducting coordinated operations on national, regional, and state levels. The second area of outcomes will be focused on HIDTA Goal 1 – Dismantling and Disrupting Trafficking Organizations and Permanently Removing Illicit Drugs from the Market. This is based on each HIDTA’s request for supplemental funding to conduct DHE operations within their HIDTA region that directly support the nationwide concept. These funds will be tied to ONDCP PMP measures for each HIDTA, depending on their level of funding.
5. HOW IS DHE DIFFERENT FROM COBIJA?
DHE Nationwide Strategy is focused on highway interdiction; COBIJA did not have a specific focus. The DHE Strategy is an ODNCP approved nationwide strategy and receives supplemental funding to implement the program. COBIJA did not have any supplemental funding but was funded from the Southwest Border HIDTA. DHE directly involves HIDTAs, either as regional coordinators or the information gathering process. The DHE Strategy provides a mechanism that more formally involves the DHE Regional HIDTA Coordinators and participating members from state agencies in the coordinated planning process.
FMS is HIDTA’s grant management tool to provide ‘one set of books’ for all parties responsible for all business processes related to spending and managing HIDTA funds, according to policy. HIDTA’s implementation of Outlooksoft’s CPM software is no longer referred to as Everest. It is now called FMS, Version 4.2.1 and the latest changes to the program go way beyond just the name.
CHANGES SOME OF THESE CHANGES INCLUDE
A SINGLE MENU. All grant management tasks are now grouped
together in one menu. For example, the budget management, grant extension management, reprogramming management and disbursement management all occur from a single menu making the program more flexible.
“REFRESH” IS NOW CALLED “RETRIEVE.” This new change reflects the fact that the software is actually retrieving the most current information from the database.
EVCOMMENTS. Budget input template now enables you to type in
budget details directly saving them along with the numbers to the database. EvComments are also used on the grant Extension Request input template. The field allows for up to 250 characters which does away with the need to attach Word documents for explaining the details of the grant extension and minimizes the amount of supporting documents required for the budget submission process.
REPROGRAMMING JOURNAL. You can now copy and paste values
much easier from the Budget Query report to the Reprogramming Journal with the addition of the quick key stroke combination <CTRL> + <ALT> + “v”. Additionally, accidentally selecting the wrong Account is no longer a problem with the new filter applied to the Account dimension selector dialog box. Only valid accounts from which and into which you can reprogram are listed.which and into which you can reprogram are listed.
TOGGLE BETWEEN SCREENS. It used to be impossible to switch
between grant business processes (i.e. budgeting, reprogramming, extensions, etc.) because you were required to go from one process menu to another consequently closing all open templates and reports from the other process. With the combined single menu, you can simply toggle back and forth without having to save and exit each time you need to go from one business process to another.
QUICK EXIT. You can now just press “Exit” on the main menu and the program closes all templates and reports at once getting you out of FMS quickly.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS/POLICY LINKS. Additions to the CPM Web
portion of FMS include a Glossary of Terms and links to policy documents. These changes enhance the usability of FMS and go a long way to making this a robust tool.
Chandoue (pronounced “Shan-du”) Delva has worked at the National HIDTA Assistance Center as an accountant for just over five months. She came to NHAC after working at the South Florida HIDTA for one year. This native New Yorker is of Antiguan descent, was born and raised in the Bronx, and has lived in Miami for nine years. She is a senior in college and is in the process of earning her Bachelor’s of Science degree in accounting. Chandoue came to Miami for college, married two years later and is a mother of three children: a six-year-old daughter and two sons, ages five and three.
Before coming to NHAC, she worked for the South Florida HIDTA in the finance department as assistant to the fiscal officer. Her daily duties included tracking the South Florida HIDTA’s invoices and purchase orders, and conducting desk audits. The desk audits involved an internal audit of all expenses to verify that they were in accordance with ONDCP’s policies and guidelines. All of these responsibilities were transferable to NHAC. The main difference between the two positions is that at the South Florida HIDTA she dealt with one HIDTA and at NHAC she handles eight HIDTAs including New York/New Jersey, North and Central Florida, Houston, SWB and West Texas, CBAG, New England and Michigan.
When asked what she likes best about working at NHAC, Chandoue says, “What I like most is the great and diverse groups of people I come in contact with through the HIDTA program.”
“Chandoue has shown professionalism and enthusiasm at all times. I am pleased to have her as part of my team,” says supervisor, Patricia Phillips.
FMS – Changes Go Beyond Just the Name
You Can “Count” on Chandoue Delva
Downlod Center News: (PDF files)REFERENCE: HIDTA Counties by State