The FBI is consulting LDS Church computer experts who manage the
huge genealogy databases to help rebuild the bureau's outdated information system.
Officials say repeated failures by the FBI system have hindered some of the
bureau's most important investigations in recent years, including the probe
into the September 11 terrorist attacks.
"The FBI's troubled information management systems are likely
to have a continuing negative impact on its ability to properly investigate
crimes," says Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine. "The
FBI has both a paper and an electronic management system in place, neither of
which is reliable."
The FBI has begun addressing its problems in managing and analyzing
the mass of information it gathers in investigations. As part of that effort,
Mormon officials are providing advice for developing name-recognition programs
that would assist authorities in finding and tracking suspects.
There are more details available in a very interesting story about
this in the 22 March 2002 edition of the Salt Lake Tribune.
My thanks to Chad Milliner for letting me know about the article.
Dick Eastman Online
