FBI Releases Preliminary Annual Crime Statistics for 2008

According to the FBI’s Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report released today, the nation experienced a 2.5 percent decrease in the number of violent crimes and a 1.6 percent decline in the number of property crimes for 2008 compared with data from 2007. The report is based on information that the FBI gathered from 12,750 law enforcement agencies that submitted six to 12 comparable months of data to the FBI for both 2007 and 2008.

June is National Internet Safety Month; Educate Yourself and Your Kids

From The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)

The Internet offers an array of entertainment and educational resources for children but also presents some risks.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is committed to helping all audiences — from kids to parents and guardians to law-enforcement officers and educators — learn the aspects of Internet safety.

You can’t watch kids every minute, but you can use strategies to help them benefit from the Internet and avoid its risks.

NCMEC urges you to do one of the single most important things to promote safety — talk to kids about the rewards and risks of Internet use.

Featured Publications

Keeping Kids Safer on the Internet

Blog Beware

Your Kids Can Fill in the Blanks. Can You?

Know the Rules…Internet Safety Quiz for Adults

Tips for Safer Online Gaming

Tips to Prevent Sexting

More publications..

Report Findings on Coast Guard Civil Rights Deeply Troubling, But Certainly Not New

The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings, Chairman
Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
Hearing on
“Civil Rights Services and Diversity Initiatives in the Coast Guard”
April 1, 2009

“While these findings are obviously deeply troubling on their own, as the Subcommittee has learned in its extensive review of the Coast Guard’s civil rights programs, they are certainly not new.”

Coast Guard Port Security Unit 305 returns from Six Months at Guantanamo Bay

Family members await the arrival of Coast Guardsmen from Port Security Unit 305 returning from a 6-month deployment to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, at their homecoming in Fort Eustis, Va. Sunday, May 31, 2009. (U.S. Coast Guard photo / Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Jones)

From 5th District PA

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Coast Guard Port Security Unit 305 returned home to Fort Eustis, Va., Sunday afternoon from a 6-month deployment to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Family members and friends waited excitedly as two large, white buses transported the 83 Coast Guardsmen to the PSU just after 2 p.m. They greeted their wives, husbands, children, and friends before gathering at 3 p.m. to be recognized for their achievements during the deployment with advancements, promotions, and awards.

The members of PSU 305 performed anti-terrorism and force protection missions, including patrolling the waterways around U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and providing internal security during commissions, the legal hearings for detainees, at the Expeditionary Legal Complex at the station.

To fulfil this important mission, many sacrificed time with their families, missed birthdays, school plays, and other events. Some even missed the birth of their children while away.

“I’m ecstatic,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Isaac Blakely, a machinery technician deployed with the PSU. “I’m happy to be home. I’ve been waiting for this for six months. The crowd was amazing to see when we pulled up in the bus. I’m so thrilled to be back.”

“I’m very proud, excited, elated – I’m just very happy they’re home from Guantanamo Bay,” said Katie Webster, sister of Matthew and David Webster, both of whom were deployed with the PSU. “Just to have them home – it’s a comfort.”

Coast Guard Violates 5 U.S.C. 552 Again and Again

Coast Guard Report has enjoyed great success with the enhanced Freedom of Information Act laws enacted by former President George W. Bush known as the Open Government Act of 2007.  Every federal agency we have contacted has responded either on time, or within 5 days of the 20 working day requirement … except the U.S. Coast Guard.  In fact, we have had trouble even obtaining a tracking number from Coast Guard for our requests.

The law says this:

(7) Each agency shall–
(A) establish a system to assign an individualized tracking number for each request received that will take longer than ten days to process and provide to each person making a request the tracking number assigned to the request; and (B) establish a telephone line or Internet service that provides information about the status of a request to the person making the request using the assigned tracking number, including–
(i) the date on which the agency originally received the request; and
(ii) an estimated date on which the agency will complete action on the request.

Past and Present State – The Official Biography of Coast Guards Director, Office of Civil Rights

Exclusive to the Number ONE Coast Guard News, Information and Investigative Blog on the Internet; an in-depth look at the Official Biography of Coast Guards Director, Office of Civil Rights.  Ms. Terri A. Dickerson became Director at Coast Guard in 2006, but before that she was with the United States Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR).  Our investigator took the Booz Allen Hamilton report one step further and actually contacted the USCCR and obtained the documents under FOIA that assist in bringing transparency to this issue.

Coast Guard Report decided to reopen our investigation into the Directors Official Biography posted in the Public Domain after the taxpayer funded Booz Allen Report focused resources on the issue at the request of the Director.

Our investigator contacted both Ms. Dickerson and Headquarters Coast Guard for comment on this story last month, they did not respond to our requests.  ALCOAST 458/08 makes it the responsibility of the Coast Guard to ensure the virtual public record has accurate and properly characterized information.  Coast Guard Report as lived up to the standards of responsible journalism by seeking comment prior to publication.

IAW REF A, AREAS, DISTRICTS, SECTORS, AND SUBORDINATE UNITS ARE AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND RESPOND TO INTERNET DISCUSSION ON MATTERS THAT ARE IN THEIR LANE AS OUTLINED IN REF B TO ENSURE THE VIRTUAL PUBLIC RECORD HAS ACCURATE AND PROPERLY
CHARACTERIZED INFORMATION.

The Open Government Act of 2007 (new enhanced Freedom of Information Act) law has made it easier to obtain official documents from the Federal Government.  The  documents we received from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights leaves us asking more questions about Dickerson’s Official Coast Guard Biography, than we had originally.

A special report coming exclusively to Coast  Guard Report the week of 31 May – 6 June 2009 .  Copies of the documents obtained by CGR from the USCCR have been uploaded to Scribd.com and will be made public with this story.