Ni Stir 6575
Ni Stir 6575
Office of Law
Technology Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
NISTIR 6575
January 2001 Enforcement
Standards
Programs, Activities, and
Accomplishments
The Electronics and Electrical
Engineering Laboratory
Through its technical laboratory research programs, the
Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory (EEEL)
supports the U.S. electronics industry, its suppliers, and its
customers by providing measurement technology needed to
maintain and improve their competitive position. EEEL also
provides support to the federal government as needed to
improve efficiency in technical operations and cooperates
with academia in the development and use of measurement
methods and scientific data.
! Electricity Division
! Optoelectronics Division
! Magnetics Group
Office of Law
Enforcement
Standards
Programs, Activities, and
Accomplishments
NISTIR 6575
January 2001
Technology Administration
Dr. Cheryl L. Shavers, Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology
E N T OF C O M
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Any mention of commerical products is for information only; it does not imply
recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology nor
does it imply that the products mentioned are necessarily the best available for the purpose.
Mission ............................................................................................................................vi
Vision ..............................................................................................................................vi
Values .............................................................................................................................vi
OLES was established as a matrix management organization in 1971 and was based on
recommendations from the President's Commission on Crime. The Commission report,
entitled "Crime in a Free Society," recommended that a Federal agency be appointed to
assist criminal justice agencies by developing equipment standards and providing technical
support and assistance. The report indicated that the then National Bureau of Standards was
one such agency suitable for this task. As a result, the Departments of Commerce and
Justice signed a Memorandum of Understanding and the Office was established.
Since that date, OLES has fulfilled its mission by applying science and technology to the
needs of the criminal justice community, including law enforcement, corrections, and forensic
science as well as the fire service. The Office focuses on the development of performance
standards, which are promulgated as voluntary national standards by the National Institute of
Justice (NIJ), the research arm of the Department of Justice (DOJ). OLES also conducts
studies that result in the publication of technical reports and user guidelines.
NIJ is the primary sponsor of OLES projects. Projects are and have also been supported by
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Federal Aviation
Administration.
To help law enforcement, corrections, and criminal justice agencies acquire the high-quality
resources that they need to do their jobs, OLES:
OLES has published, mostly through NIJ, more than 200 standards, guides, and technical
reports over its 28-year history. These publications have dealt with such topics as
emergency vehicle warning devices, police clothing and equipment, components of intrusion
alarm systems, physical security of door and window assemblies, metal and explosive vapor
detectors, arson accelerant detectors, and narcotic test kits. OLES also developed standard
reference materials for glass comparisons and DNA profiling and reference collections of
automobile paints and synthetic fibers for use by forensic laboratories.
The projects listed in this book are those that OLES has proposed for fiscal year 2001. The
actual portfolio is being negotiated as this book is being prepared. For additional information
about the Office of Law Enforcement Standards, please visit our web sites at
http://www.eeel.nist.gov/oles or http://www.nlectc.org.
Vision
The vision of OLES is to apply science and technology to the needs of the criminal justice
community, including law enforcement, corrections, forensic science, and the fire service.
While the primary focus is on the development of minimum performance standards, which
are promulgated by the sponsoring agency as voluntary national standards, OLES also
undertakes studies leading to new technology development and evaluations, new measuring
science protocols, new standard reference materials and standard reference collections for
application to the criminal justice system, and the issuance of technical reports and user
guidelines.
Values
OLES values its commitment to serve the public safety community in acquiring, on a cost-
effective basis, the high-quality resources they need to do their jobs to meet the needs of the
criminal justice system. The Office values its collaboration with the national law enforcement
technology centers, the forensic community, and all segments of the criminal justice
community. OLES strives to understand the needs of the community it serves and strives to
meet the needs of this community keeping in mind the limited funds at its disposal. OLES
advocates the needs of the public safety community to the scientific community and
encourages the adaptation of available technologies so that these needs can be met.
Systems
Alim Fatah
standards and test protocols that are in use. The
Kathleen Higgins
following are examples where we will provide
support in FY2001: Thomas Russell
Project Goals
• Support of NIJ Standard–0101.04, “Ballistic Staff-Years:
To manage programs, direct and conduct
Resistance of Personal Body Armor." 4.6 professionals
research, develop test plans, oversee and monitor
• Support of NIJ Standard–0115.00, “Stab 1.0 technician
test and evaluation efforts, and develop
Resistance of Personal Body Armor.”
performance standards, guidelines and reports to
• Support of Protective Gloves Test Protocol. Funding Sources:
advance the technologies of weapons, protective
equipment, and ammunition in support of the Other Government Agencies
OLES also provides technical consultation to law (100%)
goals and priorities of law enforcement,
enforcement and corrections personnel and the
corrections, and criminal justice agencies. Project Champions:
general public in areas related to equipment
Technical Strategy selection, ballistics, performance issues, training, • Armor & Protective Systems
etc. Working Group of
The Office of Law Enforcement Standards government agencies
conducts and monitors programs that are Support of NIJ Standard–0101.04, • EEEL, Electricity Division,
concerned with establishing performance “Ballistic Resistance of Personal Body Electronic Instrumentation
standards for weapons and protective equipment Armor" and Metrology Group
used by law enforcement and corrections • Home Office, Police
The objective of this project is to provide
personnel. In some cases, existing standards are Scientific Development
continuing support to the ballistic resistant body Branch (PSDB), United
revised to reflect the current state of technology
armor compliance testing program. Law Kingdom
or to improve the test methodology. The
enforcement and corrections agencies rely on the • Institute of Surgical
standards in this area that are being revised or
NIJ Standard to ensure the quality and reliability Research, Brooke Army
studied in FY2001 are as follows: Medical Center, San
of their bullet resistant vests. As new
Antonio, TX
• Revision of NIJ Standard–0101.04, “Ballistic developments occur, such as new materials and
Resistance of Personal Body Armor.” changing ballistic threats, the standard is updated • National Law Enforcement
and Corrections Technology
• Revision of NIJ Standard–0115.00, "Stab on a regular basis to respond to these changes.
Center, Rockville, MD
Resistance of Personal Body Armor."
This latest revision, NIJ Standard–0101.04, is an • National Technical Systems,
• Revision of NIJ Standard–0108.01, “Ballistic Fredericksburg, VA
improvement of the 1987 revision of NIJ
Resistance of Protective Materials.” • Office of Special
Standard–0101.03. Over the years numerous
• Revision of NIJ Standard–0106.01, "Ballistic Technology, Technical
administrative modifications and clarifications
Helmets." Support Working Group
had been issued for that standard. The latest
• Revision of NIJ Standard–0307.01, “Metallic (TSWG) of government
revision incorporates these improvements, agencies, Ft. Washington,
Handcuffs.”
redefines ballistic threats, specifies more MD
• Revision of NIJ Standard–0104.02, “Riot
consistent and rigorous test methodologies, • The Tekne Group, Inc., Hot
Helmets and Face Shields.”
requires that armor be characterized in a ballistic Springs, AR
• Revision of NIJ Standard–0113.00, “12-
limit test, and defines a consistent report format. • Touchstone Research
Gauge Shotguns for Police Use.” Laboratory, Ltd.,
The standard was published in September 2000. Triadelphia, WV
In other cases, it is necessary to develop new NIJ NIST/OLES worked with NIJ and the National • University of Virginia,
standards or test protocols. Programs in this area Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Charlottesville, VA
for FY2001 are as follows: Center (NLECTC) to identify and certify • U.S. Army Aberdeen Test
commercial test laboratories to conduct body Center (ATC), Aberdeen,
• Development of a Bomb Suit Standard. MD
armor compliance testing to NIJ Standard–
• Development of a Test Protocol for
0101.04. • U.S. Army Soldier Systems
Gunlocks. Command, Natick, MA
• Development of a Holster Standard. OLES will continue to work with NLECTC to
• U.S. Secret Service,
• Development of a Test Protocol for monitor the testing of ballistic resistant vests. Washington, DC
Evaluation of “Smart Guns.” This is especially crucial during the first year of
• Development of an Armored Car Standard. testing to the “04 standard,” to determine if
anything needs further attention. While this
OLES is developing a state-of-the-art research monitoring effort is underway, some of the
test facility specifically for addressing weapons, changes introduced to the “04 standard” revision
Inspection, and
A. George Lieberman
Through and Hand-Held Metal
Thomas Russell
Detectors
Enforcement Walk-through (WT) and hand-held (HH) metal Staff-Years:
Technologies detectors, primary tools used in security
screening applications, produce time-varying
9.0 professionals
AutoBid
A microcomputer system called AutoBid was
developed to help police fleet managers select
patrol vehicles best suited to their needs. The
system is based on vehicle performance data for
police patrol models published annually by the
Michigan State Police and NIJ. AutoBid
currently runs only on the DOS platform in Law enforcement officer using a traditional
character mode and has no graphical, windows- down-the-road radar gun during speed
enforcement operations.
like features. An updated version of AutoBid
with a modern, graphical interface is needed for The principle advantage of the across-the-road
all computer platforms. configuration, from a law enforcement viewpoint,
is that the radar can readily differentiate between
vehicles in dense traffic and can provide fast and
automated identification of offenders using
photographic techniques, while giving drivers
essentially no advance warning of the radar’s
presence. The disadvantage of this technique is
that the Doppler frequency shift from which the
target speed is derived is no longer constant, but
will vary with time as the cosine of the angle
between the fixed direction of target motion and
the fixed radar beam changes. This creates a
very complex Doppler Spectrum with time,
Purchasing of police vehicles is aided by which is processed by the radar system using
AutoBid.
and Materials
Alim Fatah techniques will be applied to the detailed
Susan Ballou certification measurements of the candidate
gunpowder materials for the SRM. Rigorous
Thomas Russell statistical evaluation of the data will permit
Project Goals determination of the certified values for the three
Staff-Years: To manage programs and direct research and additives.
7.8 professionals development efforts in the areas of polymers,
chemical systems and materials, including, but Standard Reference Materials for
Funding Sources:
not limited to, protective clothing and equipment, Bullets and Casings
100% Other Government detection drugs of abuse, less-than-lethal As with fingerprints, every firearm has unique
Agencies
technologies, and weapons of mass destruction. characteristics that leave unique signatures on the
Project Champions:
To develop quality assurance programs and bullets and casings that it fires. By analyzing
performance standards, guidelines, and reports in these ballistics signatures, examiners can connect
• Chemical Science and
Technology Laboratory support of the goals and priorities of both NIST a firearm to bullets or casings discharged during
(CSTL), Analytical and the outside agency sponsors. criminal acts. The Integrated Ballistics
Chemistry Division Identification System (IBIS) has proven
• Building and Fire Research
Technical Strategy extremely effective as an automated tool for this
Laboratory (BFRL), Office Development of a NIST Standard process. IBIS uses techniques of image capture,
of Applied Economics Reference Material “Additives in image analysis, and electronic databases.
• EEEL, Electricity Division Gunpowder” However, to demonstrate completely the
• U.S. Army Research Most handgun and improvised explosives (pipe reliability of this system, high quality
Laboratory (ARL), measurement standards for bullets and casings
Aberdeen, MD
bomb) crimes involve the use of smokeless
gunpowder. Forensic investigators are are required. Their key properties include
• U.S. Department of Justice
increasingly measuring the composition of the uniformity, reproducibility, and stability. These
- National Domestic standard bullets and casings will serve as check
Preparedness Office
gunpowder and its recovered residues to help
(NDPO) identify the source of the powder as part of standards to demonstrate both the consistency of
criminal investigations. However, there currently operation of IBIS from day to day as well as the
- Office of State and Local
Domestic Preparedness are no smokeless powder samples of known consistency between systems. Under the first
Support (OSLDPS) composition for use in analytical method objective above, we will complete the project to
- Federal Bureau of evaluation and measurement proficiency testing. manufacture these materials and demonstrate
Investigation (FBI) To assure the quality of gunpowder their utility.
• University of Utah, Center measurements, OLES is funding work through The objectives of this project are: 1) to provide
for Human Toxicology the Analytical Chemistry Division of the
(CHT), Salt Lake City, UT the final prototypes, designs, and manufacturing
Chemical Sciences and Technology Laboratory plans for standard reference materials (SRMs) for
(CSTL) at NIST to develop a Standard Reference bullets and casings for use in the validation of
Material (SRM), “Additives in Smokeless image analysis systems for ballistics
Gunpowder,” that will aid forensic investigators identification; and 2) to develop traceable
in testing and validating their analytical parameters for use in certifications that will
measurement techniques. accompany SRMs for bullets and casings.
Smokeless gunpowder is a mixture of MILESTONES: To deliver: 1) A refined set of
propellants, such as nitrocellulose and prototype standard bullets; 2) A set of prototype
nitroglycerin (NG), as well as stabilizers such as standard casings; 3) A final report presenting test
results, final designs, and manufacturing plans
diphenylamine (DPA) and ethyl centralite (EC). for standard reference materials for bullets and
The proposed SRM will consist of two types of casings; and 4) An article describing the rationale
gunpowder, ball and extruded powders, with and testing results for the use of the cross-
certified concentrations of NG, DPA, and EC. correlation function to quantify similarities
between two-dimensional surface profiles.
The certification of chemical composition SRMs
typically requires the use of two or more
Computer Database of Energetic
chemically independent analytical techniques to
Materials Spectra
provide measurements, which if in agreement,
are used to assign certified values to the material. Currently, forensic identification of energetic
materials (explosives and propellant
MILESTONES: The development of the
analytical methods for certification of the SRMs
formulations) is accomplished in a variety of
will be completed and preliminary compositional ways. Typical test methods include gas
measurements on the two prototype SRMs will be chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography
3
prolonged storage of physical evidence from a DNA Mass Spectrometry and Multiplex
crime scene, hair samples have been retained at Single Nucleotide Polymorphism/Short
room temperature for a three-year period. These Tandem Repeats (SNP/STR) Research
samples will be periodically removed and Convicted offender blood samples are collected
analyzed, comparing the results of analysis to on a daily basis and stored throughout the United
two different groups: to chemical profiles States’ crime laboratories waiting for DNA
obtained in the hair sample prior to storage, and analysis. To cope with the increasing backlog, a
to freshly removed hair samples from the same faster method of analysis is required. The time-
individuals. of-flight mass spectrometry can address the
MILESTONES: In FY2001, provide a laboratory backlog issue by eliminating manual sample
procedure for the forensic science community preparation at the pre- and post-amplification
that will provide statistical analysis of human steps and increasing the speed of analysis. The
non-DNA hair characteristics.
improved PCR assay should increase the number
of markers that can be tested in a single
Development of an International
amplification, thereby providing another means
Automotive Paint Database
for the reduction in examiner preparation and
The objective of this project is to develop an analysis time.
International Automotive Paint database, which
has forensic science applications to both Mixed crime scene samples have proven time
insurance and law enforcement investigations. consuming in a forensic laboratory, requiring
additional extraction steps and a stringent
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) interpretation protocol. The Y chromosome
automotive paint database has, through a markers are targeted to offer new loci on the Y
partnership with the FBI, become an important chromosome and mitochondrial DNA for
forensic trace evidence tool in North America. A potential use in improved separation of male-to-
Cooperative Agreement for Research and male fractions and to eliminate female cellular
Development (CARD) between the RCMP and contamination. These steps would simplify the
the FBI and funded by OLES has provided the determination of multiple contributors to a body
resources needed to develop the database over a fluid sample.
five-year period. The goals include: keeping
Paint Data Queries (PDQ) current with the The work accomplished on these projects in
production year for the North American FY2000 was fast paced. The incorporation of the
automotive industry, and training all North MWG Biotech RoboAmp 4200 sample
American law enforcement agencies in the use of preparation robot with the Bruker BIFLEX III
the database. As it grows, PDQ will enable: Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer was
completed. This combination was utilized to
• Examiners to potentially identify make, characterize and validate forensic multiplex STR
model, and year of vehicles used in the kits. To accompany this work, development of a
commission of a crime or involved in a hit suite of Visual Basic computer programs to assist
and run fatality. multiplex PCR primer design was also initiated.
• Examiners to develop court testimony to Several new Y STR multiplex sets have been
provide the court with alternatives to an started to aid characterization of a future Y
"either/or" type conclusion. ("It is either the chromosome SRM.
suspect vehicle or vehicles X as determined
MILESTONES: In FY2001, conduct an inter-
by PDQ.")
laboratory evaluation of the multiplex STR results
• Paint analysts to be on the cutting edge of from commercial kits and continue
automotive paint technology (PDQ as a characterization and quality control work on
learning tool). these kits. Conduct an evaluation of various
methods for measurement of single nucleotide
MILESTONES: In FY2001, continue to add new polymorphisms (SNPs) using mass spectrometry
samples to the PDQ making the database and evaluate approximately 20 Y SNP markers
internationally viable, and make programming using an optimal mass spectrometric method.
improvements to individualize submissions from
each state laboratory so that queries to the
database could be customized and thus carry
Revision of ASCLD/LAB Accreditation
more investigative and judicial impact. Manual to Conform with ISO Guidelines
The American Society of Crime Laboratory
Directors/ Laboratory Accreditation Board
(ASCLD/LAB) operates an accreditation
Accomplishments
! Maintenance of a short tandem repeat DNA
database commonly referred to as STRBase
(http://www.cstl.nist.gov/biotech/strbase). The
STRBase has provided a venue for the collection
of variant alleles, multiplex STR kit schematics,
and downloadable PowerPoint presentations.
More than 1300 publications on the use of STRs
for DNA typing, including over 150 regarding Y-
chromosome markers, have been catalogued
within the STRBase. This database is a quick
and impressive source of STR information.
Publications
NIJ Report 600–98, “Forensic Sciences: Status and Needs,”
February 1999.
“Survey Tool for the Measurement of Workload in Crime
Laboratories,” January 1999.
Standards
fewer than 100 sworn officers. Additionally,
George Lieberman
over 35000 fire and emergency medical agencies
Staff-Years: exist across the nation. Due to the fragmented
15.0 professionals Project Goals nature of this community, most public safety
communications systems are stovepipe systems
The primary objective of this project is to lead
Funding Sources: that do not facilitate interoperability. To further
the development of wireless telecommunications
100% Other Government complicate the situation, public safety radio
and information technology standards, profiles,
Agencies frequencies are distributed across four isolated
and guidelines for interoperability, and
frequency bands from low band VHF (25 MHz to
information sharing, among criminal justice (CJ)
Project Champions: 50 MHz) to 800 MHz (806 MHz to 869 MHz),
and public safety (PS) agencies at state, local,
• Institute for Telecommunication with no universally available or affordable radio
Sciences, the research and
and federal levels. To achieve this it will be
being able to operate across the entire range.
engineering branch of the necessary to focus on enabling technologies and
National Telecommunications open architecture standards so that
and Information Administration interoperability approaches can be designed and
(NTIA), Boulder, CO implemented. Proposed techniques and
standardized configurations will be verified and
validated through simulations and laboratory
testing.
While standards are being developed, other
interim interoperability solutions will be
investigated. As a secondary goal, this project
will conduct technical evaluations of current and
emerging technologies aimed at providing
immediate assistance to CJ and PS agencies. Effective communication is a critical aspect of
both law enforcement and corrections
Customer Needs operations. Dispatch is the nerve center of the
Law enforcement work requires effective agency.
coordination, communication, and sharing of
information with numerous criminal justice and
Technical Strategy
public safety agencies. Thousands of incidents During FY2000, OLES concentrated most of its
that require mutual aid and coordinated response technical efforts toward a major program of the
happen each and every day. High-profile National Institute of Justice (NIJ) called
incidents, such as bombings or plane crashes, test “AGILE.” At the same time, it continued its
the ability of public safety service organizations support to NIJ in other areas related to public
to mount well-coordinated responses. In an era safety needs.
where technology can bring news, current events, NIJ and its AGILE Program
and entertainment to the farthest reaches of the
As the Department of Justice's science and
world, many police officers, firefighters, and
technology arm for federal, state, and local
emergency medical service personnel cannot
agencies, the NIJ has been addressing
communicate with each other during routine
interoperability technology issues for a number
operations or major emergencies, such as the
of years. This is because the Law Enforcement
Oklahoma City bombing. New technologies are
and Corrections Technology Advisory Council
promoting the convergence of information and
(LECTAC), which provides advice and guidance
communication systems with the result that
to NIJ and its National Law Enforcement and
portable and mobile units are increasingly being
Corrections Technology Centers (NLECTC), has
viewed as merely wireless nodes within
consistently identified information sharing and
information networks. Interoperability, the ability
communications interoperability as top priorities.
of two or more organizations to communicate and
(LECTAC consists of representatives of federal,
share information (voice, data, images, and
state, and local law enforcement and corrections
video), is therefore becoming more difficult.
practitioners.) It is natural, then, that the goal of
To illustrate this point, one need only look at the NIJ’s Advanced Generation of Interoperability
existing environment of the public safety for Law Enforcement (AGILE) program is to
IT Requirements
SP-00-0003 WIRELESS
STANDARDS
STRATEGIC PLAN Wireless Interoperability
SP-00-0012 Standards
Wireless Environmental
Survey Development
Outline of SP-00-0004
the Strategic Standardization
Plan Procedures
IT Environmental SP-00-0011
SP-00-0001
Survey
SP-00-0005
Wireless Technology
Description
SP-00-0006
IT
STANDARDS IT
IT Technology STRATEGIC PLAN
Information-Sharing
Description SP-00-0013
SP-00-0007 Standards
Development
Wireless Internal & Data Model
External Factors SP-00-0010
SP-00-0008 Standardization
Procedures
SP-00-0011
IT Internal &
External Factors
SP-00-0009
37
In conjunction with standards “discovery,” it will ! Provided a presentation at the 2000
be necessary to analyze the available (and International Symposium on Advanced Radio
emerging) IT and telecommunications standards Technologies (ISART). The presentation, entitled
and SDO specifications and agreements for “The Effect of Evolving IT Applications on
applicability to satisfying the needs of the Broadband Wireless Requirements,”
criminal justice and public safety communities. characterized (AGILE) public safety needs in
The salient characteristics of the standards and terms of required broadband wireless system
agreements, and the results of the analysis for design specifications.
each, will then be documented. Furthermore, it
will be necessary to harmonize the diversified
! Published NIJ Guide 201–99, “Video
Surveillance Equipment Selection and
requirements of the (wireless)
Application Guide." This guide educates law
telecommunications users with those of the
enforcement and corrections agencies in the cost-
(wireline) information technology users to ensure
effective and application-specific selection of
that all end-to-end system interoperability issues
video surveillance equipment. The guide pays
are adequately addressed, including performance.
particular attention to delineating the technical
As potential interoperability approaches are
parameters that most influence operational
derived, simulations and/or laboratory testing
performance of video gear used by police to
may be needed to assess the viability and
collect evidence or provide safety.
effectiveness of the schemes.
OLES will act as the secretariat for the standards
! Submitted NIJ Guide 202–99, “Antenna
System Guide,” to NIJ sponsor for approval. In
organization during its initial operation, and as
this guide, the reader is provided with sufficient
NIJ standards are adopted. Where necessary,
understanding of the fundamentals,
standard profiles will be developed and adopted
characteristics, and functions of antennas to
to further define the particular technical
enable him or her to develop requirements and
specifications of the standards that are
discuss antennas with vendors, installers, repair
implemented. Therefore, it will be required to
shops, and others. This information is generally
construct and maintain a relational database
restricted to the kind of antenna systems used by
containing lists of adopted standards and their
law enforcement agencies.
profiles, as well as the actual documents.
Publications
Accomplishments
NIJ Guide 201–99, “Video Surveillance Equipment Selection
! Completed the AGILE Strategic Plan for and Application Guide,” October 1999.
developing IT Information-Sharing Standards, as
NIJ Guide 202–99, “Antenna System Guide,” under NIJ
well as all of its accompanying documents. This review.
finished the Preparation Phase for IT standards
development. All background documents for the
Wireless Standards Strategic Plan were also
developed; however, the Strategic Plan
associated with wireless telecommunications
interoperability requires additional information
related to the members of the standards
committees and working groups.
! Performed a formal technical evaluation of
an audio gateway device. This was accomplished
as part of the technology evaluation function for
the AGILE Program. Labeled a “cross-banding
technology,” the equipment allows the
interoperation of dissimilar wireless
telecommunication systems, e.g., between very
high frequency (VHF) radios and ultra-high
frequency radios. An evaluation report was
provided to NIJ for dissemination to public safety
agencies.