Crossflo Systems, Inc. offers one of the most compelling solutions to date that provides interdepartmental data sharing capabilities for law enforcement agencies on a local or regional basis. The company's software solution, Crossflo DataExchange™, uses XML protocol and other standards-based technologies to link database systems at far less cost and time investment than previously available. Its use of standards-based technology allows DataExchange to provide reliable interoperability between databases with no hardware while eliminating costly re-programming or training of staff.
In mid-2003, Crossflo approached CCAT for a product development award and a market study. "CCAT's objective and charter were perfect for us," said Renney Senn, president and CEO of Crossflo. "(The program) offered extremely rapid support of very early stage companies with technologies like ours that looked like they had promise for homeland security."
In June 2003, Crossflo was asked to give a presentation to a panel of local industry experts. In August 2003, the company was notified by CCAT that they would be the recipient of several awards including a grant of $75,000 and a market study.
While the CCAT grant helped Crossflo to fund a project using a prototype of its software, the focus of DataExchange's marketing was assisted by the CCAT market study. This study indicated that many municipal law enforcement professionals are unfamiliar with electronic means of data sharing and prefer not to utilize complicated computers or PDAs on the job. "This is where CCAT became so valuable," said Senn. "CCAT enabled us to test our software in a real world situation that lacked funding. This helped us to determine that the law enforcement market needed something that is very, very simple - preferably invisible to them - that doesn't change their behaviors, that doesn't turn their organization upside down to employ it, and can show rapid results. That is what the DataExchange product has evolved into."
In mid-2004, Crossflo met with Betty Kelepecz, then-Chief of Police of the San Diego Harbor Police Department (SDHPD). Kelepecz was impressed with the system, but she requested alterations be made to DataExchange to make it compatible with the objectives of the SDPHD.
Completed in November 2004, the network, known as the Regional Information Sharing and Analysis (RISA) project, enabled the Unified Port of San Diego, Los Angeles Port Police, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to supply SDHPD with up-to-the-minute data, allowing officers to evaluate and react immediately to potential terrorist and criminal threats.
The company applied for a Follow-On Award from CCAT to further advance the SDHPD "pre-incident indicator" initiative with the two Los Angeles agencies. In December 2004, Crossflo was awarded an additional $75,000 to underwrite the project expansion.
Crossflo's technology has caught the eye of the federal government and was recently discussed during the Global Justice XML Executive Briefing which was attended by members of Washington, DC's Chief Information Officers Council, DHS, and DOJ where RISA was identified as one of only four initiatives demonstrating the capability to share critical information on a national scale using GJXDM.
Additionally, the Long Beach Port Police and New Jersey State Police have contracted with Crossflo to link the databases in their Statewide Intelligence Management System (SIMS). Crossflo has also been asked to create a pilot data sharing program for a major federal agency and is working with DHS, DOJ, and local/regional law enforcement agencies on 80 different security initiatives throughout the United States.
For more information, please contact:
Tom Sheffer, CCAT Program Director
SDSU Research Foundation
E-mail: tsheffer@foundation.sdsu.edu
Phone: (619) 594-4135 / Fax: (619) 594-5774