The National Center for Rural Law Enforcement (NCRLE) provides Internet access free of charge to rural law enforcement agencies across the Nation; this paper describes the features of this program.
Established with 12 test sites in 1996, the NCRLE program expanded to more than 1,000 agencies by April 2000 through continuation funding from the Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Requesting agencies receive instructions on how to use software and unlimited technical phone support via a toll-free number. In 1999 NCRLE conducted 62 site visits in 12 States to provide technical assistance to agencies that were online or waiting to go online. Upon approval, NCRLE mails any needed PC-compatible connection or Internet software to requesting agencies. Available software includes Internet Explorer, Netscape, Outlook Express, Pegasus Mail, file transfer program, file compression program, and Trumpet Winsock. Each rural law enforcement agency may request an e-mail account when its Internet service account is activated. Each rural law enforcement agency will have the option of creating and placing a Web site on the NCRLE server to be viewed by anyone with Internet access. Agencies have used this service to provide information on crime prevention, most wanted fugitives, Drug Abuse Resistance Education programs, community contacts, missing children, and community awareness. Hardware and software requirements for the program are listed. 4 sources for additional information