AS&E Launches Public Safety Channel with North American Partners
American Science and Engineering [ASEI] has launched a new public safety channel in North American, entering into agreements with six channel partners serving law enforcement, first responders and other public safety markets across the U.S. at the local, city, county and state levels. Earlier this summer AS&E launched its new handheld imaging product, the MINI Z, which it believes will be in demand from various customers throughout the public safety market in the U.S. and even internationally. The company also will be offering some of its traditional Z Backscatter imaging products—including the Z Backscatter Van family of screening systems, Gemini line of parcel inspection systems and SmartCheck body scanner—through its public safety channel partners. AS&E’s partners include
Communications International, Cooper General, Dailey-Wells, Eastern Communications, RACOM, and Tactical Public Safety. “We are very excited to be one of the first indirect public safety channels for AS&E,” says Jim Foley, CEO of Tactical Public Safety. “The response to the MINI Z system at the Police Security Expo in June was extremely positive, with demo participants commenting on its light weight, simple operation, and how easy it is to see concealed objects.” The channel partners will provide local training, service, and operations support to customers.
L-3’s Stationary Gantry EDS Meets EU Standard 3
L-3 Communications [LLL] says its new high-speed MV3D, stationary gantry, computed tomography (CT)-based explosive detection system (EDS) has passed the European Union Standard 3 evaluation process for security equipment, the minimum detection requirement. Only CT-based EDS can be used to achieve Standard 3 detection requirements. “The MV3D enhances our EDS lineup, enabling us to offer a 1,800 bags per hour Standard 3 solution to those airports requiring a half-meter per second belt speed and a non-rotating gantry design,’ says Thomas Ripp, president of L-3’s Security & Detection Systems business. L-3 says its new EDS system also features a rectangular one-meter by 80-centimeter high tunnel and can easily be integrated with high-speed baggage handling systems worldwide. The announcement of the Standard 3 approval is the first time L-3 has publicly introduced the MV3D. L-3 currently supplies the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and other customers worldwide with various EDS systems. OSI Systems [OSIS] Rapiscan Systems Division last year received European Standard 3 approval for its fixed-gantry RTT high-speed EDS system. Morpho Detection, Leidos [LDOS], Smiths Detection and China’s Nuctech have also passed Standard 3 certifications for some of their respective EDS systems. Beginning on Sept. 1, all EDS installed in EU airports must meet the Standard 3 certification.
MorphoTrust Completes Transition of HME Threat Assessment to UES
MorphoTrust USA says it has completed the transition of the Transportation Security Administration’s background check and enrollment program for truckers responsible for transporting hazardous materials to the new Universal Enrollment Services (UES) platform. The Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) Threat Assessment Program (HTAP), which has been performed by MorphoTrust since 2005, conducts a security threat assessment for individuals seeking to obtain, renew or transfer an HME on a commercial driver license. MorphoTrust’s IdentGo Centers provide the enrollment services for HTAP and other security threat assessment programs covered under UES, including TSA’s PreCheck trusted traveler program and the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program. There are currently 270 IdentGo centers nationwide. “MorphoTrust has been working aggressively to support the transition of these programs into UES and we anticipate the completion of the HTAP transition will improve the enrollment process across TSA programs as well as enhance customer convenience with the added centers,” says Bob Eckel, MorphoTrust’s CEO. MorphoTrust is a unit of France’s Safran Group.