America needs an integrated information system for all of the nation's law enforcement.

Before the tragedy of September 11th, several of the hijackers had run-ins with state and local law enforcement - two were arrested for drunken driving, one had an outstanding arrest warrant, another was ticketed for speeding, and two were on a CIA "watch list." If federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies had an information system that linked key databases, these individuals might have been apprehended before they could strike.

Democrats want to make sure that bureaucratic barriers don't stand in the way of our security. That's why our plan to strengthen America's intelligence infrastructure includes:

Ensuring state and local law enforcement officials have the same information as the FBI. State and local law enforcement officials need access to terrorist watch lists and other sensitive information before an attack occurs, not after. We need to expand use of the FBI's principal criminal justice database to meet state and local law enforcement's immediate need for more information and require the FBI to accelerate security clearances for these officials.

Promoting greater information sharing among law enforcement agencies. Congress should act to grant state and local law enforcement access to the same intelligence information on terrorist threats available to federal officials. Democrats want to connect all local, state, and federal justice information systems – and make sure cops on the beat have the information they need.