Albania End Use Monitoring Report for CY 2008

UNCLAS TIRANA 000255 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INL/RM/MS, EUR/SCE E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: SNAR AFIN KCRM AL SUBJECT: Albania End Use Monitoring Report for CY 2008 REF: 08 STATE 127211 ¶1. The following is Albania's submission for the CY 2008 End Use Monitoring (EUM) report, which provides information on the disposition and use of all INL-funded program support provided under the International Narcotics Control and Law enforcement Programs. This report is submitted according to ref guidance and covers the period from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. POC for this year's report is Megan Roberts, robertsmj2@state.gov, and ICITAP Albania Program Manager Darrel Hart, darrel.hart@icitap.us. ¶I. PROCEDURES ¶A. Inventory Management: Other U.S, Government Agency Assistance: ICTAP contract advisors are assigned to advise and mentor Albanian officials at the Ministry of Interior (MOI),the Albanian State Police (ASP) headquarters, the ASP Academy, the Ministry of Public Works Transport and Telecommunications (MOTT)'s Office of Maritime Security, and Albania's international seaports. All ICITAP donations are accompanied by donation letters that specify the quantity, item description, model, serial number, cost, and intended purpose of materials being provided. As ICITAP advisors maintain offices at ASP worksites, end-use monitoring of donations is conducted through daily on-site interactions. In addition, scheduled and unscheduled inspections, and spot checks are conducted. MOI, ASP, MOTT, and Port Authority officials have cooperated in these efforts and given ICITAP's current level of advisory presence in Albania, these procedures are generally effective. ¶B. Host Government Agency Receipt of Resources: MOI IT Section has implemented a Virtual Asset Management Database for tracking IT system equipment. The Albanian State Police are working with ICITAP/TIMS technicians on populating the database. IT lab refurbishment assists in orderly storage and tracking of donated assets. Existing paper-based inventory control is adequate but outmoded and vulnerable to fraud. ¶C. On-site Inspections: The number of scheduled on-site inspections performed During calendar years 2004 through 2008, the ICITAP Albania Program either donated or facilitated the donation of equipment to the Albanian State Police. Program advisors have monitored the use of this equipment, ensuring that it is being used by the entities intended and for the purpose specified. Unscheduled spot checks of this equipment have been ongoing throughout 2008. A scheduled inventory was taken for the purpose of this report in January 2009. ¶D. Secondary Methods of Monitoring Resource Status: TIMS IT equipment provides a secondary method of near real-time monitoring via the network operations center. Technicians can remotely assess the status and availability of most components electronically. This centralized monitoring function also gives the ability to ensure donated assets are being used appropriately. II. STATUS-COMMODITIES - 2008 1A. Type of Commodity and Project - Surveillance Equipment - Nokia Spy Phone and Night Vision Goggles. 1B. Location - Organized Crime Directorate of ASP 1C. Use & Condition - The OC Directorate maintains accountability for these items and continues to employ them during investigations of organized crime and narcotics trafficking cases. 1D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 1E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 2A. Type of Commodity and Project - Basic Law Enforcement Equipment for Port Security Forces including web belts, flashlights, megaphones, handcuffs, night vision equipment, metal detectors, inspection mirrors, and traffic control cones. 2B. Location - Port Security Forces facilities in Durres, Vlora, Shengjin, and Saranda. 2C. Use & Condition - Used daily in the conduct of Port Security Force operations and vehicle inspections. Items are in good repair. 2D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 2E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 3A. Type of Commodity and Project - Body armor and protective plates for Port Security Force personnel 3B. Location - Port Security Forces facilities in Shengjin, Saranda, and Vlora 3C. Use & Condition - Items are in daily use and are in good condition. 3D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 3E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 4A. Type of Commodity and Project - Five-hundred meters co-axial cable for Port Security Forces 4B. Location - Ports of Vlora and Shengjin 4C. Use & Condition - Cables are installed in CCTV systems and are in daily use. 4D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 4F. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 5A. Type of Commodity and Project - Redman Training Suit for Port Security Forces 5B. Location - Port Security Forces facilities in Durres. 5C. Use & Condition - Used during training events for defensive tactics training. Item is in good repair. 5D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 5E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 6A. Type of Commodity and Project - Used Konika Copier/Printer and HP Laserjet Printer for the ASP Professional Standards Directorate. 6B. Location - Professional Standards Directorate, ASP Headquarters 6C. Use & Condition - Used daily in support of Directors office operations. Items are in fair condition. 6D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 6E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 2004-2007 (monitored items) 7A. Type of Commodity and Project - ICITAP Police Academy & Training Program - 1 Scantron Model #ES2260, SN IDO5890 (automated test scoring machine) donated in 2006. 7B. Location - This item is currently being utilized on a regular basis by the Testing Section of the Education Support Sector of the ASP Police Academy. 7C. Use & Condition - ICITAP staff has regular contacts with this section and have observed this equipment and testing data it produces throughout the reporting period. Last unannounced inspection of this equipment was January 18, 2009. This equipment is used at least twice a week by the section. 7D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 7E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 8A. Type of Commodity and Project - ICITAP Albania Organized Crime Program - 3 laptop computers and 12 digital cameras donation of 30 March 2006. 8B. Location - This equipment was donated to the ASP Criminal Intelligence Analysis Sector. 8C. Use & Condition - These computers are excellently maintained within the CIAS HQ at ASP headquarters. The impact of these computers on the collection of undocumented intelligence and information has been enormous, allowing the CIAS personnel to visit the OC and Criminal Police facilities throughout Albania and document intelligence and police information previously stored informally within commissariats and directorates. 8D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 8E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 9A. Type of Commodity and Project - ICITAP Albania Organized Crime Program - Physical and Electronic Surveillance Equipment donation of 24 June 2005. 9B. Location - This equipment was donated to the Special Operation Sector. 9C. Use & Condition - It is all being well maintained and stored in the OC Directorates HQ when not being used in the field. The equipment has been used in most of the narcotic and trafficking investigations in the past 2 1/2 years resulting in numerous arrests and the seizure of drugs and weapons. 9D. Disposal of Commodities - The Spy Phone has been used and repaired on numerous occasions and is now beyond repair. It should be removed from the ICITAP inventory. 9E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 10A. Type of Commodity and Project - ICITAP Albania Organized Crime Program - Investigative Support Equipment donated in 2004. 10B. Location - This equipment was divided between five Organized Crime Task Force Units. The equipment in Tirana, Fier, Vlora, Durres and Shkoder is all accounted for. 10C. Use & Condition - The equipment is being stored within the Regional Prosecutors Office. As these Task Forces have all but been dismantled, the equipment is presently going unused. Negotiations are continuing to have this equipment transferred to the Judicial Police of the Districts. 10D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 10E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A III. STATUS INVENTORIES: Vehicles 2008 1A. Type of Commodity and Project - Mitsubishi Pajero VIN #: JMBONV460Y31001720 for IT Directorate of Ministry of Interior 1B. Location - Ministry of Interior, Tirana 1C. Use & Condition - Vehicle is used to transport IT technicians throughout Albania in support of installation and maintenance of ICITAP-procured computer and communications system operations. Vehicle is in average condition but heavily used in extreme driving conditions when outside of Tirana. 1D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 1E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 2004-2007 2A. Type of Commodity and Project - ICITAP Albania Law Enforcement Development Program - 1 used Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (Green) donated on July 11, 2007. 2B. Location - Equipment Donation to General Directorate of Albanian State Police, International Cooperation Department. 2C. Use & Condition - 2D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 2E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 3A. Type of Commodity and Project - ICITAP Albania Organized Crime Program - 5 Mitsubishi Pinin Vehicles donation of 30 July 2004. 3B. Location - All these vehicles were assigned to the Anti-Trafficking Sector of the OC Directorate. 3C. Use & Condition - Four vehicles are in good working order and assigned to regional field duty, one at Anti-Trafficking HQ, one at Tirana Police, and one at Durres Police and another at Fier. 3D. Disposal of Commodities - N/A 3E. Unmonitored Commodities - N/A 4A. Type of Commodity and Project - ICITAP Albania Organized Crime Program - 2 Yamaha Motorcycles donation of 14 Jan 2004. 4B. Location - These two motorcycles were donated for undercover use by the Special Operations Sector, ASP OC Directorate. 4C. Use & Condition - They are in good working order and well maintained. They have impacted the program by allowing covert surveillance of several large scale drug operations resulting in the seizure of multi-kilo loads of heroin. 4D. Dispos@QQmodities - N/A 4E. UnmonQQ VI. SPECIAL SERVICES - BY COMMODITY/SERVICE: I@ continued to contribute ty of the MOI, ASP, and MOTrders, conduct criminal Q narcotics and traffickiQQ `ce services to the populaQQQQQQQ Equipment: In line withQQQQQQQQ Q0Q Q the capabilities of the MAQQQQQ Q QQ Q Q Q`Qively conduct investigati/BQQB0Q Q0 Q Q QQQp`Q and trafficking of narcotics and other contraband, surveillance equipment Ancluding covert transmitters worn by undercover Agents and informants, vehicle tracking systems, viDeo and photographic enhancement equipment and training were provided by ICITAP in 2004-2007, with direct impact on increased drug seizures and related arrests. Over this period, ICITAP advisor monitoring within the MOI indicates the successful use of donated equipment resulting in more proactive investigations and in drug seizures which have increased each successive year. ¶B. Computer Equipment: While implementation of the Total Information Management System (TIMS) was ongoing throughout 2008, a significant amount of computer and related technical equipment purchased by ICITAP is in daily operational use of intended end-users at the MOI, police directorates, commissariats, and border crossing point facilities. Due to technical and access necessities related to project implementation, official donation of all TIMS related equipment will be conducted once primary system components are fully established and in place. In particular, the monitoring of all border crossings has been significantly enhanced, through implementation of TIMS at crossing points, with automatic cross referencing now established to passport data, Albanian criminal wanted lists and Interpol data. The system has also incorporated automated number plate recognition and closed-circuit television monitoring of border police activities. TIMS Criminal Records System and other modules assisted ASP criminal investigators in effectively conducting their investigative tasks. New modules such as E-Visa and vehicle/drivers license databases are providing additional information to ASP in order to increase their capabilities in combating organized crime, trafficking in persons and vehicles, and identifying organized crime and terrorist suspects. The INL-funded and ICITAP-provided TIMS Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP) digital phone system has enhanced ASP communications throughout the law enforcement community at no cost. VOIP has facilitated new management approached for ASP commanders ensuring communication at all major police deployment sites. This system is now the primary communications method between ASP facilities country-wide and has reduced police telephone bills by 65 percent. ¶C. Port Security Equipment and Support: On August 20, 2007 the United States Coast Guard Inspection Team informed the Government of Albania that the country rates as "substantially compliant" under the International Shipping and Port Security code, a standard set by the United Nation's International Maritime Organization. The assessment, which was conducted by United States Coast Guard officers, focused on regulatory, procedural, and physical security improvements at three of Albania's seaports. Since 2001, the INL-funded ICITAP Program has assisted Albania in developing its international port security capacity to comply with International Shipping and Port Security requirements, including donation of four Automated Ship Identification Systems (AIS) in 2006. VI. PROBLEMS AND CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN (CAP) ¶A. Unmonitored Resources, Repair and Maintenance of Commodities: A general concern exists regarding the capacity and out-year funds availability within the MOI to appropriately budget and implement eventual upgrades and maintenance of donated equipment items. This has become a very large problem as reoccurring maintenance and training costs associated with the TIMS grow. ICITAP has incrementally handed responsibility for maintaining discrete elements of TIMS to the ASP in order to assess their commitment and capability to sustain operations. Results so far are not encouraging. Shortcomings in the organizational and management capabilities of the ASP have resulted in failure to plan and budget for recurring contractual commitments. These failures impacted TIMS satellite communications and database maintenance through lapses in service contracts. A recent 10-day outage of the entire system was caused by these expired contracts. ICITAP Albania continues to monitor the situation and press the ASP to redress these shortcomings. ¶B. Lack of Use and Misuse of Commodities, Disposal of Commodities, Other Problems (as applicable): ICITAP advisors have encountered other problems with the installation and implementation of the TIMS project. TIMS implementation continued throughout 2008 at additional sites increasing the number of connected locations and there is concern regarding the limited resources devoted to the project by the MOI. An unreliable power supply has affected TIMS operations nationwide resulting in the shutting down of a large number of sites on a regular basis to prevent damage to equipment and data. WITHERS 1