Section 7. Law Enforcement Messages

6-7-1. LAW ENFORCEMENT ALERT MESSAGES (LEAM)

The El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) is an organization composed of 14 Federal agencies, including the FAA. The principal mission of EPIC is to facilitate the exchange of information and tactical intelligence on illicit narcotic trafficking and to support, through the intelligence process, Federal investigations concerning violation of Federal statutes as they apply to narcotics, aliens, currency, and weapons. EPIC issues two types of Law Enforcement Alert Messages (LEAM) that pertain to aircraft: Aircraft Lookout Alerts and Stolen Aircraft Alerts. Upon receipt of a LEAM from EPIC, take the following actions:

a.Aircraft Lookout Alerts.

1.Keep active for 7 days, unless otherwise specified, or until cancellation is received.

2.Do not disseminate Suspect Aircraft Lookouts outside of official government facilities. As this data is inherently sensitive, unauthorized disclosure of information could compromise an investigation, endanger lives, and could result in criminal prosecution or administrative action against the offender.

REFERENCE-
FAAO 1600.29, Para 7c(7), Stolen Aircraft Alert Procedure.

NOTE-
Paragraph 6-7-1a applies only to FSS and AFSS facilities in Alaska. AFSS facilities operating under contract of a Service Provider are not considered official government facilities and therefore will not receive Aircraft Lookout Alerts.

b.Stolen Aircraft Alerts. Stolen Aircraft Alerts request recipients to watch for and report on the location and movement of an aircraft which has been reported stolen.

1.M1FC.

(a)Keep active until included in a stolen aircraft summary or until cancelled.

(b)Upon receipt, check local records for any aircraft contact, beginning with the date the aircraft was reported stolen. AFSSs shall notify their Flight Service Data Processing System (FSDPS) personnel to run the ENFORCE program as soon as practicable.

(c)Relay any information available to the office listed on the alert.

2.OASIS. When OASIS receives a correctly formatted stolen aircraft alert, it processes it as follows: Checks the database for the past 15 days for a match. If no match is found, the LEAM is added to the Law Enforcement (LE) List with a green icon and no alarm. If a match is found, a Law Enforcement alarm is generated at designated workstations and the LEAM is placed on the LE List with a red icon.

c.Stolen Aircraft Summaries.

1.Stolen Aircraft Summaries should be used to displace and consolidate all the individual stolen aircraft alerts received in the interim.

2.Monthly summaries are sent as soon as possible after the end of the month. They include aircraft registration numbers, aircraft type, and the date/time stolen and/or recovered.

3.Biannual summaries are sent in January and July. They list only those aircraft stolen in the past 2 years.

d.All LEAM.

1.Distribute the Stolen Aircraft Alerts and Summaries, at the discretion of the Air Traffic Manager, to all parties, fixed base operators, airport managers, etc.

REFERENCE-
FAAO 1600.29, Para 7c(6), Stolen Aircraft Alert Procedure.

2.Check local records for the previous 24 hours.

3.Notify EPIC via Service B message (KDEAYYYX) or by telephone (1-888-873-3742 [USE EPIC], 1-915-760-2227 for the Air Watch Desk or 1-915-760-2200 for the General Watch Desk) of any contact within the past 24 hours. Also, notify your Regional duty officer for relay to the cognizant Transportation Security Administration Aviation Command Center.

4.Subsequent aircraft transactions shall be monitored and require the same notification as defined in subpara 6-7-1d3.

5. Take no action regarding the aircraft, crew, or passengers other than normal air traffic job related functions.

6.Cease all actions upon receipt of a cancellation or a summary if the latter does not include this aircraft's registration number.

6-7-2. INITIATING LEAMs

Any inquiries from airport managers, aircraft owners, or law enforcement entities to initiate an alert message shall be directed to EPIC. EPIC is interfaced with the National Crime Information Center, which gives them access to any stolen aircraft report entered by law enforcement agencies. FAA facilities shall not volunteer to relay this information to EPIC. Assistance shall be limited to providing EPIC phone number(s) as specified in subpara 6-7-1d3 or advising the inquiring party to go through normal law enforcement channels.

6-7-3. FSDPS RESPONSIBILITIES

The FSDPS shall:

a.As a minimum, execute the ENFORCE program every 8 hours. In addition, run the ENFORCE program when requested.

b.Not accept requests to search for individual aircraft from other than an FAA facility or office.

c.Immediately notify the requesting facility or office when the program recognizes any aircraft registration number in the history file that matches one in the LEAM. Negative replies are required.