[Federal Register: May 10, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 89)]
[Notices]               
[Page 25070-25071]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10my99-120]

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[AAG/A Order No. 162-99]

 
Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of Modified System of Records

    The Department of Justice proposes to modify the Pubic Safety 
Officers Benefits System, JUSTICE/OJP-012. The primary purpose for 
establishing the system of records was to determine whether the 
surviving beneficiaries of public safety officers killed in the line of 
duty were eligible for benefits as authorized by the Public Safety 
Benefits Act.
    The Department now proposes to modify the system to reflect the 
expanded scope of the PSOB program, specifically through the addition 
to categories of individuals and records. The system is expanded to 
reflect the addition of data on public safety officers permanently and 
totally disabled in the line of duty, and the dependents of public 
safety officers eligible for educational benefits. The expansion of the 
categories of individuals and records, as identified in the attached 
Federal Register notice, permits the agency to maintain records as 
public safety officers permanently and totally disabled in the line of 
duty and survivor's eligibility to educational benefits in order to 
ascertain eligibility under the program.
    In addition, the Department is revising the ``System Location'' and 
``System Manager and Address' sections to reflect a move of the system, 
and updating the `Storage'' and ``Retention'' sections to reflect an 
automation of the system.
    Title 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and (11) provide that the public be given 
30 days in which to comment on the proposed new routine uses. Any 
comments must be submitted in writing to Mary Cahill, Management 
Analyst, Management and

[[Page 25071]]

Planning Staff, Justice Management Division, Department of Justice, 
Washington, DC 20530 by June 9, 1999.
    As required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) and Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) implementing regulations, the Department of Justice has provided 
a report on the proposed changes to OMB and the Congress.
    A modified system description is set forth below.

    Dated: April 30, 1999.
Stephen R. Colgate,
Assistant Attorney General for Administration.
JUSTICE/OJP-012

SYSTEM NAME:
    Public Safety Officers Benefits System.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, (OJP), 
810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    Public Safety Officers who are permanently and totally disabled by 
a traumatic injury in the line of duty and the surviving beneficiaries 
of public safety officers who died while in the line of duty.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    This system contains an index by claimant survivor and deceased or 
permanently and disabled Public Safety Officers; case files of 
eligibility documentation; and benefit payment records.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    Authority for maintaining this system exists under 42 U.S.C. 3796 
and 44 U.S.C. 3103.

PURPOSES:
    Information contained in this system is used or may be used to 
determine and record eligibility of Public Safety Officers under the 
Public Safety Officers Benefits Act and the Federal Law Enforcement 
Dependents Assistance Act.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    Records, or any information derived therefrom, may be disclosed as 
follows: To State and local agencies to verify and certify eligibility 
for benefits; to researchers for the purpose of researching the cause 
and prevention of public safety officer line of duty deaths; to 
appropriate Federal agencies to coordinate benefits paid under similar 
programs; in a proceeding before a court or adjudicative body before 
which the OJP is authorized the appear, when i. The OJP, or any 
subdivision thereof, or ii. Any employee of the OJP in his or her 
official capacity, or iii. Any employee of the OJP in his or her 
individual capacity, where the Department of Justice has agreed to 
represent the employee, or iv. The United States, where the OJP 
determines that the litigation is likely to affect it or any of its 
subdivisions, is a party to litigation or has an interest in litigation 
and such records are determined by the OJP to be arguably relevant to 
the litigation; to the news media and the public pursuant to 28 CFR 
50.2 may be made available from systems of records maintained by the 
Department of Justice unless it is determined that release of the 
specific information in the context of a particular case would 
constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy; to the National 
Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and to the General Services 
Administration in records management inspections conducted under the 
authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906; to a Member of Congress or staff 
acting upon the Member's behalf when the Member or staff requests the 
information on behalf of and at the request of the individual who is 
the subject of the record.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, 
AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
    Information in this system is maintained on a master index, in 
folders and in an automated information system.

RETRIEVABILITY:
    Information is retrieved by name of claimant, name of deceased or 
disabled Public Safety Officer, and case file number.

SAFEGUARDS:
    Computerized information is safeguarded and protected by computer 
password key and limited access. Noncomputerized data is safeguarded in 
locked cabinets. All files are maintained in a guarded building.

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
    Files are retained in the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) 
Office on hard copy and on a computer network. Files will be disposed 
of pursuant to OJP Handbook 1330.2A.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
    PSOB Program Officer, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of 
Justice Programs, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
    Same as above.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    Request for access to a record from this system should be made in 
writing with the envelope and the letter clearly marked ``Privacy 
Access Request.'' Access requests will be directed to the System 
Manager listed above.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    Individuals desiring to contest or amend information maintained in 
the system should direct their request to the System Manager listed 
above and state clearly and concisely what information is being 
contested, the reason for contesting it and the proposed amendment to 
the information sought.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    Public agencies including employing agency, beneficiaries, 
educational institutions, physicians, hospitals, official state and 
Federal Documents.

SYSTEMS EXEMPTED FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE ACT:
    None.

[FR Doc. 99-11661 Filed 5-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-CJ-M