About OLES

Overview

The Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) helps criminal justice, public safety, emergency responder, and homeland security agencies make informed procurement, deployment, applications, operating, and training decisions, primarily by developing performance standards, measurement tools, operating procedures and equipment guidelines. OLES is part of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory (EEEL) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). OLES is located on the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Organization

OLES is a program management organization that designs and manages standards-development and research projects on behalf of agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and others. OLES also maintains metrology activities and laboratories for equipment unique to law enforcement and criminal justice agents and emergency responders.

Within OLES are six program areas:

These program areas conduct a vast range of projects related to protective clothing, communication systems, investigative aids, security devices, traffic enforcement equipment, vehicles, firearms and ammunition, detection of concealed weapons and explosives, forensic science, homeland security, and domestic preparedness.

Developing Performance Standards

Developing performance standards is OLES' primary activity, and the process OLES follows in that work provides a good illustration of the organization and its function.

Developing a performance standard begins when the criminal justice, public safety, emergency responder and/or homeland security community identifies the need for a certain type of equipment to perform at a certain level in the field. A bullet-resistant vest must stop a new type of ammunition. A metal detector must be sensitive enough for thorough screening of airline passengers. A respirator must allow first responders to work safely in a chemical, biological or radiological hot zone.

OLES talks to equipment users to refine our understanding of how the equipment is employed and under what conditions. OLES designs research projects to gather information from manufacturers and technical experts, and to evaluate the capabilities of equipment available on the market. OLES formulates a set of performance criteria that the particular type of equipment must meet to be considered adequate. Then OLES devises tests that can be used to determine if a piece of equipment meets the criteria. Together, the performance criteria and the test methods make up what is called a minimum performance standard.

The draft minimum performance standard is reviewed and commented on by practitioners, manufacturers, technical experts, government agencies and other parties with a professional interest in the standard. After required revisions, the minimum performance standard is published and distributed, along with a report that provides manufacturers and designers with detailed technical information about the standard, and a user guide to help agencies and their personnel understand the standard and properly select, use and maintain the equipment.