Nelson Jacobsen

So I'm reading the story about the Uber driver kidnapping in DC and noticed the part about how DC MPD couldn't respond because there was no emergency communications.  Having been involved in DC Emergency Preparedness since 9/11 up until I questioned the handling of Pete Piringer by the Mayor back in 2011-- I know as much as any person in DC about the hows and why our Emergency Operation Plan "EOP" is supposed to unfold.   Part and parcel to this plan is that our equipment works and that departments respond, and I have to say that under no uncertain terms the District of Columbia cannot handle day to day operations there is no way in the world we could deal with any medium to large scale disaster.  BTW this is not the first time that this happened back in   2010 on a Monday nite DC lost this same capability for over 3 hours.  The solution to have analog radios...

So I have been biting/holding my tongue about the upcoming National Day of Civic Hacking (Hack for Change.org) which is this Saturday May 31th - Sunday June 1st. and really can't for the good of good hackathons.  Namely because of articles I'm reading on NPR that are incorrectly stating that a hackathon is happening in DC. Since clearly nothing is happening -just click on the image above and see for yourself.      "Washington, D.C. is doing a transparency camp where hundreds of people will gather to share knowledge about how to use new technologies and policies to make the government work more effectively for the people."  Some might be asking why I'm so beefed up about all of this and I believe I have a good answer. For the second year in a row, the hackathon that started many of these RHoKDC is not happening-- last years was canceled and this year I was asked not to do one by the organizers of this event.    The cr...

Assistant Police Chief Diane Groomes is facing allegation of a testing improprieties and is presently on administrative leave  and from the details emerging like these from the  Washington Post I have to say it's time to lay this to rest. "*.council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) said Groomes is alleged to have given out answers to a time-consuming, open-book exam that tested top commanders on homeland security and other intelligence issues*". Now to the average person reading this or hearing about in the media or public discourse is going to think WOW this is a big deal.... Well, let me tell you it is not a big deal and it happens all the time. I f everyone that took one of these tests where honest they would come out and say ~this is not fair and lets get on with the needs of the ctizens and the District gov. it would cease to be an issue.  Personally, I have been able over the last few years to take a number of classes an...

In front of Councilperson Mendelson Public Saftey Committee on February 23, 2010 both Former HSEMA directors Barbara Childs_Pair, and Peter LePort testified that in their opinion under the present administration the role of DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency has become a second tier outpost and that the Mayor himself needs to become more active. This testimony was covered in Report on PR 18-631at the Public Hearing for the current HSEMA Director. Their point was that we could have the best person for the job which they both said Milicent Williams will be and I agree as I testified on her behalf as well; However without the Mayor's involvement there is little any director can do. This should have been front page news. Yet is is buried and I will take it some are just hearing this for the first time. I will bet this blog that Mayor Fenty has more time in the Wilson Pool then he does in our Emergency Management HQ.  Think about this during the recent snow...