The Borders and Maritime Security Division is a division within the United States Department of Homeland Security

United States Department of Homeland Security

The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...

 that "develops and transitions tools and technologies that improve the security of our nation's borders and waterways, without impeding the flow of commerce and travelers".

The division is currently led by Dave Newton. It is supervised by the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology

Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology

The Science and Technology Directorate is the research and development arm of the United States Department of Homeland Security.-Leadership:The Science and Technology Directorate is led by the Under Secretary for Science and Technology...

, currently being Jay M. Cohen

Jay M. Cohen

Jay M. Cohen is a retired Rear Admiral of the United States Navy and Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology of the United States Department of Homeland Security....

.

Focus

The 2007 High Priority Technical Needs Brochure published by Homeland Security defines critical focus areas for Border and Maritime research, falling primarily under the categories of border security, cargo security and maritime security.

Border security

• Improved ballistic protection via personal protective equipment
• Improve detection, tracking, and identification of all threats along the terrestrial and maritime border
  Maritime boundary
  Maritime boundary is a conceptual means of division of the water surface of the planet into maritime areas that are defined through surrounding physical geography or by human geography. As such it usually includes areas of exclusive national rights over the mineral and biological resources,...
  
  
• Non-lethal compliance measures for vehicles, vessels, or aircraft allowing for safe interdiction by law enforcement personnel
• Non-destructive tools that allow for the inspection of hidden or closed compartments to find contraband
  Contraband
  The word contraband, reported in English since 1529, from Medieval French contrebande "a smuggling," denotes any item which, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold....
  
   or security threats
• Improved analysis and decision-making tools that will ensure the development/implementation of border security initiatives
• Ability for law enforcement personnel to quickly identify the origin of gunfire and classify the type of weapon fired
• Ability for law enforcement officers to assure compliance of lawful orders using non-lethal means

Cargo security

• Enhanced screening and examination by non-intrusive inspection
• Increased information fusion, anomaly detection, Automatic Target Recognition capability
• Detect and identify WMD materials and contraband
• Capability to screen 100% of air cargo
• Test the feasibility of seal security; Detection of intrusion
• Track domestic high-threat cargo
• Harden air cargo conveyances and containers
• Positive ID of cargo & detection

Maritime security

• Wide-area surveillance from the coast to beyond the horizon; port and inland waterways region - detect, ID, and track
• Data fusion and automated tools for command center operations
• Vessel compliance through non-lethal compliance methods
• Enhanced capability to continuously track contraband on ships or containers
• Improved ballistic personal protective equipment for officer safety
• Improved WMD detection equipment for officer safety; improved screening capability for WMD for maritime security
  Maritime Security (USCG)
  Maritime security is concerned with the prevention of intentional damage through sabotage, subversion, or terrorism. Maritime security is one of the three basic roles of the United States Coast Guard has gradually developed in response to a series of catastrophic events, which began in 1917.There...
  
  checkpoints