Given the highly mobile nature of drug traffickers, a nationwide mechanism to provide timely notification to law enforcement agencies working common drug targets is necessary. Accordingly, in 1992 the Drug Enforcement Administration was designated by the Office of National Drug Control Policy to take the lead in developing a national drug pointer system to assist Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies in investigating drug trafficking organizations. Such a system would prevent duplication of effort, facilitate information sharing, and prevent dangerous situations for law enforcement officers in the field. Through the efforts of a number of law enforcement institutions, NDPIX became operational across the United States in October 1997. The National law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS) -- a familiar, fast, and effective network that reaches into almost every police agency in the Nation -- is the backbone for the NDPIX. Although entry to NDPIX is through the State NLETS switch, each State can determine whether data is entered directly into the NDPIX or through its Regional Information Sharing System, as well as other established sharing mechanisms.