Police officers in Vermont and New York will be the first in the nation to get a new tool to help them catch suspected terrorists.

Since 9/11, many law enforcement officials said they didn't have enough access to federal counterterrorism information. On Tuesday, they are finally getting it.

In Albany, officials from Vermont and New York gathered as a whole new world of information opened up for them.

Now, New York State Police, Vermont State Police, and even local officers can get access to federal databases in real time. The Upstate New York Regional Information Center has been set up to allow for seamless access to data at all agencies involved in homeland security.

Vermont and New York were chosen for their strategic location.

With this first of its kind program in place, the FBI is eager to test it out in hopes of expanding to all states.

FBI Director Robert Mueller did stress that privacy was a huge issue, and that they are mindful of not stepping over privacy laws.

Now, any police officer can get info on whether someone they've pulled over is on an FBI watch list, or is in the country illegally. For them, it is a huge advantage in terrorism prevention.