Monday, April 30, 2007

Three Cops from Local Agencies in New York State

Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. The police officers from local agencies in New York State: Vincent Faggiano, Michael T. Rayburn and William Keegan.

Vincent Faggiano retired from the Rochester Police Department (New York) at the rank of captain. He was responsible for the initial development of the BowMac Critical Incident Response training programs, both for first responders and executive command post managers. He has delivered these programs to thousands of law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and elected officials in the United States and abroad. He is the co-author of Critical Incident Management. According to the book description, Critical Incident Management, “shows you how to respond effectively to any incident. The book focuses on first responders and initial actions, the areas typically overlooked by police agencies and the ones most criticized after the fact.”

Michael T. Rayburn has over 26 years of experience in the law enforcement and the security field; and, is currently a 17 year veteran of the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York). He is also an Adjunct Instructor for Smith & Wesson at the Smith & Wesson Academy in Springfield Massachusetts where he teaches Instinctive Point Shooting, Vehicle Stops, Rapid Shotgun Deployment and Instinctive Point Shooting Instructor Certification.

Michael Rayburn has written a number of articles for various law enforcement related magazines including Law & Order, The Police Marksman and Police magazine. He is the author of three books, Advanced Vehicle Stop Tactics, Advanced Patrol Tactics and Basic Gunfighting 101. His video, "Instinctive Point Shooting with Mike Rayburn" is a top seller in the law enforcement and combat shooting communities. According to former Calibre Press, Inc. Street Survival Seminar Senior Instructor Dave Grossi, "Mike Rayburn is a gifted writer, an experienced trainer with a wealth of real-world knowledge and experience to dispense."

Lieutenant
William Keegan, Jr., is a twenty–year veteran of the New York Port Authority Police Department. He was awarded the highest medal for his contribution as Operations Commander of the WTC Rescue/Recovery Teams. He was also awarded the Medal of Valor for his rescue of children trapped in an elevator during the 1993 WTC bombing.

According to the book description of his book, Closure: The Untold Story of the Ground Zero Recovery Mission, “On the morning of 9/11, the New York Port Authority Police Department was the first uniformed service to respond to the attack on the World Trade Center. When the towers collapsed, thirty-seven of its officers were killed -- the largest loss of law enforcement officers in U.S. history.

That afternoon, Lieutenant
William Keegan began the work of recovery. The FDNY and NYPD had the territory, but Keegan had the map. PAPD cops could stand on top of six stories of debris and point to where a stairwell had been; they used PATH tunnels to enter "the pile" from underneath. Closure shares many never-before-told stories, including how Keegan and his officers recovered 1,000 tons of gold and silver from a secret vault to keep the Commodities Exchange from crashing; discovered what appeared to be one of the plane's black boxes; and helped raise the inspirational steel beam cross that has become the site's icon.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 509
police officers (representing 214 police departments) and their 1075 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

A Fed and Two Local Cops

April 29, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. The website added a federal law enforcement agent as well as two local police officers.

Anna Mydlarz has been a career law enforcement officer, serving with the city of Buffalo Police Department for over 20 years. She has had experience in patrol work and has been promoted to detective, serving with the burglary task force, vice squad and narcotics squad. She currently serves in the communication crime unit, which specializes in high-tech crimes. stalking, telephone harassment, and Internet crimes. Furthermore, she serves on several task forces that are at the foremost of emerging issues.

Anna Mydlarz co-authored with Donald Hutton Guide to Homeland Security Careers and Guide to Law Enforcement Careers. According to the book description of the Guide to Law Enforcement Careers, “Hundreds of jobs are listed and described in local, state, federal, military, and special law enforcement agencies. Here’s advice on where to look for job openings, how to apply, and how to meet law enforcement agency qualifications. Careers cover a variety of areas including municipal police officer, deputy sheriff, corrections officer, state police officer, federal agents, criminal investigators, and many more. Advice is given and opportunities are cited for current and recently retired law enforcement officers. Helpful web sites are listed in this edition, and more than 100 law enforcement insignia patches are illustrated.”

Donald B. Hutton served as an executive staff member for the New York State Thruway Authority and New York State Canal Corporation. He worked progressively for several law enforcement agencies; with the New York State Office of Inspector General as executive deputy inspector general, as a Delaware & Hudson Railroad Police Department special agent, as a United States Department of Veteran Affairs police officer, and as a United States Customs Service Inspector.

Donald B. Hutton served in the United States Coast Guard as a reservist from 1976 until 1992 in the following capacities: as a boatswains mate, a pollution investigator, a special agent in intelligence, and in mobilization/augmentation administration. In 1992, Donald Hutton received and honorable discharge. He has a master's degree from the State University of New York College at Buffalo

Donald Hutton is also the author of numerous articles and books. He co-authored with Anna Mydlarz Guide to Homeland Security Careers and Guide to Law Enforcement Careers. He also wrote Guide to Military Careers, and in 2000 published a suspense thriller, A Deep Blue Sounding Dark Voyage with the U.S. Coast Guard. According to the book description of A Deep Blue Sounding Dark Voyage with the U.S. Coast Guard, “The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Cape Solace mysteriously sinks while on patrol off the coast of Florida, taking 26 crewmembers to a deep water grave. At the same time, Coast Guard Intelligence Agent Brad Thomas surfaces from a deep cover sting operation in New York City netting two “coasties” involved in smuggling for the mob.” According to John Wallace, author of POW-83, “This riveting book will alter America's view of the Coast Guard. Don Hutton is a writer of genuine purpose and originality.”

Robert "Bob" Taubert is thought of by FBI veterans as the finest firearms and tactics instructor to serve in the FBI. He has a Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Physical Education and served 12 years as a reconnaissance infantry Marine pulling two combat tours in Vietnam, rising to the rank of Major and serving as company commander.

Robert Taubert joined the FBI serving his country as a Special Agent for over twenty-four years. While in the FBI he was heavily involved in Special Operations and was one of the founders and trainers of the FBI’s Elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT. Bob served as the FBI SOG liaison for the USMC and US Navy special operations entities. Bob is responsible for the birth of the widely known SEAL Team 6 and assisted what was to become today’s US Navy's Development Group, in gaining official recognition as a national counter terrorism asset by the military.

Serving as the senior instructor at the FBI Academy in the FBI’s SOARS, the elite Special Operations units he was chosen by the DEA to train and equip DEA agents in Close Quarters Battle, SWAT tactics and combat survival skills. These agents went on to participate in some of the most highly secretive joint agency covert operations that the US has ever run. During his tours of duty with the Bureau and DEA he attended every major firearms school in the world and qualified as a Master or Expert in long and short firearms.

Following the FBI he was a staff instructor at the Smith & Wesson Academy; he is a subject matter expert in SWAT, Anti-Terrorism, Hostage Rescue and Police Survival issues; he is a Staff Instructor for the US Department of State's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program and is also an adjunct Instructor at Alan Brosnan's Tactical Explosive Entry School and Kelly McCain’s Crucible Training Center. He is an accomplished author and is a staff writer for many LE Magazines, publications, and journals. Robert Taubert is the co-author of Soldiering on: The Stories of Two Former Kiwi SAS Men in Their Continuing World-Wide Careers of Adventure.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 506 police officers (representing 213 police departments) and their 1070 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Self-Defense Seminar

The Self Defense seminar is predicated on a “proven” idea that “prevention is better than cure”… (Charles Dickens, 1850). It is NOT about breaking boards, flipping in mid-air nor all that other nonsense one sees in the movies…

This introduction course exposes the participants to Real Life scenarios, how to notice immanent threat and most assuredly, how to “avoid” a tragic outcome all together.. Much of the first hour engenders a “new” mind-set and “awareness” that should preclude such an unfortunate outcome… Most participants are “astonished” to realize how simple and applicable such techniques are and how easy they are to incorporate… NO “Black Belt” ability is required nor have any of the participants ever gotten hurt attending these seminars over the past 30 years!

Essentially, the practical part of this mini course incorporates the “same” basic techniques that every new police recruit is required to learn; (remember, when “bad” things happen, there’s never a cop around when you need one!). The time to have a plan or a strategy is before one actually needs to prevail upon one! Though many students continue on with their life “unmolested”, those who haven’t been so fortunate report “successful” outcomes; the result of having learned some very rudimentary techniques.

Participants can have an absolute expectation of concluding this program with a new awareness they never had previously. Tragically, the “common denominator” re: most assaults, is that the victim was “unaware” of impending harm; they never saw it coming! Not only is the practitioner made “aware” of such scenarios, the event is play-acted out to “involve” the student; a method that helps engender an appropriate response to a real-life situation. *(I actually interviewed muggers, rapists & repeat violent felons who were currently incarcerated at maximum-security prisons. It was “their” techniques, (“M.O.”- Modus Operandi), that helped punctuate the course with “authenticity” designed for real-world situations…

On purpose, a little “humor” is interjected during this introduction; learning Self-Defense can and “should” be fun; (not daunting or intimidating). But everyone will leave the event with more knowledge than they had previously; that’s my promise!!

About the Instructor:
Police Officer
Larry Waimon (ret.) remains P.B.A. Member in “Good Standing” since 1970, and retired from active duty in “Good Standing.” He served as senior Police Academy Defensive Tactics instructor throughout career. His credentials, issued by the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, and the Chief of Police Association, are still in force. He is a federally registered Black Belt (6th Degree, Master) and licensed to teach in all fifty states. He has been a security liaison for a large trauma hospital, educational course coordinator for a federally funded security officer program and received his Teacher’s Certification from the New Jersey Department of Education.

During his
law enforcement career, Larry Waimon received 4 commendations for Valor & Meritorious Service; trained Washington County’s Correctional Emergency Response Team; and, earned the Distinguished Expert badge on the Practical Pistol Course. He is a member of the American Society of Industrial Security, Int. and a former keynote speaker for New Jersey Association of School Administrators.

Contact Larry Waimon
waiview@adelphia.net

Friday, April 27, 2007

NIJ Funding Opportunities

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has recently issued the following solicitations. Please be aware that you must submit your application electronically using Grants.gov. Instructions for the Grants.gov registration process are available at: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.

Forensic Science Training Development and Delivery Program
Grants.gov Funding Opportunity Number: 2007-NIJ-1602

Deadline: May 29, 2007, 11:59 p.m. eastern time.

As stated in the President’s DNA Initiative, Advancing Justice Through DNA
Technology, the forensic science community has a critical need for trained forensic scientists in public crime laboratories. NIJ is seeking proposals from training provider(s) to develop or deliver (or both) knowledge-based forensic science curricula at the State or local level (or both). Applicants are encouraged to propose enhancements or modifications to existing training programs for computer-based or Web-based delivery. Dissemination of the product and sustainability of these initiatives is a priority. Applicants that propose to deliver training will be responsible for all aspects of the training delivery, including, but not limited to, travel, lodging, and per diem for participants, and any other training-related logistics. The project period for proposals submitted under this solicitation is up to 24 months.

Download entire solicitation:
www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/sl000797.pdf

Operations Research Applied to
Law Enforcement Operations
Grants.gov Funding Opportunity Number: 2007-NIJ-1443

Deadline: May 21, 2007, 11:59 p.m. eastern time.

NIJ seeks applications to research, develop, and demonstrate operations research models and methods that enable
law enforcement and corrections agencies to increase the effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of their operations and to improve the judicial process. Proposed models and methods must identify and account for legal, cultural, and social factors that may affect the adoption and use of new technologies, practices, and procedures by criminal justice agencies. For example, a contractual agreement between organized labor and management may limit scheduling options for shift changes.

Download entire solicitation:
www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/sl000798.pdf

Article sponsored by
Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Free Justice Survey Software from BJS

Justice Survey Software (JSS) Web-based Version, 2.0

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has developed FREE web-based software for State and local justice agencies to conduct their own surveys to collect data on topics such as crime victimization, attitudes towards policing, and other community or organizational-related issues using standardized questions available from various sources.

This system includes:

A user-friendly interface for designing surveys
A library of turnkey surveys that can be used as a starting point
Real time tools for monitoring progress during data collection
A built in reporting module
Easy data export in various industry standard formats
This system runs entirely on the web, so there is no complicated software to set-up, install, or configure.


To explore this new software, please visit
www.bjsjss.org to request your free membership.

Article sponsored by
Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Biological Attack Investigator’s Handbook

“Criminal and Epidemiological Investigation Handbook, Federal Bureau ofInvestigation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the USDepartment of Justice, and the US Army Soldier Biological ChemicalCommand. 2006.”

Available At:
http://www2a.cdc.gov/phlp/docs/CrimEpiHandbook2006.pdf

Book Excerpt:
“Current information indicates that, regardless of location, American assets and citizens will continue to be targets of
terrorist activities. Terrorists have demonstrated their willingness to employ non-traditional weapons to achieve their ends. One such class of non-traditional weapons is biological agents. Biological agents pose new challenges to both law enforcement and public health officials in their efforts to minimize the effects of a biological attack and apprehend those responsible for the attack. In the past, it was not uncommon for law enforcement and public health officials to conduct separate and independent investigations. However, a biological attack requires a high level of cooperation between these two disciplines to achieve their respective objectives of identifying the biological agent, preventing the spread of the disease, preventing public panic, and apprehending those responsible. The lack of mutual awareness and understanding, as well as the absence of established communication procedures, could hinder the effectiveness of law enforcement’s and public health's separate, but often overlapping, investigations. Due to the continued likelihood of biological attacks, the effective use of all resources during a biological incident will be critical to ensure an efficient and appropriate response.

The purpose of this handbook is as follows:

To provide an introduction to epidemiological and criminal terrorist investigations so public health and
law enforcement personnel have a better understanding of each other's information requirements and investigative procedures.

To identify potential conflicts
law enforcement and public health personnel will encounter during their respective biological incident investigations and to provide potential solutions that can be adapted to meet the needs of the various jurisdictions and agencies throughout the United States.

To enhance the appreciation and understanding of each discipline's expertise by all parties.”

Article sponsored by
Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

College and University Emergency Notification: How has the world changed?

One hour Webinar:

Date and Time: Tuesday, May 1, 2007 10:00 am

Pacific Daylight Time (GMT -07:00, San Francisco) Change time zone
May 1, 2007 11:00 am

Mountain Daylight Time (GMT -06:00, Denver)
May 1, 2007 12:00 pm

Central Daylight Time (GMT -05:00, Chicago)
May 1, 2007 1:00 pm

Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -04:00, New York)

Panelist(s) Info: Featured guest speaker: Dr. Robert C. Chandler, crisis communications expert, author, consultant, and educator, Pepperdine University

Duration: 1 hour

Description: Crisis communication expert, Dr. Robert Chandler of Pepperdine University, speaks on campus safety and emergency communications.

We are shocked. We are angry. We are grief-stricken. We are motivated to do something to move forward.

We have a profound sense of sadness and deepest heartfelt sympathy for those in pain and grief in the aftermath of the campus violence at Virginia Tech. We have the utmost respect for those crisis managers and emergency responders who worked bravely and diligently during the shocking events at Virginia Tech. It is far too early to reach final conclusions about failures; the de-briefing of this particular event will unfold in the coming months and years. We can, however, as campus security personnel, college and university administrators, business continuity planners, emergency notification service providers, and members of the global community, seek to begin to learn from the events of April 16 in order to work more diligently to prevent horrific and extensive tragic events like the Virginia Tech massacre from happening again. In fact, we have an obligation to do so. Join 3n and distinguished crisis communications expert, author, consultant, and educator, Dr. Robert C. Chandler of Pepperdine University, as we chronicle the sequence of crisis management and communication events on April 16 at Virginia Tech and identify insights for our own responding to and mitigating risk in such a crisis and ways for improving our crisis communication performance.
Discussion topics include:


Case-study analysis of the sequence of events at Virginia Tech
Information processing and decision-making in a crisis
Communicating in a crisis – what you say, how you say it, when you say it
Emergency notification systems for colleges and universities
Importance and role of multi-channel communications in a crisis

This webinar will include a 15-minute Q&A session.

About Robert C. Chandler, Ph.D., Pepperdine University
Dr. Robert Chandler is a recognized expert on organizational behavior and crisis communication with research expertise focusing on issues such as crisis
leadership, crisis teams, crisis decision-making and behavior, human factors during organizational crises, and organizational communication assessment. He has written more than 75 papers and published articles and has authored three books. Dr. Chandler is the Blanche E. Seaver Professor and Chair of the Communication Division in the Center for Communication and Business at Pepperdine University.

Enroll:
https://3nonline.webex.com/mw0304l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=3nonline

Article sponsored by
Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Two Cops, a Fed and a Civilian

April 25, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. The website added to state and local police officers, one federal law enforcement officer and a civilian police writer.

Shane Moore is a detective with the Gillespie Police Department (Illinois). His debut novel is A Prisoner's Welcome. Shane Moore describes his work as a fantasy similar to Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but with much heavier writing and themes which are best suited for the adult reader.

One reader/reviewer of
Shane Moore’s novel said, “A Prisoner's Welcome is a rare fantasy that lacks the troupes of almost every fantasy novel out there. It starts out with young Lancalion searching for a person to read some parchments that are supposed to detail the murder of his parents-an orphan with power trying to discover the one responsible for his parents murder-SAME OLD troupe! That is where it all changes. Moore takes us on a whirlwind ride with politics, deceit, trickery, and backstabbing on a grand scale.”

Michael Levine, called “America’s top undercover agent” by 60 Minutes, is one of the Drug Enforcement Administrations most highly decorated officers and the author of New York Times best-seller Deep Cover and national bestsellers The Big White Lie, Fight Back and Triangle of Death. During his 30 year law enforcement career he served as a military police officer, Treasury Agent, DEA Agent and with the Barnstable County Sheriffs Department (Massachusetts) as the Director of Drug Bureau.

He is also a world recognized court-qualified expert witness, trial consultant and lecturer in all matters relating to undercover work, narcotics trafficking and the handling of criminal informants. He has testified as an expert in over 250 civil and criminal trials internationally and domestically.
Michael Levine is currently the host of New York City’s Expert Witness Radio Show which can be heard on 99.5 FM.

Special Agent
Raymond Sherrard (ret.), of the United States Treasury Department, is the author of Encyclopedia of Federal Law Enforcement Patches and Federal Law Enforcement Patches: An Illustrated Reference Manual. He co-authored The Centurions Shield: Badges of the LAPD with retired LAPD Command Keith Bushey; and, co-authored Badges of the United States Marshals, with retired Deputy United States Marshal George Stumpf.

In 1951,
William L. Childers joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in Korea from 1951 to 1952 at a gunner on an M46 tank. In 1954, after discharge he attended Southern Methodist University and graduated in 1961 as Methodist Minister. William L. Childers entered into the Navy Chaplain Corps; Later, from 1968 to 1969, he served as the Chaplain for the 2BN, 9th Marines in Vietnam. He completed his career as a Methodist Minister and spent 11 years as an Administrative Hearing Officer for the City of Dallas. In 2003, William L. Childers became a volunteer chaplain for the Dallas Police Department.

In addition to writing poetry, William L. Childers published Integrity of the Spirit...Escaping the Mind-Game!

Police-Writers.com now hosts 503
police officers (representing 210 police departments) and their 1061 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Methamphetamine Driven Combat Operations

Based on combat observations and medical studies by the US and British military it is becoming apparent that methamphetamine use among the terrorist population is on a dramatic increase. Used as a strategic tool methamphetamine offers those in the Iraqi Area of Operations a whole new trend of issues that compromise the safety of those combating terrorism. Whether operating as a contractor or a soldier the dangers associated with methamphetamine use among those you are fighting need to be addressed.

First reports of the drug appear to have come out of the Basra area. Known as “pinkies” the stimulant was in the form of a tablet.

Stimulants in the combat zone are nothing new. The fact that we are encountering them in the “War on Terror” should not surprise us in the least. The Germans used methamphetamine during World War II. We all heard of the blitzkrieg conducted by German forces during the early days of the war. German soldiers would march for days taking up large pieces of land and conquering everything in their wake. Everyone thought that the German soldier was some sort of “super” soldier that could not be stopped. They marched, fought and destroyed with little food or rest.

Read on
www.police-writers.com/meth_driven_combat_operations.html

Sunday, April 22, 2007

500th Police Officer Author

Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. With the Jack Sullivan, Mary Sullivan and Joe Sanchez, Police-Writers.com now lists over 500 state and local police officers who have written books. Command Jack Sullivan, USN(r) is the 500th Writer added to the list.

Commander
Jack Sullivan, United States Navy (R), was called to active duty in three wars: World War II; Korean War; and, Vietnam War. He was also called to active during the Cuban Missile Crisis. His book, Shields of Honor, “tells of his part in these wars and realistically portrays the role the Reserve Component of the Navy played in each. He combines the lighter parts of his life in the Navy with his role in combat. His characters are portrayed with true service humor, but also depict their sincere dedication to duty as well. It's an interesting read for anyone who had a friend or relative in the Reserve or National Guard.” When he wasn’t serving his county in the Navy, Jack Sullivan was a detective for the New York Police Department.

According to Lona Manning,
New York Police Department, “policewoman Mary Sullivan was banished from the undercover assignments she loved, to a succession of dreary station-houses, doing the usual woman’s work – looking after lost children and guarding female suspects. It was the height of the Roaring Twenties, there were plenty of bootleggers, drug traffickers and fake fortune-tellers to apprehend, and Sullivan, a young widow with a friendly Irish manner, impressed her superiors with her ability to transform herself into a dance hall girl or a society dame looking for a good speakeasy.” Mary Sullivan’s Biography, My Double Life: The Story of a New York Policewoman, was originally published in 1938 and re-released in 1983.

Joe Sanchez is a former New York Police Department police officer who lived the life and times he writes about in his book A Tale of Police Omerta from the NYPD. The stories are his, and though they're fiction, he has drawn on his on-the-job experience for their inspiration. He returned from Vietnam as a combat-wounded veteran to embark on a law enforcement career that included the Port Author of New York City, the New York Police Department and the New York Department of Corrections.

According to the book description, Joe Sanchez “has been trying to tell this story for some time. It’s his story, but not his alone. It’s also the story of those who lived and died alongside him, in Viet Nam and in that other battle, for justice and safety under the shield of the law, that is fought daily in the streets of every big city by every honest cop. In his case, the city was the Naked City and the cop was a Latino. And the battle was neither for the civilians alone, nor just against the bad guys in the street. Sometimes the bad guys were in the Department. And sometimes the people who needed protection were the honest cops.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 501
police officers (representing 208 police departments) and their 1057 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Homicide, Mafia and Problem Solving

Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. Three New York Police Department police officers turned authors were added to the website.

Carolann Natale was a member of the New York Police Department. Moreover, she was one of the first women to be appointed to the homicide squad. She co-authored her story in Homicide Cop: The True Story of Carolann Natale. According to the book description, “This woman is a hunter. Murderers are her prey. She's a small-town mother of two, a one-time waitress who dared to become a cop on the toughest turf of all: the crime-ridden streets of New York City. Opera is her pleasure, her family is her pride and joy, but murder is her business and the perilous Fourth Zone her beat.”

William Oldham, the co-author of Brotherhoods: The True Story of Two Cops Who Murdered for the Mafia, is a decorated twenty-year veteran of the New York Police Department and a retired investigator for the U.S. Department of Justice. According to Nicholas Pileggi, the author Wiseguy, “The Brotherhoods is a great story brilliantly told. And no better story teller than William Oldham, the misfit detective who not only exposes the arrangement between a Mafia boss and the pair of New York City detectives who killed for him, but the bitter, egotistical battle for credit that breaks out between the handful of lawmen who expose it.”

Rana Sampson is a national problem-oriented policing consultant and the former director of public safety for the University of San Diego. She was previously a White House Fellow; National Institute of Justice Fellow; senior researcher and trainer at the Police Executive Research Forum; attorney; and patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer and patrol sergeant with the New York Police Department, where she was awarded several commendations of merit and won the National Improvement of Justice Award.

Rana Sampson has also been a judge for the Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing, a former judge for the police Fulbright awards, and a commissioner with California's Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Sampson holds a law degree from Harvard and a bachelor's degree from Barnard College, Columbia University.

Rana Sampson coauthored (with Michael Scott) of Tackling Crime and Other Public-Safety Problems: Case Studies in Problem-Solving, which documents high-quality crime control efforts from around the United States, Canada and Europe. She is also the author of the Department of Justice sponsored Problem-Oriented Guide for Police Problem Specific Series issue Misuse and Abuse of 911; False Burglar Alarms; Drug Dealing in Private Owned Apartment Complexes; Acquaintance Rape of College Students; and, Bullying in Schools. All of Rana Sampson’s works are available at no cost via Department of Justice and hyperlinks are provided directly to the works from Police-Writers.com

Police-Writers.com now hosts 498
police officers (representing 208 police departments) and their 1054 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

113 NYPD Cops

Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. With the addition of Kendall J. Matthews, Cliff Mariani and William J. McCullough, the number of New York Police Department police officers who have written books is 113.

Kendall J. Matthews is a former United States Marine who served in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, the horn of Africa. He’s a graduate of Virginia State University and Hunter College’s Graduate School of Urban Affairs and Planning. Kendall is a member of the New York Police Department, currently assigned to the Housing Bureau in the South Bronx. He also volunteers as a tutor at the East Harlem Tutorial Program. His first book, Mommy I want to be a Cop, is a children’s book.

According to
Kendall Matthews’ book description, “this book is about a neighborhood boy who had dreams of becoming a cop. Considering how dangerous of a job a Police Officer can be his mommy took him out for a day to see if she could change his mind of becoming a cop to a less dangerous profession. At the end of the day, and after experiencing what it would be like to wear the hats of different professions, the boy sticks to his dream of someday wearing the hat of a Police Officer.”

For over 25 years,
Cliff Mariani was a member of the New York Police Department. Cliff Mariani began his writing career in the early 1970's. With an eye for detail and a skill with words, he wrote unique and innovative study and reference publications for the law enforcement community. In addition to being a police officer and writer, he has been a researcher and editor. Cliff Mariani is the author of a number of books for the law enforcement and criminal justice community: Domestic Violence Survival Guide; Terrorism Prevention and Response: The Definitive Law Enforcement Guide to Prepare for Terrorist Activity; Police Supervisor's Test Manual; New Jersey Motor Vehicles - Condensed Guide; A.B.C. Manual For Law Enforcement Officials; and, Connecticut Motor Vehicles - Condensed Guide. Additionally, he has published a number of promotional and operational materials geared toward New York Police Department police officers.

William J. McCullough, is a retired New York Police Department captain. He is the author of Pistol Instruction Handbook, How to Become a Police Officer and Police Promotional Manual. According to the book description of Police Promotional Manual it is “a promotional preparation cornerstone for more than 30 years! More than 750 true/false and multiple choice questions designed to inform, instruct and challenge! This extensive study aid has been a law enforcement favorite for more than three decades. Overflowing with the exact information you need to climb the ranks—from key police management principles and crucial supervisory skills to the ins and outs of criminal law and the elements of successful field operations—this is your ticket to top performance both in the classroom and on the street!”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 495
police officers (representing 208 police departments) and their 1046 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Friday, April 20, 2007

NIJ Technology Institute for Law Enforcement

Dates: August 26 - 31, 2007
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Application Deadline: June 29, 2007

Overview
For the eleventh year, the National Institute of
Justice (NIJ) is sponsoring its annual Technology Institute for Law Enforcement. This technology institute, scheduled for August 26-31, 2007 in Annapolis, Maryland, is designed for law enforcement/police officers to learn about and discuss technology initiatives and issues affecting the law enforcement community.

Agenda
During the weeklong institute, attendees will receive information and assistance about existing and developing technologies and problem solving relating to
technology implementation, and exchange technology lessons learned. Attendees also will participate in briefings and demonstrations at various locations in the metropolitan area, which may include the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Institute's Office of Science and Technology, the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, and local law enforcement agencies.

Goals

To provide participants the opportunity for continual education on technologies applicable to
law enforcement.
To provide participants the opportunity to meet and interact with other law enforcement professionals.
To provide NIJ the opportunity to improve and build on its technology development programs based on participant experience and comments.

Application
Attendance is limited to 25 full-time, mid-grade, career, state and local
law enforcement/police officers who are actively involved in technology related law enforcement issues within their agencies.

Applications may be obtain on-line by visiting
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/events/techinstitutes/law-enforcement.htm or by contacting Bruce Blair at 800-248-2742, or by e-mail bblair@nlectc.org. An agency may submit one application for consideration. Alumnus from previous Institutes will not be considered. The application must be completely filled out for the applicant to be considered. All travel, lodging, and meal expenses for participants are paid by NIJ.

Contact Bruce Blair for additional information.

Deadline
The deadline for receiving applications is June 29, 2007. All applicants will receive notification by mail as to the decision regarding their application.

Article sponsored by
Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

Corruption Ebbs as Iraqi Police Leadership Strengthens

By Tim Kilbride
Special to American Forces Press Service

April 19, 2007 – A firm commitment to professionalism and transparency from Iraq's political leaders are helping the country's growing civil security force perform well in "a highly challenging environment," a coalition
training official said yesterday. British Army Brig. Gen. Rob Weighill, deputy commander of the Civilian Police Assistance Training Team, told online journalists that, with 200,000 Iraqi police officers trained in the past two years, his organization is well on its way in its mission to "generate, train and sustain the Iraqi police forces," so that they can shape a security environment favorable to democratic establishment.

Iraq's overall civil security force - including local
police, national police, and border, ports, highway and traffic patrols - is about 300,000 strong, Weighill said.

But sheer numbers are only a part of the game, Weighill explained. He said Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad Bolani has repeatedly made clear he values quality over quantity in building the force, particularly in relation to skills and rights
training.

To ensure new
police officers have the necessary capabilities to operate independently, police training has been largely standardized across Iraq's various police academies, Weighill said. He pointed to the Numaniyah police training center, southeast of Baghdad, as an example of how such facilities operate.

Numaniyah, Weighill said, has the capacity for 2,000 beds, roughly matched to the size of an Iraqi
police brigade. Recruits who graduate the four-week program are typically sent out as a cohesive unit.

"They come, literally, straight out of Numaniyah, in brigade size, and get put into Baghdad, sitting alongside and working alongside their Iraqi
police brethren" and the Iraqi army, Weighill said.

The general commended the "standard, tried, and now tested,
police training program," but acknowledged room for further growth.

Respect for human rights remains a perpetual concern, Weighill said. Rights training has been a part of the Iraqi curriculum since 2003, but the issue has become increasingly germane amid Iraq's tide of sectarian violence, he said.

"This is an important aspect of their policing duty because it fulfills the vital requirement for them to understand and implement what it means to treat people fairly and with dignity and respect," the general said.

In the past, he noted, "a lack of
leadership, a lack of training, and therefore an absence of support and trust between the police and the community" led to situations in which Iraqi police officers stood by while crimes were committed.

With a reinvigorated Ministry of the Interior, Weighill said, such behavior, along with more egregious cases of corruption, is no longer tolerated.

Minister Bolani "emphatically states he will not put up with corruption," Weighill said, noting that senior ministry officials have been removed in cases of nefarious activities.

The maturation of robust internal affairs and inspector general's offices within the ministry over the past two to three years has led to a swell of investigations within the force, Weighill explained. These offices are tasked with "identifying fraud, crime (and) corruption" and punishing perpetrators appropriately, he said.

In January, about 1,200 such cases were investigated by the inspector general's office alone, Weighill said.

"Contrary to popular belief - that is that the Ministry of the Interior and the Iraqi
police are heavily infiltrated from the sectarian perspective - the work that I've done... would suggest otherwise," Weighill observed.

"Of course there are infringements of the law" and those are "dealt with in accordance with Iraqi law," Weighill said.

These examples of strong leadership from the ministry are crucial to maintaining professionalism throughout the ranks, Weighill said.

"Principally through
police training, the leadership element within the Iraqi police, national police, is improving all the time," Weighill said. "If that leadership is strong, then by and large, the levels and frequency of criminality - whether it's taking bribes, whether it's involved in corruption, or indeed involvement in sectarian violence - tends to diminish."

To help ensure adherence to standards, ethics and protocol, the general said, the Iraqi police just conducted a full spectrum inspection of all 47 police stations in Baghdad.

The review highlighted that among other areas, police infrastructure, vehicles, and overall processes and procedures all need improvement, Weighill said, though he noted anti-corruption procedures are far tighter than in the past, especially relating to funding and personnel payments.

Management and administration of the
police force stand to gain from the gradual introduction of digital information management systems, Weighill said. He predicted the systems could be in place by late 2008.

In the meantime, shortages of capacity within the
police training regime have actually led to a temporary freeze on police recruiting throughout Iraq, Weighill said, though he characterized the hold as a positive sign.

"There's no shortage of volunteers," he said. "In fact, we've had to... place a three-month moratorium on recruiting simply because we don't have the capacity and the training establishments at the moment to deal with the numbers that are volunteering to join the
police."

For the existing
police training facilities and programs, progress is unlikely to be affected by the Iraq funding debate in Washington, Weighill said.

"We in the
police are probably in a slightly better position than the Iraqi army," he said, "in so far as the money that is spent by the United States in support of the Iraqi police is a smaller proportion of those funds than is spent on the Iraqi army."
"What is interesting," Weighill added, "is that the Iraqi central government budget for the police in 2007 almost doubled from 2006, so actually the Iraqi government is contributing significantly to the way in which business is conducted."

That type of strong Iraqi government commitment is largely behind the steady improvement of the police force, Weighill said.

"I work on a daily basis in the Ministry of Interior building with people... who are becoming good friends," he said. They exert "an enormous amount of industry to try and ensure that the Iraqi
police can operate and function effectively."

Weighill said close contact with the police force in his first two months in Iraq have reversed what were negative impressions of their capabilities and efficacy.

"I came out here with perhaps the view that prevails in the United Kingdom - I can't speak for the United States - which is that the Iraqi
police are emphatically infiltrated with sectarian issues," Weighill said. "They're not trusted by the population, that they have difficulties in undertaking their tasks. I have found the opposite to be the case," he added.

"Pretty much every contact that I've had with the
police is that these boys... and these women are doing a pretty good job in highly demanding circumstances," the general said. "And I think as you would say in your country, as far as I'm concerned, they're patriots."

(Tim Kilbride is assigned to New Media, American Forces Information Service.)

Article sponsored by
Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.

NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary

Thursday, April 19, 2007

"System Can Scan Plates, Talk to Officer"
Dallas Morning News (04/15/07) P. 10B; Abshire, Richard

The Mesquite
Police Department is the first in Texas to receive the PlateScan system, which uses cameras and computers to "remember" each license plate it witnesses as an officer patrols the streets or the parking-lot at an area mall. In addition, the system records a color picture of the car, with the time, date, and location as configured by GPS satellites. It also checks every plate number against databases that contain stolen and wanted vehicles and registered sex offenders. When it receives a hit, a robotic voice informs the officer. The program was launched on Feb. 28, and to date has cleared a minimum of four stolen cars, notes Mesquite police representative Lt. Steve Callarman. In one situation, a man in a stolen car drove past a parked police car while the officer was making a call. When the officer came back to his car, he was informed by the system about the stolen vehicle, and it was found nearby. It cost approximately $40,000 to outfit two police cars.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/mesquite/
stories/DN-mesplates_15eas.ART.East.Edition1.430b966.html

"Sex-Offender List Goes Online in Kane County"
Chicago Tribune (04/16/07) P. C3; Presecky, William

The Kane County, Ill., sheriff's office now has a computer tracking system for sex offenders living in unincorporated parts of the county, currently totaling roughly 55 individuals. The system is available to the public through the Web site of the sheriff's office, and allows county residents to see the locations of all sex offenders living within a mile of their location. Residents can also opt to have email or postal mail sent to them when a sex offender moves into their area. The county hopes to expand the system soon to track the additional 280 or so sex offenders who live in incorporated municipalities within the county, and plans to update the registry daily so that members of the public have the most accurate information possible about where sex offenders live.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/
chi-0704150314apr16,1,2459254.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

"Standing Guard Over Criminal Evidence"
Sacramento Bee (CA) (04/12/07) P. G1; Richie, David

To ensure the high quality of evidence from crime scenes, the city of Citrus Heights, Calif., has spent $1 million to construct a 5,800-square-foot storage structure. Only two
police officers have access to the entire evidence storage facility, which has been incorporated into the existing police station. One of the two officers is Michelle Combs, a crime scene investigator/property-evidence specialist with 21 years experience in law enforcement. Both officers are essentially on-call 24/7 and are dispatched to all major crime scenes. Combs helped design and equip the van they travel in as well as the crime lab and storage facility. She says day-to-day access to the facility needs to be extremely restricted because "almost always a theft is accomplished internally." Some of the features of the facility include lockers that lock automatically after evidence is handed in, an area for drying wet items prior to processing, and a secure, temperature-controlled room to hold perishable items. Vehicles can be towed to a secure area at the back of the site. The majority of operations are conducted internally, with the exception of certain blood and drug assessments that are performed by the Sacramento County district attorney's crime lab. http://www.sacbee.com/190/story/152654.html

"Perry Touts Better Radio System"
Valley Morning Star (Texas) (04/12/07); Hernandez, Elizabeth

Texas has achieved Level 4 emergency radio communications status for interoperable communications as judged on a 1 to 6 scale, reports Texas Gov. Rick Perry. In addition, Austin, Houston, and a few other Texas areas have achieved the top ranking of Level 6. U.S. Homeland Security director for Texas Steve McCraw explains that Level 4 ranking signifies that
police, firefighters, and other first-responders can communicate with each other from radios that are connected immediately through some core central command. He notes that Level 6 means first responders have radio systems that act like cell phones, which can roam onto different agency channels themselves. Perry says "radio interoperability" in Texas today enables firefighters, police, and other emergency responders to speak instantly when responding to an event. In fact, since 2003 Congress has invested $2 billion in nationwide radio interoperability. Perry adds that Level 4 communication will impact people in the field. For instance, police who stop illegal aliens will be able to radio the appropriate agency to help handle it. http://www.valleymorningstar.com/onset?id=1833&template=article.html

"Township Approves Police Radio Tower"
Ocean County Observer (04/13/07); Pais, Matt

The building of a new, 150-foot-high tower will provide
police with improved radio reception when answering calls in the Whiting, N.J., region. The Manchester Township Council sanctioned a bid from TekTron for the tower during the second week of April, paving the way for the tower to be erected at the public works garage on Route 70 close to the Whiting-Lakehurst border. The tower will allow officers to stay in touch with the township's communications system no matter where they are situated. The present network is inundated with numerous "dead" spots, particularly inside the industrial structures, according to Sgt. Bob Dolan. "We expect [the new tower] will improve the in-building communications in places where officers have to either move to get a signal or often go back to their car," he said. The project is the second stage of a scheduled revamping of the police department's communications systems. Besides Manchester, numerous local police departments, including Lacey, Lakewood, Stafford, and Toms River, have already converted from typical analog radios to a digital network. The new system allows for greater communication with other county police departments and Sheriff's Department officials from Burlington and Ocean counties.
http://www.ocobserver.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070413/NEWS01/704130327/-1/SPORTS06

"Cops Spike Spoke Thieves"
Yuba City Appeal-Democrat (04/12/07); Young, Rob

When bicycle thieves attempted to steal an expensive model bike in Yuba City, Calif., they were not aware they led the police department to their location. On loan from Pegasus Technologies, Yuba City police planted a motion-activated transmitter on the bike, hidden in the seat. Nationwide, about 150 U.S. police departments have employed this tracking system, with prospects for it becoming a solution to automobile theft. Universities also use the tracking system, where bicycle thefts on campus are more prevalent. Although car owners can use the transmitter, Jason Cecchettini of Pegasus says bike owners cannot because the radio frequency can only be accessed by
police.
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/onset?id=46900&template=article.html


"System Will Notify Crime Victims of Inmate Releases"
Harrisburg Patriot-News (PA) (04/11/07) P. A3; Lenton, Garry

Within six months, Pennsylvania plans to roll out in midstate a free service that will allow crime victims to track the whereabouts of their offenders when they are moved, released, or escape. Crime victims will be able to anonymously sign up for the Statewide Automated Victim Information Network (SAVIN) by telephone or online, and the notification system will provide alerts by telephone, email, or text message. "Any crime victim can use this software," says Jennifer Storm, executive director of the Dauphin County Victim Witness program. "It really broadens who is allowed to receive notification." Appriss, a software development company in Louisville, Ky., assisted the state in developing SAVIN, which will be limited to tracking offenders in county prisons initially. SAVIN cost $1.5 million to develop, and about $600,000 will be needed each year to maintain the system. Appriss says 1,500 communities in 43 states are using the system.
http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=
doc&p_docid=11874E566D19E218&p_docnum=1



"Fingerprints Give a Hand to Security"
Wall Street Journal (04/12/07) P. B4; Keeton, Ann

Fingerprints are increasingly becoming the preferred way to use biometrics to verify an individual's identity. Roughly 10 percent of new laptops come with fingerprint sensors, which eliminate the need to remember passwords. Fingerprints are also being used by 20 million consumers in Japan for access to online bank accounts, ATMs, and point-of-sale credit card purchases. The use of fingerprints as a form of identification has taken off because many of the problems surrounding fingerprint identification--most notably hacking and spoofing, or fooling a system with a false print--have largely been addressed. AuthenTec, a maker of commercial fingerprint sensors, has patented technology that reads prints on living tissue in a layer of skin below the surface. This eliminates the possibility of the system being spoofed by someone lifting a print from a piece of tape or using a fake finger made from a mold of a real finger. In addition, stored fingerprint information is encrypted. However, spoofing and hacking remain potential problems that require continuous software updating, said AuthenTec President Larry Ciaccia.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117633761672067121.html

"Wood Co. Sheriff Plans to Monitor Prisoners"
Marshfield News Herald (WI) (04/11/07) P. 1A; Madden, Karen

The Wood County, Wis., Sheriff's Department is developing an electronic monitoring program that will allow the county to scale back the Wood County Jail work release program. The county will use technology, such as ankle bracelets, to closely monitor the location of inmates at all times. According to Sheriff Thomas Reichert, an ankle bracelet worn against the skin will even reveal blood alcohol concentration. The Sheriff's Department plans to reassign a correction officer to oversee the electronic monitoring of selected prisoners. Most residents are concerned about replacing the work release program with electronic monitoring. "It's unfortunate that we must deal with a decision on how to house our prisoners," says Reichert. "However, we are dealing with extremely limited budgets, and I am forced to decide whether to implement this type of program or lay off deputy sheriffs and correction officers."
http://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070411/MNH0101/704110500/1980

"Backing Up Backup Calls"
Indianapolis Star (04/11/07) P. 1; Ryckaert, Vic

To prevent the occurrence of radio dead zones, or isolated areas with little or no radio reception, officials in Marion County, Ind., agreed in 2006 to replace the county's existing 16-year-old system with a digital one. Officials say the new system will be financed through grants and a bond that will be repaid using local tax money, and workers have already launched construction on new communication towers. The Metropolitan Emergency Communications Agency (MECA) will replace all its analog radio equipment with digital gear from Motorola and will also build six extra antenna towers to accompany the existing five. Such actions are expected to virtually eliminate all the areas with poor reception. Officials say the new system will also enhance communication in high-rise buildings. New communications sites are being built at Butler University, Lawrence, Geist, and Cumberland, while removing towers and backup power systems will be improved. More than 6,500 new radios and 80 dispatch consoles will be distributed among public safety and public service personnel, including the Department of Public Works and IndyGo. The new gear will allow emergency responders to be able to talk with one another during crises regardless of where in the county they are, according to Ray Raney, executive director of MEC. http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007704110508

"Tool Helps Police Track Sex Offenders"
Florida Times-Union (04/11/07) P. B5; Kerr, Jessie-Lynne

With help from LexisNexis, the Florida Department of
Law Enforcement (FDLE) has launched a new investigative tool to enable law enforcement to take faster action against child abductors and absconding sex offenders. According to Jim Peck, chief executive officer of LexisNexis Risk and Information Analytics Group, there are 600,000 sex offenders nationwide, but 100,000 of them fail to register as legally required and move across state borders to remain anonymous. LexisNexis' system mines through public records to gather various types of data about sex offenders. These people "ultimately get into our system, and our system is able to distinguish between an innocent person and a sexual predator who happen to have the same names," says Peck. In the case of a child abduction, officials can key in the ZIP code of the incident to obtain a list of all the registered and unregistered sex offenders in the area. The system helps lead officers "to the right doors," says Peck. FDLE official Mary Coffee says any law enforcement agency in the state can use the technology through the state's secure and private network. She says the system has already helped the state locate more than 1,300 unregistered sex offenders.
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/041107/met_9164427.shtml

"Training Planned to Improve Campus Security"
Boston Globe (04/18/07); Smalley, Suzanne

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has ordered the state's 29 public colleges to assess their emergency response plans and security practices in response to the Virginia Tech shooting rampage. Local and state government and
law enforcement officials met privately Tuesday to discuss ways to improve security on Massachusetts campuses and prepare for emergencies. To that end, the Boston Police Department announced that it will train local college security teams on how to react to school shootings, though this training will take different forms, depending on whether campus security forces are armed or unarmed. Armed security forces will receive training on SWAT techniques, while unarmed security guards will mostly be trained on how to quickly call for police help and how to work with responding officers. Officials have also discussed the use of emergency communications technology to alert students about school shootings, including an initiative aimed at connecting campuses to a police radio network used by Boston law enforcement. A heavy emphasis is also being placed on preventing shootings by paying more attention to the red flags and danger signs that could indicate a student is about to become violent. A spokesman for the University of Massachusetts at Boston said that the Virginia Tech shooting underscores the unpredictable nature of events that university security efforts must be prepared for--and that there is always room for improvement, more cooperation, more thoroughness, and greater adaptability.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/
04/18/training_planned_to_improve_campus_security/

"New 911 System Gives Responders Huge Boost"
Minneapolis Star Tribune (04/11/07) P. 1A; Chanen, David

The
Minneapolis Police Department has a new dispatching tool for its 911 center, allowing dispatchers to visually track the movements of every police car, fire truck, and ambulance on the streets via the global positioning system. In addition, police can access an aerial view of crime scenes to determine which cars are closest to the scene and then dispatch those cars as quickly as possible. The new system cost $4.3 million, and was funded through a federal Department of Homeland Security grant. When a 911 operator forwards a call to a police dispatcher, the computer system automatically locates the nearest vehicles to the address from which the call originated; information about vehicle location is never more than 10 seconds old. In addition, the system can inform officers via their laptop computers which other squad cars are responding to a particular crime scene. Fire trucks are also being equipped with laptops connected to the system, allowing them to receive turn-by-turn directions to a scene and look at the architectural plans and any particular hazards of the building to which they are heading. http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1112764.html

"With a Zap or Swipe of IDs, Device Helps Nab Scofflaws"
USA Today (04/10/07) P. 3A; Coolidge, Sharon

The Clermont County of Ohio Sheriff's Office is the first U.S. civilian
law enforcement agency to test a new data device that enables officers to check a suspect's identity against 140 "wanted" or "watch" lists in the United States. Officers will use Mobilisa's m2500 Defense ID system, which can check a suspect's identity and provide answers using numerous fugitive watch lists, criminal background databases, and convicted sex offender lists in just one second. The device reads the barcode on a state ID or U.S. passport. Some privacy advocates such as Cato Institute information-policy expert Jim Harper says that if this device is used to scan crowds, for instance, it may go against the constitutional barring of unreasonable search and seizure. Clermont County Sheriff A.J. Rodenberg calls the device "the future of crime fighting." http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-04-09-handheld_N.htm

"Security Cameras Work, Group Told"
Reading Eagle (PA) (04/12/07); Spatz, Don

Reading, Pa., is considering a $1.8 million security camera system. The City Council is being asked to finance the $390,000 initial stage of the 25-camera plan. "Where we've installed cameras, they've made a difference," noted Lancaster Community Safety Coalition executive director Dale B. Witmer. The coalition has implemented 35 security cameras throughout Lancaster. Nearly every crime-ridden neighborhood is his city has asked the coalition for the cameras, Witmer added. Reading Councilman Jeffrey S. Waltman Sr., who initially had been reluctant about the proposal, stated on April 11 that he is now in favor of the cameras. In addition, Councilman Stratton P. Marmarou, also a supporter, announced he would like to see Berks County assist with the financing, as Lancaster County did with the cameras in the city of Lancaster. Former city policeman Michael A. Garipoli is urging Reading to spend enough money to purchase cameras that offer crisp images, as one-day photo recognition software could be implemented that can automatically concentrate on passing faces and determine which of them possess outstanding warrants. http://www.readingeagle.com

Article sponsored by
Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.