Thursday, May 28, 2009

Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant Applications

BJA is currently accepting applications from eligible applicants for the following solicitations:
Capital Case Litigation Initiativewww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/CCLI.htmlApplications are due June 11, 2009
Recovery Act: Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Local Solicitationwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recoveryJAG/recoveryjag.htmlDue date extended to June 17, 2009
National Initiatives: Adjudication Programwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/09NationalAdjudicationSol.pdfApplications are due June 22, 2009
Enhancing Institutional and Community Corrections Grant Programwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/09NationalCorrectionsSol.pdfApplications are due June 22, 2009
National Initiatives: Preventing Crimewww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/09NationalPreventingCrimeSol.pdfApplications are due June 22, 2009
Methamphetamine Precursor Chemical Diversion Training and Technical Assistance Programwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/09MethPrecursorTTASol.pdfApplications due June 23, 2009
Bulletproof Vest Partnership Programwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/bvpbasi/Applications due June 24, 2009
National Initiatives: Enhancing Law Enforcementwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/09NationalLawEnforcementSol.pdfApplications are due June 25, 2009
FY 2009 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program State Solicitationwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/jag.htmlApplications are due June 25, 2009
FY 2009 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Local Solicitationwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/jag.html

Public Safety Technology in the News

Technology on Horizon to Prevent Officers From Being Dragged
Dallas Morning News, (05/12/2009), Jason Trahan and Tanya Eiserer

Research is under way to use "directed energy" technology to disable a suspect's car when a driver is stopped by police and attempts to flee. Police have been hurt in incidents in which a driver accelerates after being stopped and approached by officers. Military scientists and private laboratories in California and Michigan are developing directed energy beams that could be aimed at a vehicle to burn out its circuitry. The challenge is to determine the frequencies in the right amounts so that the suspect's car is disabled, not the police car. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is working with an aerospace laboratory to study the technology. To prevent a dangerous person from driving away, police officers can attempt to pull the suspect from a vehicle or stop it by grabbing keys or engaging the emergency brake, but that can result in the officer being dragged.
www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/051209dnmetcopstop.4471e7e.html

Cell Phone Planted at Prison Yields Two Arrests
Baltimore Sun, (05/13/2009)

Officials have uncovered crimes by recording inmate conversations from a contraband cell phone planted by authorities in a Baltimore prison. Authorities charged two men with armed robbery in connection with a home invasion plot that resulted in one person being shot and killed. Cell phones are routinely smuggled into prisons and can be used for illegal activities. A seven-month investigation that included wiretaps on illegal prison cell phones led to the federal indictment of 24 people believed to be members of a violent gang. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has asked for permission to test signal-jamming technology that could render prison cell phones useless.
www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-md.crimebriefs13a0may13,0,3004666.story

NYPD Unveils 40 Hybrid Patrol Cars
Newsday, (05/04/2009), Rocco Parascandola

The New York Police Department has 40 new hybrid patrol cars, increasing initial cost but improving fuel efficiency. The cars are being dispatched to congested precincts and precincts that cover wide tracts of land. Mayor Michael Bloomberg noted that the Nissan Altima hybrids are made in Smyrna, Tenn., while the Crown Victorias and Chevy Impalas that make up most of the department's fleet of patrol cars are made in Canada. Most of the city's 3,300 hybrid cars are assigned to sanitation, buildings, parks and transportation. The Altimas each cost about $25,400 before lights and sirens are added, which is about $1,400 more than the Impala and $500 more than the Crown Victoria. But the Altimas are about twice as efficient on gas mileage.
www.officer.com/web/online/Top-News-Stories/NYPD-Unveils-40-Hybrid-Patrol-Cars/1$46500

Computer Graphics Inform, Connect Prosecutors With Jury
Detroit Free Press, (05/19/2009), Amber Hunt

Technology is playing a stronger role in presenting criminal cases to juries. Texas attorney Howard Nations says today's jurors are accustomed to a visual, digital world. Prosecutors employ sophisticated computer graphics, aerial satellite photos and other technology that allow jurors to visualize the case. Prosecutors in Macomb County, Mich., plan to use computer graphics during an upcoming murder case in June to depict the crime scene. According to Nations' law firm, studies show that when jurors deliberate, 8 percent of what they remember comes from what they hear; 55 percent of what they remember comes from what they see.
www.freep.com/article/20090519/NEWS05/905190332

Mock NYC Terror Attack Brings Up 9/11 Memories
Associated Press, (05/17/2009)

More than 800 first responders participated in a recent disaster response exercise near the World Trade Center site, the scene of the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City. The two-hour mock terrorist attack exercise held May 17 simulated an explosion on a New Jersey-bound PATH commuter train in a tunnel. Police, firefighters and other emergency personnel worked with 150 volunteers posing as injured passengers. The purpose of the drill was to improve interagency cooperation in the event of a real disaster. Firefighters used lightweight aluminum carts that fit onto train tracks to transport the most severely "injured" passengers. The carts were developed following the 2005 bombings on the London subway system.
cbs4.com/national/responders.wtc.training.2.1011618.html

Rural Oregon Area Boasts a Top Evacuation System
The Oregonian, (05/16/2009), Richard Cockle

A sophisticated evacuation system in rural Oregon is attracting attention for its utility and efficiency. An advanced wireless system in Umatilla and Morrow counties allows first responders to communicate across 1,000 square miles, watch disasters on monitors linked to 65 remote-controlled cameras and reverse traffic on highways. The $7.5 million system was built five years ago to protect residents living near the U.S. Army's Umatilla Chemical Depot. The area covered by the system is bigger than Seattle and its suburbs. Officials in command centers can override traffic signals, control electronic message boards and activate 19 drop-down barricades to reroute traffic.
www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/northcentral_oregon_features_n.html

Bringing Community Policing to Your Computer
Black Voice News, (05/14 2009), Chris Levister

Crime mapping technology is allowing residents of San Bernardino, Calif., to track crime in their city. The city police department is using CrimeView Community to allow users to view by date and location specific crimes such as robbery, assault, rape and homicide, up to five miles from an address. The department allows access through its Web site, http://www.SBPDonline.org. The service is possible through a $100,000 federal grant. City leaders say the service provides residents with a better idea of police activities, helps the department reach out to citizens and encourages residents to help police address crime.
www.blackvoicenews.com/content/view/43142/3/

DHS Approves Labs for P25 Compliance Program
UrgentCommunications, (05/07/2009), Donny Jackson

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has approved eight laboratories to test equipment as part of the Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (P CAP). The testing program is designed to ensure equipment interoperates as specified in the P25 program, which is focused on developing standards that allow radios and other components to interoperate regardless of manufacturer, enabling emergency responders to communicate easily. Most of the labs are in the United States; one is in New Zealand. CAP is managed in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Under the program, labs will test equipment and provide detailed test reports to manufacturers, who will use the reports to create summary test reports, which will be published at www.rkb.us.
urgentcomm.com/test_and_measurement/news/p25-compliance-labs-approved-20090507/

Friday, May 22, 2009

Criminal Justice Electronic Crime Technology Center of Excellence

Application Deadline: June 19, 2009 11:45 PM eastern time.

NIJ is seeking applications to establish a Criminal Justice Technology Center of Excellence for Electronic Crime within the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center System (the "NLECTC System"). The Electronic Crime Center will provide testing, evaluation, technology assistance, and other services with regard to technologies intended for use by law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies to combat electronic crime.

MORE INFORMATION
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/sl000874.pdf

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Leadership: Texas Hold'Em Style - by Harvey & Foster - A Leading Questions review

Editor's Note: Both authors are former law enforcement.

There are many different kinds of leadership books in the marketplace. The most prevalent kind are books written by business school academics and biographies of leaders. Each has their value, but for practicality, the majority do not translate well into practice. Then there are books that are written by practitioners. This is what I found when I came across Andrew J. Harvey and Raymond E. Foster's Leadership: Texas Hold'em Style (www.pokerleadership.com).

READ ON
http://edbrenegar.typepad.com/leading_questions/2009/05/leadership-texas-holdem-style-by-harvey-foster-a-leading-questions-review.html

Monday, May 18, 2009

Predictive Policing Demonstration and Evaluation Program

Application Deadline: June 15, 2009 11:45 PM eastern time.
Predictive policing includes strategies and tactics that improve the situational awareness of law enforcement concerning individuals or locations before criminal activity occurs. NIJ seeks qualified applicants to develop and demonstrate predictive policing models that can be subjected to rigorous evaluation for criminal justice outcomes and impacts. Through a companion solicitation, NIJ will seek qualified applicants to act as an independent, multisite program evaluator for this effort with which successful applicants will be expected to collaborate as a condition of award.

MORE INFORMATION
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/sl000877.pdf

Saturday, May 16, 2009

August 2009 National Victim Assistance Academy

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) in the U.S. Department of Justice sponsors the National Victim Assistance Academy (NVAA). The NVAA is comprised of education and skill-based classroom trainings for those who assist victims and survivors of crime. Following a formal evaluation in 2003, the NVAA was redesigned to better address the skills and abilities that are required of victim service professionals. The revised NVAA was launched in 2007 and includes three distinct tracks tailored to the needs of each participant. All three tracks will be offered during the week-long 2009 Academy.
More Information
https://www.ovcttac.gov/nvaa/

Integrated Biometrics Identification System

A recent benefit of computer technology is the ability for a police officer to transmit a record of an individual's fingerprint impressions from the field and receive confirmation of identity in the amount of time a routine detention takes. Devices such as the Integrated Biometric Identification System (IBIS) or Remote Data Terminal (RDT) make it possible to catch wanted persons while they are stopped, regardless of the name or identification they provide.

READ ON
http://www.police-technology.net/integrated_biometrics_identification_system.html

Friday, May 15, 2009

The 3 Cs of Ethical Leadership

Unfortunately, all supervisors or managers are not leaders. A good cop is genuinely a leader to the community they serve. But everyone in a position of authority is not really a leader. A well rounded leader possesses the 3 Cs: character, charisma, and compassion. These are the core foundation of ethical leadership.

http://www.police-writers.com/articles/ethical_leadership.html

Bomb Threat Stand Off Distance Chart

The Bomb Threat Stand Off Distances Chart was developed by the National Counterterrorism Center and provides evacuation distances for various types of bomb threats.

Download the Chart
http://www.hitechcj.com/homelandsecurity/bomb_threat_stand_off_distances.html

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Electronic Monitoring Standard Special Technical Committee Request for Proposals for Testing and Certification Expertise:

The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center ¡V Rocky Mountain (NLECTC-RM) is managing an effort to develop a new National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standard for electronic monitoring equipment used to track offenders released into the community. This standard will be developed by a Special Technical Committee (STC), comprised of practitioners from the field, researchers, testing experts, certification experts, and representatives from stakeholder organizations. The STC will participate in a 2-day meeting each month for 12 to 18 months with the goal of completing development of the standard and certification program requirements. It is anticipated that STC meetings will begin in July 2009. Travel expenses and per diem will be reimbursed for all non-Federal participants in STC meetings; however, participation time will not be funded.

NLECTC-RM is seeking two types of expertise for the STC through this request:
1. Certification bodies with experience in programs for similar types of electronic equipment
2. Testing laboratories with specific expertise in performance requirements and test methods applicable to electronic monitoring devices in areas such as:


Safety: electrical, mechanical, interactions with skin, electromagnetic exposure
Electrical: power requirements, battery life, software interfaces
Wireless transmission: GPS and cellular
Operational: power on/off, EMC, temperature, humidity, water
Mechanical: size, weight, drop, pressure
Functional: alarms/indicators, range, signal strength
Compatibility with other equipment

Additional preferred knowledge includes experience with electronic monitoring systems or experience in corrections.

There are two to three positions to be filled on the STC. NLECTC-RM will accept the first 10 submissions to this request for review.

Interested parties are requested to nominate individuals from their organizations and submit no more than two pages describing the nominee¡¦s applicable experience, preferred knowledge, and affiliations with standards development organizations. The submission should identify which type of expertise is addressed (i.e., testing, certification, or both). This information shall be submitted to George Drake, NLECTC-RM at george.drake@nlectc-rm.org by May 29, 2009.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Sensors and Surveillance: An Overview for Law Enforcement and Corrections

On May 14, Center of Excellence Deputy Director Chris McAleavey, Senior Applications Engineer Jerry Cook and Analyst Mary Collins will discuss the three main technology focus areas within the SSU portfolio of the Center:

Concealed Weapons / Contraband Detection
Enhanced Surveillance
Novel Sensors

This webcast will include:

An overview of new and emerging sensor technology customized for law enforcement applications
Advances in millimeter wave technology for security screenings
A history of NIJ investment in through-wall surveillance research and a review of current systems in development
Automated intelligence-driven video analytics software
Recent technology installations and deployments.

http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=56709

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Fed Undercover - Contract Killer; Weapons Dealer; Pedophile

On May 15, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion Special Agent Bob Hamer, FBI (ret.) on his career as an undercover federal agent.

Program Date: May 15, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Fed Undercover - Contract Killer; Weapons Dealer; Pedophile
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/05/16/Fed-Undercover-Contract-Killer-Weapons-Dealer-Pedophile

About the Guest
Special Agent
Bob Hamer, Federal Bureau of Investigation (ret.) spent 26 years as a “street agent” for the FBI; many of those years undercover. As an uncover agent he posed as a drug dealer, contract killer, fence, pedophile, degenerate gambler, weapons dealer, and white-collar criminal.

Bob Hamer worked undercover against such diverse groups as La Cosa Nostra, the Sicilian Mafia, Mexican Mafia, Russian Mafia, Asian organized crime groups, and Los Angeles-based street gangs. His successful infiltration of NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association) resulted in the arrest of what one defendant called eight members of the “inner circle.” He received numerous awards throughout his career including the FBI Director’s Award for Distinguished Service, four United States Attorney Awards for Distinguished Service, and numerous letters of commendation including one from then U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani. Bob Hamer is the author of The Last Undercover: The True Story of an FBI Agent’s Dangerous Dance with Evil.

According to the book description of The Last Undercover: The True Story of an FBI Agent’s Dangerous Dance with Evil, “
Bob Hamer tells the story of his life as an undercover agent for the FBI posing as everything from a drug dealer to an aging pedophile. Looking back on a career rich in the kind of action that makes for great cinema, Hamer describes the challenges he endured as he stared the dark side of humanity in the face.”

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is
police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the
Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Law Enforcement Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/05/16/Fed-Undercover-Contract-Killer-Weapons-Dealer-Pedophile

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Saturday, May 02, 2009

1000 Military Servicemembers

On May 2, 2009, Military-Writers.com added the 1000th servicemember who has written a book. The site lists current, former and retired military personnel who have authored books. In addition to being categorized by branch of service, the books written by military personnel can be searched by subject such as military fiction, military tactics and doctrine, leadership, non-military fiction and by conflict.

MORE INFORMATION
Military Books