For the past thirty years, activists in the domestic violence movement have pushed the criminal justice system to actively respond to intimate partner violence. Initiated at the grass roots level this movement now enjoys increasing support from government officials, researchers, and criminal justice practitioners. Many police departments have responded to the charge by creating domestic violence units, instituting better training on the issue, and having clearly written policies regarding response practices.
To address this difficult, but important problem, researchers in this field tend to approach it from three different avenues. Work is being done to assess the incidence of prevalence of violence among intimates, as well as other types of abuse. Others are working on developing interventions aimed at aimed at reducing domestic violence either by treating and/or sanctioning batterers, aiding the victims and survivors, or a combination of the two. The third avenue researchers have taken is to try to determine risk of intimate partner violence or repeated violence.
This study is part of the third group. It is an attempt to contribute to the growing body of knowledge about who is at most risk of committing future domestic violence once an incident has been recognized by the police. The work presented here is a result of collaboration among the Berkeley Police Department, the East Bay Public Safety Corridor Partnership, and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. It was h d e d by the National Institute of Justice as part of their locally initiated partnership grants, which intent was to forge collaborative relationships between researchers and practitioners.
READ ON
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/182781.pdf
Showing posts with label police departments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label police departments. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Dane County, Wisconsin, Arrest Policies Project: A Process Evaluation
The Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies Program encourages jurisdictions to implement mandatory or pro-arrest policies as an effective domestic violence intervention that is part of a coordinated community response. Congress appropriated funds for the Arrest Program under the Violence Against Women Act (1994). The Program assumes that the arrest of a batterer will leverage the coercive and persuasive power of the criminal justice system to ensure victim safety and manage the behavior of abusive, violent offenders. Ensuring victim safety and offender accountability are the guiding principles underlying the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies. The Violence Against Women Act directs that the Arrest Program funds be used to:
Implement mandatory arrest or pro-arrest programs and policies in police departments, including mandatory arrest programs or pro-arrest program and polices for protection order violations
Develop policies and training programs in police departments and other criminal justice and tribal agencies to improve tracking of cases involving domestic violence
Centralize and coordinate police enforcement, prosecution, probation, parole or judicial responsibility for domestic violence cases in groups or units of police officers, prosecutors, probation and parole officers or judges
Coordinate computer tracking systems to ensure communication between police, prosecutors, and both criminal and family courts
Strengthen legal advocacy service programs for victims of domestic violence by providing complete information and support for a victim of domestic violence as the case against her abuser moves through the criminal justice system
Educate judges, and others responsible for judicial handling of domestic violence cases, in criminal, tribal, and other courts about domestic violence to improve judicial handling of such cases.
READ ON
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/201884.pdf
Implement mandatory arrest or pro-arrest programs and policies in police departments, including mandatory arrest programs or pro-arrest program and polices for protection order violations
Develop policies and training programs in police departments and other criminal justice and tribal agencies to improve tracking of cases involving domestic violence
Centralize and coordinate police enforcement, prosecution, probation, parole or judicial responsibility for domestic violence cases in groups or units of police officers, prosecutors, probation and parole officers or judges
Coordinate computer tracking systems to ensure communication between police, prosecutors, and both criminal and family courts
Strengthen legal advocacy service programs for victims of domestic violence by providing complete information and support for a victim of domestic violence as the case against her abuser moves through the criminal justice system
Educate judges, and others responsible for judicial handling of domestic violence cases, in criminal, tribal, and other courts about domestic violence to improve judicial handling of such cases.
READ ON
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/201884.pdf
Friday, June 08, 2007
Law Enforcement Technology News Summaries
NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, June 7, 2007
"GPS Tracking of Offenders"
Deseret Morning News (06/03/07); Winslow, Ben
TrackerPAL is a recently released violator monitoring system that combines GPS, computer, and cell-phone technology into one miniscule unit fueled by a 20-hour battery. The waterproof gadget straps to a violator's ankle and monitors his movements utilizing GPS technology. At an around-the-clock monitoring center in Sandy, Utah, workers follow dozens of violators' locations. If the offenders go someplace they are not allowed, an alert appears on the screen. The TrackerPAL's cell unit permits operators and violators to speak with each other and can notify police or probation officers. In addition, it emits a 95-decibel siren if the violator wanders into a prohibited area or is hiding when authorities are looking for him. The software can be authorized to include off-limits locations, such as schools and parks. Although a violator can be followed to within 50 meters, TrackerPAL is restricted in that urban settings can cause signal problems. http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660226365,00.html
"County, Local Police Disagree on System to Link Databases"
Times Herald-Record (NY) (06/04/07); McKenna, Chris
Although it has been two years since officials in Orange County, N.Y., proposed creating a computer network for every police department in the county to share access to arrest reports, mugshots, and other records, only a partial network initiated by the police, not the county, exists today. Police chiefs are hoping that the county will adopt a program that is in use at 13 of the 31 departments. However, county officials are pursuing a method for linking records from different computer systems that would allow each department to keep its existing system. "Different agencies want to use different software to meet their needs," said Orange County Emergency Services Commissioner Walter Koury. "Let the software be the decision of each agency, but we will create a solution so that they will still be able to share data." The potential cost of such a system has not yet been determined, Koury said.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070604/NEWS/706040329/-1/NEWS
"Airport Protection System on the Way"
New York Newsday (06/05/07); Eisenberg, Carol
A $138 million, 57-mile system of sensors that will incorporate radar, video motion detectors, thermal imagers, and closed-circuit television is being erected around the perimeters of John F. Kennedy International (JFK), LaGuardia, Newark Liberty International, and Teterboro Airport. Designed by Raytheon, the virtual fence is already in use at Ben-Gurion International in Tel Aviv and Baghdad's airport. The system was in the works before the alleged plot to attack JFK was uncovered and is designed to prevent such an attack. "If you can't breach the perimeter of the airport, you can't reach the fuel farms," said one unnamed official. The system would send data in realtime to a central Port Authority Police station and airport command posts and will be another layer in airport security. But former head of security at Ben-Gurion Rafi Ron notes that the system will be useless if not combined with an adequate response force. "The question is not only detecting an intrusion but being able to respond to it in due time," says Ron, who now heads a transportation security firm in McLean, Va. "I think that most U.S. airports are relatively quick to invest in the technology, but fail to provide the human resources to respond to the detection when it occurs." The system should be operational by early next year.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usair055243304jun05,
0,3104587,print.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-print
"Chicago Police Make Return to the Skies"
Chicago Sun-Times (06/01/07) P. 16; Spielman, Fran
Police in Chicago recently acquired a new, $2.1 million helicopter through Homeland Security funds that features night vision instrumentation that lets officers who wear special goggles see in the dark. The new helicopter also has a searchlight and a gamma radiation detector designed to help find such things as dirty bombs. In addition, it has a LoJack detection system for pinpointing stolen automobiles as well as a special map system. Its robust video cameras can downlink images to the city's 911 emergency center. Chicago's police department also has a helicopter previously used by the fire department that was retrofitted in 2006 for police use. http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/410147,CST-NWS-heli01.article
"Tavares Gets Own 911 System"
Orlando Sentinel (FL) (06/03/07) P. J1; Comas, Martin E.
Tavares, Fla., recently introduced its new 911 dispatching service. A minimum of two dispatchers will be available around-the-clock in City Hall, fielding calls for police service. Though the initial emergency calls began coming in on May 31 as Tavares began transferring sections of the city over to the new system, June 1 was the initial whole day the 911 system was totally operational. The system is necessary to handle the city's rapidly-expanding population and increasing amount of emergency calls. In 2006, Tavares police officers answered around 25,440 calls, a 47 percent gain over 2003. Employing highly innovative requirement, the Tavares dispatchers monitor four screens, and can determine the location of each 911 call that comes in, including those placed from the majority of cell phones. The system will eventually be improved so that it will inform dispatchers of every patrol vehicle's precise location. The new emergency communications system will cost Tavares around $500,000 initially; the expenses include buying equipment and paying for salaries and instruction for the new dispatchers. The yearly price for running the center will be between $350,000 and $400,000.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-ltavares0307jun03
,0,5144198.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-lake
"Gun-Trace Plan Faces Hurdles"
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA) (06/03/07) P. A1; Valencia, Milton J.
Nationwide, a "track and map" effort dubbed Mayors Against Illegal Guns has been unfolding to monitor illegal gun ownership. The effort is being led by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. In Worcester, Mass., the initiative is being called "Where Did the Gun Come From?" and is part of a larger effort to encourage police, media outlets, and citizens to assess the source of a gun used in a criminal act instead of primarily focusing on the crime. A group called Main South Alliance for Public Safety is collaborating with a computer software maker to develop technology that can enhance weapons tracking. Community groups also say such technology could help neighborhoods better understand local crime. Officials say the program goes beyond the federal government's eTrace program. The software tracks a weapon based on such characteristics as its parts, make, model, caliber, or color. Users of the technology can also search for data based on ballistic testing. The Main South Alliance for Public Safety wants police chiefs statewide to take part in a pilot test the new software; the goal is to eventually expand it nationwide. But existing federal legislation known as the Tiahrt amendment bans the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives from releasing gun tracking data outside of law enforcement. Community groups say they do not want to infringe on the Second Amendment, but believe that a public tracking system would benefit communities. Leaders envision a Web site featuring a crime blog that residents could use to swap data about crimes, especially gun use.
http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20070603/NEWS/706030498/0/FRONTPAGE
"Sheriff Dawson Seeks More Than $150,000 for Communications Upgrades"
Herald & Review (IL) (06/01/07); Tallon, Mary
Macon County Sheriff Jerry Dawson in Illinois is requesting from the local government an appropriation of $156,503.75 to upgrade and make digital his department's back-up radio system. The upgrade also would benefit the emergency management agency of Macon County, Ill., for the agency uses the Macon County Sheriff radio. The 800 MHz system is too outdated to receive technical support from the manufacturer at this point, notes Dawson, and has not been updated since 1979. All this makes it even harder to use and maintain.
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2007/06/01/news/local_news/1023857.txt
"Germany Taking Hard Line to Foil Disruption at G-8"
Washington Post (06/06/07) P. A13; Whitlock, Craig
Germany has spent more than $100 million to secure the Group of Eight (G-8) summit, which is being held this week at the coastal resort of Heiligendamm. A seven-mile-long security fence crowned with razor wire will keep anti-globalization protesters at bay. The German government is being aggressive about securing the meeting after some 500 German police officers were injured when protesters rioted in Rostock last weekend; thus, 16,000 police officers will be on hand to secure the G-8 summit, and they will be reinforced by armored personnel carriers and helicopters. The protesters--many of whom aim to disrupt the summit--have been sharpening their tactics and strategies for the past several months, but so have German authorities. For example, German police, borrowing a tactic formerly used by the East German secret police, have quietly obtained "scent samples" of some protest leaders so that canine units will be able to sniff them out of crowds if necessary. Public demonstrations will not be allowed within a four-mile radius of the meeting. Just five miles up the road from Heiligendamm, protesters have established a base camp replete with a three-story lookout tower to spot police. There the protesters are practicing techniques aimed at thwarting security forces, such as disrobing and locking arms.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2007/06/06/AR2007060600568.html?hpid=topnews
"An Easy Segway Into Patrols"
Star-Ledger (NJ) (06/01/07) P. 17; Dilworth, Kevin C.
Police departments across New Jersey are purchasing the two-wheel Segway device to increase the range and effectiveness of community patrols. These hand-operated devices transport police officers in a standing position while the officers control the device. East Orange, N.J., police director Jose Cordero says his department is using Segways to harness the available resources to "close the gap between what the public would like to see, and things that we can do, given our current resources." Neptune, N.J., Police Chief Howard O'Neil says Segways create more opportunity for community interaction, especially with curious young people who ask his officers often about the device. A typical Segway can cost $6,000. Officers report that Segways can be useful for parade functions, community-related patrolling, and moving quickly on and across sidewalks, streets, and curbs. Many New Jersey departments are still evaluating the vehicle for its crime-fighting impact.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/
base/news-7/118067486425610.xml&coll=1
"Eyes Opened to Find the Missing"
Telegram & Gazette (05/31/07) P. B4; Valencia, Milton J.
The Worcester County, Mass., sheriff's office has launched Iris Recognition Biometric Technology, which allows individuals to be identified by a unique eye scan. Sheriff Guy W. Glodis says the technology will be especially helpful in identifying missing children and seniors with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The iris scans could be loaded into a database much the same way fingerprint information is now, but Glodis says the iris scans are more effective for identification because they are less susceptible to manipulation and can even distinguish between identical twins. Because many kidnapped children are susceptible to entering altered mental states, they may not know they have been kidnapped or their original identity when they are recovered; therefore, such a database would be important in making a positive identification. In addition, dementia-affected seniors who wander away from their homes and then become lost could also be identified with the technology.
http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20070531/NEWS/705310733/1008/NEWS02
"New Tools to Help Law Enforcement Find Missing Seniors"
9News (CO) (05/31/07); McGuire, Heidi
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) recently signed into law a bill intended to allow law enforcement to rapidly monitor individuals with Alzheimer's and other disabilities. Under Project Lifesaver, participants obtain a device with radio frequency technology such as a bracelet. The devices can aid in tracking a person who gets lost or needs help. Most of the counties in the Denver area now have the radio frequency devices, and other counties in the state will eventually have them. An estimated 64,000 people in Colorado suffer from Alzheimer's, and most require at-home care.
http://www.9news.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=71061
"Neighborhoods Lining Up for City's Cameras"
Columbus Dispatch (OH) (05/31/07) P. 1A; Ferenchik, Mark
Community leaders in several Columbus, Ohio, neighborhoods have expressed enthusiasm about extending the city's anti-crime surveillance camera initiative to their neighborhoods. For the past several years, the city's overburdened police department has been lobbying city leaders for additional police officers, cruisers, and gear. And several city neighborhoods have been requesting that the city deploy surveillance cameras. Mayor Michael B. Coleman has moved forward with a plan to test video surveillance technology as an anti-crime measure, and he is especially keen on using the cameras at city festivals and in certain neighborhoods. The cameras also could be deployed at parks and recreation centers. South Linden Area Commission President George Walker Jr., Northland Community Council President Dave Paul, and other community leaders say they would welcome the surveillance cameras with open arms. Greater Hilltop Area Commission Chairman Gary L. Baker II notes that community members seem to either love the idea or hate it. Columbus City Councilman Andrew Ginther was adamant that the cameras would supplement, not replace, police officers.
http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/
2007/05/31/CAMREDUX.ART_ART_05-31-07_A1_BT6SHQK.html
"Officers Push to Get Digital Video in Cars"
Augusta Chronicle (GA) (05/30/07) P. B1; Guffey, Michelle
The Aiken County, S.C., Sheriff's Office intends to replaces its patrol cars' VHS cameras with digital ones. The move is needed because VCR technology is becoming obsolete. The new cameras will be compact; they will be built into the vehicle's rearview mirrors, according to officials. The mirror can be activated to view the monitor, or deactivated to appear like an ordinary mirror. The digital cameras also feature no moving parts, and there is no need to handle any tape. Pictures and sounds are recorded onto a 16-hour flash disc that can be placed in any PC for viewing. The data can also be downloaded for delivery via email. The new process eliminates the need to remove the VHS tape, burn it on a disc, and hand-deliver it, officials say. The new cameras can also pinpoint the site of physical evidence by using a grid, and wireless microphones in the camera, the back seat, and on officers creates an audio log, officials say. Each digital camera costs about $4,000 and features one camera that points to the front and another positioned towards the back. http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/053007/met_130311.shtml
"Police Can Keep Eye on Schools"
Kansas City Star (05/30/07) P. LB1; Noble, Jason
The Liberty, Mo., Police Department and Liberty public school district have collaborated to upgrade the school district's security camera system so that police can significantly improve their response to school shootings and other emergencies. Security cameras have been a feature at Liberty schools for many years, and the upgrade is built upon an existing $2 million-plus security camera system that has historically been monitored by the district's technology employees. The upgrade links the cameras to the police department, enabling police dispatchers and police officers to directly monitor the live video feeds either in the dispatch office or via laptop computers in the field. The cameras provide views of nearly all common areas of the schools, meaning that if a school shooting occurs, police dispatchers will be able to track the shooter through the school and provide real-time information to responding police officers. In May, police and school officials conducted a test of the new technology, finding that they were able to quickly track down school resource officers as they moved through school buildings. The district's security company intends to provide police with blueprints of each school building to enhance the monitoring and response efforts. http://www.kansascity.com/317/story/127379.html
"City Police Could Get Major Upgrade for Over $18,000"
Springfield State Journal-Register (IL) (05/29/07) P. 17; Bolinski, Jayette
As of late May, the Springfield, Ill., Police Department was considering whether or not to approve spending over $18,000 on technology that will make mapping of crime and deadly accident scenes less difficult for officers. Department authorities want to buy a "total station," a device that allows police, engineers, and additional users to take correct measurements, obtain and plot information, and establish three-dimensional models of scenes. Acquiring the system would significantly reduce the amount of time police investigators spend at crime and accident scenes figuring and recording measurements. The Sokkia total station's price of $18,563 includes software and instruction. Software includes "Crash Math," which has different equations that crash scene reconstructionists need to determine what occurred during traffic accidents; "Professional Statement" to make reports faster and simpler to complete; "Virtual Earth," which permits users to access satellite images; and "Smart Corners," which helps with studying vehicle damage. One of the most attractive elements of the software is the ability to make 3-D images for investigators and juries. The Springfield City Council's finance committee was set to talk about the potential purchase at its May 29 meeting.
http://www.sj-r.com/Sections/News/Stories/115544.asp
"Law Enforcement Gets New Tool to Fight Crime in Dark"
9News (CO) (05/28/07); Bolton, Anastasiya
Homeland Security in the North Central Region of Colorado has purchased four night vision goggles for shared use by police departments from 10 counties within the jurisdiction. The regional purchase will enable police to access and use night-specialized devices that cost $3,500 each, and which individual departments could not have afforded. Night-vision goggles can be used for surveillance, to find someone who is lost, or for handling a known shooter, for instance. These goggles have been used by the U.S. military for years, but are new in police circles. http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=70903
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
"GPS Tracking of Offenders"
Deseret Morning News (06/03/07); Winslow, Ben
TrackerPAL is a recently released violator monitoring system that combines GPS, computer, and cell-phone technology into one miniscule unit fueled by a 20-hour battery. The waterproof gadget straps to a violator's ankle and monitors his movements utilizing GPS technology. At an around-the-clock monitoring center in Sandy, Utah, workers follow dozens of violators' locations. If the offenders go someplace they are not allowed, an alert appears on the screen. The TrackerPAL's cell unit permits operators and violators to speak with each other and can notify police or probation officers. In addition, it emits a 95-decibel siren if the violator wanders into a prohibited area or is hiding when authorities are looking for him. The software can be authorized to include off-limits locations, such as schools and parks. Although a violator can be followed to within 50 meters, TrackerPAL is restricted in that urban settings can cause signal problems. http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660226365,00.html
"County, Local Police Disagree on System to Link Databases"
Times Herald-Record (NY) (06/04/07); McKenna, Chris
Although it has been two years since officials in Orange County, N.Y., proposed creating a computer network for every police department in the county to share access to arrest reports, mugshots, and other records, only a partial network initiated by the police, not the county, exists today. Police chiefs are hoping that the county will adopt a program that is in use at 13 of the 31 departments. However, county officials are pursuing a method for linking records from different computer systems that would allow each department to keep its existing system. "Different agencies want to use different software to meet their needs," said Orange County Emergency Services Commissioner Walter Koury. "Let the software be the decision of each agency, but we will create a solution so that they will still be able to share data." The potential cost of such a system has not yet been determined, Koury said.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070604/NEWS/706040329/-1/NEWS
"Airport Protection System on the Way"
New York Newsday (06/05/07); Eisenberg, Carol
A $138 million, 57-mile system of sensors that will incorporate radar, video motion detectors, thermal imagers, and closed-circuit television is being erected around the perimeters of John F. Kennedy International (JFK), LaGuardia, Newark Liberty International, and Teterboro Airport. Designed by Raytheon, the virtual fence is already in use at Ben-Gurion International in Tel Aviv and Baghdad's airport. The system was in the works before the alleged plot to attack JFK was uncovered and is designed to prevent such an attack. "If you can't breach the perimeter of the airport, you can't reach the fuel farms," said one unnamed official. The system would send data in realtime to a central Port Authority Police station and airport command posts and will be another layer in airport security. But former head of security at Ben-Gurion Rafi Ron notes that the system will be useless if not combined with an adequate response force. "The question is not only detecting an intrusion but being able to respond to it in due time," says Ron, who now heads a transportation security firm in McLean, Va. "I think that most U.S. airports are relatively quick to invest in the technology, but fail to provide the human resources to respond to the detection when it occurs." The system should be operational by early next year.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usair055243304jun05,
0,3104587,print.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-print
"Chicago Police Make Return to the Skies"
Chicago Sun-Times (06/01/07) P. 16; Spielman, Fran
Police in Chicago recently acquired a new, $2.1 million helicopter through Homeland Security funds that features night vision instrumentation that lets officers who wear special goggles see in the dark. The new helicopter also has a searchlight and a gamma radiation detector designed to help find such things as dirty bombs. In addition, it has a LoJack detection system for pinpointing stolen automobiles as well as a special map system. Its robust video cameras can downlink images to the city's 911 emergency center. Chicago's police department also has a helicopter previously used by the fire department that was retrofitted in 2006 for police use. http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/410147,CST-NWS-heli01.article
"Tavares Gets Own 911 System"
Orlando Sentinel (FL) (06/03/07) P. J1; Comas, Martin E.
Tavares, Fla., recently introduced its new 911 dispatching service. A minimum of two dispatchers will be available around-the-clock in City Hall, fielding calls for police service. Though the initial emergency calls began coming in on May 31 as Tavares began transferring sections of the city over to the new system, June 1 was the initial whole day the 911 system was totally operational. The system is necessary to handle the city's rapidly-expanding population and increasing amount of emergency calls. In 2006, Tavares police officers answered around 25,440 calls, a 47 percent gain over 2003. Employing highly innovative requirement, the Tavares dispatchers monitor four screens, and can determine the location of each 911 call that comes in, including those placed from the majority of cell phones. The system will eventually be improved so that it will inform dispatchers of every patrol vehicle's precise location. The new emergency communications system will cost Tavares around $500,000 initially; the expenses include buying equipment and paying for salaries and instruction for the new dispatchers. The yearly price for running the center will be between $350,000 and $400,000.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-ltavares0307jun03
,0,5144198.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-lake
"Gun-Trace Plan Faces Hurdles"
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA) (06/03/07) P. A1; Valencia, Milton J.
Nationwide, a "track and map" effort dubbed Mayors Against Illegal Guns has been unfolding to monitor illegal gun ownership. The effort is being led by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. In Worcester, Mass., the initiative is being called "Where Did the Gun Come From?" and is part of a larger effort to encourage police, media outlets, and citizens to assess the source of a gun used in a criminal act instead of primarily focusing on the crime. A group called Main South Alliance for Public Safety is collaborating with a computer software maker to develop technology that can enhance weapons tracking. Community groups also say such technology could help neighborhoods better understand local crime. Officials say the program goes beyond the federal government's eTrace program. The software tracks a weapon based on such characteristics as its parts, make, model, caliber, or color. Users of the technology can also search for data based on ballistic testing. The Main South Alliance for Public Safety wants police chiefs statewide to take part in a pilot test the new software; the goal is to eventually expand it nationwide. But existing federal legislation known as the Tiahrt amendment bans the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives from releasing gun tracking data outside of law enforcement. Community groups say they do not want to infringe on the Second Amendment, but believe that a public tracking system would benefit communities. Leaders envision a Web site featuring a crime blog that residents could use to swap data about crimes, especially gun use.
http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20070603/NEWS/706030498/0/FRONTPAGE
"Sheriff Dawson Seeks More Than $150,000 for Communications Upgrades"
Herald & Review (IL) (06/01/07); Tallon, Mary
Macon County Sheriff Jerry Dawson in Illinois is requesting from the local government an appropriation of $156,503.75 to upgrade and make digital his department's back-up radio system. The upgrade also would benefit the emergency management agency of Macon County, Ill., for the agency uses the Macon County Sheriff radio. The 800 MHz system is too outdated to receive technical support from the manufacturer at this point, notes Dawson, and has not been updated since 1979. All this makes it even harder to use and maintain.
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2007/06/01/news/local_news/1023857.txt
"Germany Taking Hard Line to Foil Disruption at G-8"
Washington Post (06/06/07) P. A13; Whitlock, Craig
Germany has spent more than $100 million to secure the Group of Eight (G-8) summit, which is being held this week at the coastal resort of Heiligendamm. A seven-mile-long security fence crowned with razor wire will keep anti-globalization protesters at bay. The German government is being aggressive about securing the meeting after some 500 German police officers were injured when protesters rioted in Rostock last weekend; thus, 16,000 police officers will be on hand to secure the G-8 summit, and they will be reinforced by armored personnel carriers and helicopters. The protesters--many of whom aim to disrupt the summit--have been sharpening their tactics and strategies for the past several months, but so have German authorities. For example, German police, borrowing a tactic formerly used by the East German secret police, have quietly obtained "scent samples" of some protest leaders so that canine units will be able to sniff them out of crowds if necessary. Public demonstrations will not be allowed within a four-mile radius of the meeting. Just five miles up the road from Heiligendamm, protesters have established a base camp replete with a three-story lookout tower to spot police. There the protesters are practicing techniques aimed at thwarting security forces, such as disrobing and locking arms.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2007/06/06/AR2007060600568.html?hpid=topnews
"An Easy Segway Into Patrols"
Star-Ledger (NJ) (06/01/07) P. 17; Dilworth, Kevin C.
Police departments across New Jersey are purchasing the two-wheel Segway device to increase the range and effectiveness of community patrols. These hand-operated devices transport police officers in a standing position while the officers control the device. East Orange, N.J., police director Jose Cordero says his department is using Segways to harness the available resources to "close the gap between what the public would like to see, and things that we can do, given our current resources." Neptune, N.J., Police Chief Howard O'Neil says Segways create more opportunity for community interaction, especially with curious young people who ask his officers often about the device. A typical Segway can cost $6,000. Officers report that Segways can be useful for parade functions, community-related patrolling, and moving quickly on and across sidewalks, streets, and curbs. Many New Jersey departments are still evaluating the vehicle for its crime-fighting impact.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/
base/news-7/118067486425610.xml&coll=1
"Eyes Opened to Find the Missing"
Telegram & Gazette (05/31/07) P. B4; Valencia, Milton J.
The Worcester County, Mass., sheriff's office has launched Iris Recognition Biometric Technology, which allows individuals to be identified by a unique eye scan. Sheriff Guy W. Glodis says the technology will be especially helpful in identifying missing children and seniors with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The iris scans could be loaded into a database much the same way fingerprint information is now, but Glodis says the iris scans are more effective for identification because they are less susceptible to manipulation and can even distinguish between identical twins. Because many kidnapped children are susceptible to entering altered mental states, they may not know they have been kidnapped or their original identity when they are recovered; therefore, such a database would be important in making a positive identification. In addition, dementia-affected seniors who wander away from their homes and then become lost could also be identified with the technology.
http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20070531/NEWS/705310733/1008/NEWS02
"New Tools to Help Law Enforcement Find Missing Seniors"
9News (CO) (05/31/07); McGuire, Heidi
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) recently signed into law a bill intended to allow law enforcement to rapidly monitor individuals with Alzheimer's and other disabilities. Under Project Lifesaver, participants obtain a device with radio frequency technology such as a bracelet. The devices can aid in tracking a person who gets lost or needs help. Most of the counties in the Denver area now have the radio frequency devices, and other counties in the state will eventually have them. An estimated 64,000 people in Colorado suffer from Alzheimer's, and most require at-home care.
http://www.9news.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=71061
"Neighborhoods Lining Up for City's Cameras"
Columbus Dispatch (OH) (05/31/07) P. 1A; Ferenchik, Mark
Community leaders in several Columbus, Ohio, neighborhoods have expressed enthusiasm about extending the city's anti-crime surveillance camera initiative to their neighborhoods. For the past several years, the city's overburdened police department has been lobbying city leaders for additional police officers, cruisers, and gear. And several city neighborhoods have been requesting that the city deploy surveillance cameras. Mayor Michael B. Coleman has moved forward with a plan to test video surveillance technology as an anti-crime measure, and he is especially keen on using the cameras at city festivals and in certain neighborhoods. The cameras also could be deployed at parks and recreation centers. South Linden Area Commission President George Walker Jr., Northland Community Council President Dave Paul, and other community leaders say they would welcome the surveillance cameras with open arms. Greater Hilltop Area Commission Chairman Gary L. Baker II notes that community members seem to either love the idea or hate it. Columbus City Councilman Andrew Ginther was adamant that the cameras would supplement, not replace, police officers.
http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/
2007/05/31/CAMREDUX.ART_ART_05-31-07_A1_BT6SHQK.html
"Officers Push to Get Digital Video in Cars"
Augusta Chronicle (GA) (05/30/07) P. B1; Guffey, Michelle
The Aiken County, S.C., Sheriff's Office intends to replaces its patrol cars' VHS cameras with digital ones. The move is needed because VCR technology is becoming obsolete. The new cameras will be compact; they will be built into the vehicle's rearview mirrors, according to officials. The mirror can be activated to view the monitor, or deactivated to appear like an ordinary mirror. The digital cameras also feature no moving parts, and there is no need to handle any tape. Pictures and sounds are recorded onto a 16-hour flash disc that can be placed in any PC for viewing. The data can also be downloaded for delivery via email. The new process eliminates the need to remove the VHS tape, burn it on a disc, and hand-deliver it, officials say. The new cameras can also pinpoint the site of physical evidence by using a grid, and wireless microphones in the camera, the back seat, and on officers creates an audio log, officials say. Each digital camera costs about $4,000 and features one camera that points to the front and another positioned towards the back. http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/053007/met_130311.shtml
"Police Can Keep Eye on Schools"
Kansas City Star (05/30/07) P. LB1; Noble, Jason
The Liberty, Mo., Police Department and Liberty public school district have collaborated to upgrade the school district's security camera system so that police can significantly improve their response to school shootings and other emergencies. Security cameras have been a feature at Liberty schools for many years, and the upgrade is built upon an existing $2 million-plus security camera system that has historically been monitored by the district's technology employees. The upgrade links the cameras to the police department, enabling police dispatchers and police officers to directly monitor the live video feeds either in the dispatch office or via laptop computers in the field. The cameras provide views of nearly all common areas of the schools, meaning that if a school shooting occurs, police dispatchers will be able to track the shooter through the school and provide real-time information to responding police officers. In May, police and school officials conducted a test of the new technology, finding that they were able to quickly track down school resource officers as they moved through school buildings. The district's security company intends to provide police with blueprints of each school building to enhance the monitoring and response efforts. http://www.kansascity.com/317/story/127379.html
"City Police Could Get Major Upgrade for Over $18,000"
Springfield State Journal-Register (IL) (05/29/07) P. 17; Bolinski, Jayette
As of late May, the Springfield, Ill., Police Department was considering whether or not to approve spending over $18,000 on technology that will make mapping of crime and deadly accident scenes less difficult for officers. Department authorities want to buy a "total station," a device that allows police, engineers, and additional users to take correct measurements, obtain and plot information, and establish three-dimensional models of scenes. Acquiring the system would significantly reduce the amount of time police investigators spend at crime and accident scenes figuring and recording measurements. The Sokkia total station's price of $18,563 includes software and instruction. Software includes "Crash Math," which has different equations that crash scene reconstructionists need to determine what occurred during traffic accidents; "Professional Statement" to make reports faster and simpler to complete; "Virtual Earth," which permits users to access satellite images; and "Smart Corners," which helps with studying vehicle damage. One of the most attractive elements of the software is the ability to make 3-D images for investigators and juries. The Springfield City Council's finance committee was set to talk about the potential purchase at its May 29 meeting.
http://www.sj-r.com/Sections/News/Stories/115544.asp
"Law Enforcement Gets New Tool to Fight Crime in Dark"
9News (CO) (05/28/07); Bolton, Anastasiya
Homeland Security in the North Central Region of Colorado has purchased four night vision goggles for shared use by police departments from 10 counties within the jurisdiction. The regional purchase will enable police to access and use night-specialized devices that cost $3,500 each, and which individual departments could not have afforded. Night-vision goggles can be used for surveillance, to find someone who is lost, or for handling a known shooter, for instance. These goggles have been used by the U.S. military for years, but are new in police circles. http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=70903
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
National Institute for Justice 2007 Conference
The NIJ Conference blends research, practice, and policy to share new ideas about what works in criminal justice. The Conference is free, but space is limited. Register as soon as possible.
Some topics this year include:
Forensic sciences: The conference features numerous panels on forensics. In one, highly respected panelists will discuss how scientific advances have affected the way detectives solve cases, labs handle the evidence, prosecutors present the case, and judges oversee the proceedings. Speakers include Mitch Morrissey, the District Attorney in Denver; William Berger, the police chief in Palm Bay, Florida; and Ann Talbot, the specialist for the forensic science improvement grant program in New Mexico.
Less-lethal tools: Where will we be in five years? Which technology is emerging as the best option? What policies are departments putting in place? What are the political liabilities of using less lethal equipment? Representatives from Raytheon, the Air Force Research Lab, police departments, and academia will be among the panelists.
Firearms: Members of the National Academies of Science committee on ballistics will describe up-and-coming techniques and challenges.
Other topics: Officer safety, violence against women, juvenile delinquency, gangs, and evidence-based practices in corrections.
View the agenda and speaker information.
NIJ is hiring:
Manager of the Information and Sensor Technologies DivisionSupervises 15 staff who manage criminal justice related technology research, development, test, and evaluation projects in the area of electronic crime, sensors and surveillance, public safety communications, information technology, and biometrics. Applications will be accepted until June 8.
Manager of the Forensic Sciences DivisionSupervises 17 staff who manage forensic technology research, development, test, and evaluation projects as well as the President's DNA Initiative and Coverdell grant programs. Applications will be accepted until June 19.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Some topics this year include:
Forensic sciences: The conference features numerous panels on forensics. In one, highly respected panelists will discuss how scientific advances have affected the way detectives solve cases, labs handle the evidence, prosecutors present the case, and judges oversee the proceedings. Speakers include Mitch Morrissey, the District Attorney in Denver; William Berger, the police chief in Palm Bay, Florida; and Ann Talbot, the specialist for the forensic science improvement grant program in New Mexico.
Less-lethal tools: Where will we be in five years? Which technology is emerging as the best option? What policies are departments putting in place? What are the political liabilities of using less lethal equipment? Representatives from Raytheon, the Air Force Research Lab, police departments, and academia will be among the panelists.
Firearms: Members of the National Academies of Science committee on ballistics will describe up-and-coming techniques and challenges.
Other topics: Officer safety, violence against women, juvenile delinquency, gangs, and evidence-based practices in corrections.
View the agenda and speaker information.
NIJ is hiring:
Manager of the Information and Sensor Technologies DivisionSupervises 15 staff who manage criminal justice related technology research, development, test, and evaluation projects in the area of electronic crime, sensors and surveillance, public safety communications, information technology, and biometrics. Applications will be accepted until June 8.
Manager of the Forensic Sciences DivisionSupervises 17 staff who manage forensic technology research, development, test, and evaluation projects as well as the President's DNA Initiative and Coverdell grant programs. Applications will be accepted until June 19.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology
NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, April 12, 2007
"LED Flashlights Push Right Buttons for Cops"
USA Today (04/09/07) P. 2B; Krantz, Matt
The Los Angeles Police Department is now distributing to police officers flashlights that use LED technology. The Pelican 7060 LED, from Pelican Products in Torrance, Calif., is unique in that semiconductors serve as its light source, and it also uses less power, is nearly unbreakable, and its bulb lasts longer than those found in most other flashlights. The $200 Pelican flashlight is just 8.7 -inches long and weighs 10 ounces, compared with big, aluminum flashlights that police officers favor and are 10 inches or longer and weigh more than 12 ounces. Police departments in Sacramento, Glendale, and Columbus, Ohio, are also being targeted by Pelican. Since the early 2000s, dozens of flashlight makers have introduced LED models, but market giant Mag Instrument of Ontario, Calif., did not unveil its first LED products until last year. Mag, which offers LED bulbs and flashlights, says it has addressed the inability of LEDs to project light. LEDs glow, buy Mag says its flashlights are able to project light in a powerful beam, which can also be focused by turning the top of the light. The Mag flashlights still have metal bodies that are heavy design crafted of aluminum alloy.
http://www.usatoday.com/money
/industries/2007-04-09-flashlight-usat_N.htm
"Dispatch Systems to Be Studied"
Baltimore Sun (04/08/07); McCandlish, Laura
Four of the five police departments in Carroll County, Md., are forming a task force for a six-month study of the feasibility of creating a single countywide communications center. Under the current system, 911 callers are put on hold as the county emergency call center transfers them to the state police barracks in Westminster, which then transfers calls to municipal police departments in Hampstead, Manchester, Sykesville, and Taneytown. The task force, which will begin meeting next week, will examine two issues: How to consolidate all of Carroll County's seven law enforcement agencies into one call facility, and how to dispatch all the calls on one system. If the task force decides to establish a single countywide communications center, it could help conserve Carroll County's strained police resources and better prepare officers responding to violent crimes, said Col. Robert L. Keefer, chief deputy of the Carroll County Sheriff's Office. For instance, state police might respond to a bank robbed by four armed suspects seen leaving the scene in a white vehicle, he said. Keefer noted that if a sheriff's deputy stops the car for a traffic stop, he would know that the suspects are armed if a consolidated system was in place.
http://www.baltimoresun.com
/news/local/carroll/bal-ca.disp
atch08apr08,1,725737.story
"An SOS for 911 Systems in Age of High-Tech"
New York Times (04/06/07); Dewan, Shaila
There are over 6,000 911 call centers in the United States, many unable to pinpoint calls coming from cellphones or VoIP. The Federal Communications Commission is moving ahead with efforts to bring the nation's 911-system up to date by arming all call centers with the technology to pinpoint wireless callers to within 300 meters, but the effort will be expensive-- $340 million according to preliminary estimates by the National Emergency Number Association. Funding will come from surcharges on cellphone lines, which states and local governments can levy by federal mandate. Though Congress in 2004 passed a measure authorizing the spending of $250 million a year for new 911 technology, no money has yet been appropriated. http://www.nytimes.com/2007
/04/06/us/06phone.html?hp
"Dispatchers: Inexact Location Better Than Nothing"
Journal-World (Lawrence, Kan.) (04/06/07); Vockrodt, Steve
When someone places a 911 call from a cellular phone, the call can be traced from a few feet up to 1,000 yards away. Despite the inaccuracy of the coordinates pulled up on the dispatcher's satellite, Douglas County Emergency Communications director Jim Denney says, "However bad it is, it's infinitely better than nothing." Denney is most likely referring to the absence of dispatchers to track emergency calls from cell phones pre-2004. Dispatchers still ask callers their location, although Denney states most people believe the system to be "100 percent accurate and 100 percent functional." Although costly, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin says he will introduce proposals to enhance the accuracy of tracking emergency calls.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news
/2007/apr/06/dispatchers_inex
act_location_better_nothing/?city_local
"City Considers High-Tech System to Spot Gunmen"
New Haven Register (04/07/07); Kaempffer, William
New Haven, Conn., is considering installing Shotspotters' gunshot detection system. The system uses audio sensors, about the size of a coffee can, to detect and triangulate the location of gunfire, notifying police with 10 to 15 seconds of the first shot. The system guarantees accuracy with 75 feet, but depending on barometric conditions and competing noise, can be as accurate as five to 10 feet. The system can also detect how many shots were fired, if the shots were fired from a moving vehicle, and is able to determine the difference between a gunshot and similar sounds like a car backfiring or fireworks. According to Shotspotters, the system is used in 17 municipalities across the country, including Washington, D.C., and Boston has signed a $1.5 million contract to cover six square miles of the city. New Haven averages 400 to 500 confirmed reports of gunfire each year and would have to spend an estimated $700,000 to $800,000, plus annual maintenance, to install the system.
http://www.nhregister.com
/site/index.cfm?newsid=1818
0238&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=517515&rfi=8
"DA Wants Drug-Testing Machine"
Hickory Daily Record (04/07/07); Menster, Jennifer
Catawba County, N.C., District Attorney Jay Gaither and state Sen. Austin Allran (R) have teamed up to propose a bill that would help law enforcement agencies in the county purchase technology that determines the authenticity of drugs. The technology, called NarTest, can determine the authenticity of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin in about 10 to 15 minutes. The determination is then used as evidence against those facing drug charges. Law enforcement agencies currently send drugs to the State Bureau of Investigation's lab for testing, which can take at least a year. "The time that it takes from arrest to conviction in drug cases is far too long due to the fact that we are waiting on lab results on the drugs," Gaither said. "This technology will give my office the ability to move much more quickly. This means less money spent on inmates waiting in our local jail and less time for drug dealers who are out on bond to spend out on our streets." The technology is already making a difference for police departments in North Carolina that use it, according to Douglas Branch, marketing director for NarTest Technologies. He noted that these departments have seen at least a 10 percent reduction in the number of cases submitted to the state lab.
http://www.hickoryrecord.com
/servlet/Satellite?pagename=HDR/MGArticle/HD
R_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173350620051
"Improved Contra Costa Warning System Ready"
MediaNews (04/07/07); Huff, Ryan
Contra Costa County unveiled its new emergency telephone system, run by Honeywell International. The new system can send residents messages within a few minutes, place calls in foreign languages, and instantly show emergency officials which households have been reached. The new system should prevent any notification delays, such as the one experienced in January when a fire broke out at the Chevron Richmond Refinery and a computer glitch caused a half-hour delay in notifying houses potentially in the path of toxic fumes. The county's Community Warning System notifies residents of refinery emergencies, natural disasters, missing persons, and other situations that require nearby neighborhoods to receive information quickly. The system spreads information using automated telephone calls, sirens, broadcast, and online media and weather radios.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/search//ci_5616610
"Coplink Helps Nab Suspected Serial Robbers"
Daily News of Los Angeles (04/06/07) P. N3; Uranga, Rachel
COPLINK is a database tool in use in Southern California that soon will be placed in all Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) patrol cars. COPLINK links and gathers data from San Diego to Los Angeles from myriad documents, including from suspect descriptions, license plate numbers, arrest reports, citations, criminal records, and more. The LAPD, for instance, recently was faced with a serial criminal targeting people leaving their ATMs. Investigators had "TNV" as three license plate numbers, and after entering "TNV" into COPLINK, found a report in Palmdale, Calif., for one Ricky Marshall with a "TNV" license plate, who also was linked to a similar crime in Palmdale. LAPD tracked Marshall, and caught him and his partner attempting the same robbery.
http://www.dailynews.com
"Grand Haven Police Getting Stun Guns"
Grand Rapids Press (MI) (04/05/07) P. L1
On April 2, the Grand Haven, Mich., City Council approved buying four Taser stun guns for the area's police officers. A couple of Grand Haven police supervisors will take part in a seminar on how to utilize the Tasers. They will educate officers who want to use stun guns. In 2006, Michigan State Police had 175 situations where stun guns were employed to quell suspects. Sgt. Jason Williams notes that none of the injuries caused by the Tasers were serious. He adds that stuns guns are also safe for police officers to use. Separately, Taser International scientists are working on a wireless stun gun, although that technology is not yet accessible by police departments, Williams says.
http://www.mlive.com
"Law Officials Get on Same Frequency"
New Jersey Star-Ledger (04/05/07) P. 24; Haydon, Tom
The Department of Homeland Security is providing a $16,500 grant to the Middlesex County, N.J.'s sheriff's office to finance a computer system allowing sheriff's and police officers to communicate with one another over the radio. The new Radio Inter-Operability System (RIOS) means a radio from the sheriff's department and a radio from the police department would be connected to a computer, which would choose one frequency. In Middlesex County, 10 emergency service groups, including the sheriff's department, got funding for equipment and instruction in the latest offering of Homeland Security grants. Milltown, New Brunswick, and South Brunswick got money for thermal imaging devices that are employed in searches for missing individuals or criminals. Meanwhile, Perth Amboy, Piscataway, and Woodbridge police departments received funds to buy Stedi-Eye night-vision binoculars. Throughout New Jersey, 103 law enforcement and emergency entities got funding through the Homeland Security Department's Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program. The program is meant to deliver costly equipment to law enforcement and emergency response groups, and has donated $1.4 million in grants nationally.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger
"Grant Funds Police Video"
Seymour Tribune (Ind.) (04/05/07); Woods, Aubrey
Brownstown, Ind., police have won a Department of Homeland Security grant for $49,500 for equipment that will improve surveillance videos. Officer Tom Wright, who applied for the grant, stated that police will now be able to break down surveillance video into individual images. Improving and sharpening surveillance may make the pictures clear enough for police to locate a person who has been witnessed on tape doing something inappropriate, Wright added. In addition, he wants to be able to persuade store owners to bring their surveillance systems up to date to offer better video. The grant will finance the training needed to employ the equipment, which will be delivered later in 2007. Brownstown is required to make the grant available to other local departments.
http://www.tribtown.com
"Tac Cams"
Police (03/07) Vol. 31, No. 3, P. 44; Scoville, Dean
There are a number of tactical vision instruments on the market today that can help police officers see around, beneath, and even through barriers. Instrument Technology has been making tactical cameras since 1967, and today offers many types of basic core vision technologies, from gas-tank cameras for drug searches to pole cameras for SWAT teams to peep-hole and under-door cameras. Remington's Eye Ball R1 won a 2006 innovation award as a ball-shaped camera that can be rolled, thrown, or lowered into place to provide two hours of live imagery. This ball-shaped device with an embedded lens is controlled and seen through a remote control and remote screen, and a kit with two Eye Ball R1 cameras costs $5,000. The Supercircuits PC229XP Color Snake Camera costs under $250 and provides a camera attached to a flexible coil that can be extended for around the corner, over the top, and through the crack each. Tacview has a pole mounted camera that can help officers investigate attics and crawl spaces without exposing their physical selves to danger, and the camera can be detached and mounted on a shield also, making this a versatile tool. Zistos' Dual Mode Camera Systems is a pole-mounted camera that can be carried in the back of a squad car. It has detectable poles for various length uses, is water-proof, and has some customizable options in terms of adding infrared illumination or thermal detection.
http://www.policemag.com
"Road Warriors"
Law Enforcement Technology (03/07) Vol. 34, No. 3, P. 50; Mertens, Jennifer
Mobile command centers are used for multiple applications, such as controlling crowds, by both large and small agencies. In Rockville, Md., the city police department relies on a 24-foot motor coach mobile communications center from Dodgen Industries. "By using the mobile communications center, we can staff it with an additional dispatcher and run all our special events on a separate channel," which prevents the disruption of regular police activities, according to Lt. Bob Rappaport, homeland security and emergency preparedness director at the Rockville PD. Representatives from the fire/rescue service, public works, and the parks and recreation division also use the command center during special municipal events. Rappaport urges that before agencies purchase a command center, they should spend time studying vendors and defining how they will potentially use it, communicate with agencies that have already acquired the vehicle, and develop a strong mission when applying for funding. Massachusetts State Police (MSP) relies on a 53-foot, $1.5 million trailer from Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles equipped with such things as six separate communications models, 15 workstations with Internet and intranet, and a 20-foot light tower with surveillance capabilities. During the playoff series involving the Red Sox, MSP positioned the command center in the middle of a street, using a communications patch to enable state police--on 800 MHz radio--to talk with the Boston PD on 400 MHz radios. During the 2004 Democratic National Convention in July, the MSP was used to oversee power coordination, equipment operations, and deployment operations as well as real-time video from helicopters and city surveillance cameras.
http://www.officer.com/magazines/let/
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
"LED Flashlights Push Right Buttons for Cops"
USA Today (04/09/07) P. 2B; Krantz, Matt
The Los Angeles Police Department is now distributing to police officers flashlights that use LED technology. The Pelican 7060 LED, from Pelican Products in Torrance, Calif., is unique in that semiconductors serve as its light source, and it also uses less power, is nearly unbreakable, and its bulb lasts longer than those found in most other flashlights. The $200 Pelican flashlight is just 8.7 -inches long and weighs 10 ounces, compared with big, aluminum flashlights that police officers favor and are 10 inches or longer and weigh more than 12 ounces. Police departments in Sacramento, Glendale, and Columbus, Ohio, are also being targeted by Pelican. Since the early 2000s, dozens of flashlight makers have introduced LED models, but market giant Mag Instrument of Ontario, Calif., did not unveil its first LED products until last year. Mag, which offers LED bulbs and flashlights, says it has addressed the inability of LEDs to project light. LEDs glow, buy Mag says its flashlights are able to project light in a powerful beam, which can also be focused by turning the top of the light. The Mag flashlights still have metal bodies that are heavy design crafted of aluminum alloy.
http://www.usatoday.com/money
/industries/2007-04-09-flashlight-usat_N.htm
"Dispatch Systems to Be Studied"
Baltimore Sun (04/08/07); McCandlish, Laura
Four of the five police departments in Carroll County, Md., are forming a task force for a six-month study of the feasibility of creating a single countywide communications center. Under the current system, 911 callers are put on hold as the county emergency call center transfers them to the state police barracks in Westminster, which then transfers calls to municipal police departments in Hampstead, Manchester, Sykesville, and Taneytown. The task force, which will begin meeting next week, will examine two issues: How to consolidate all of Carroll County's seven law enforcement agencies into one call facility, and how to dispatch all the calls on one system. If the task force decides to establish a single countywide communications center, it could help conserve Carroll County's strained police resources and better prepare officers responding to violent crimes, said Col. Robert L. Keefer, chief deputy of the Carroll County Sheriff's Office. For instance, state police might respond to a bank robbed by four armed suspects seen leaving the scene in a white vehicle, he said. Keefer noted that if a sheriff's deputy stops the car for a traffic stop, he would know that the suspects are armed if a consolidated system was in place.
http://www.baltimoresun.com
/news/local/carroll/bal-ca.disp
atch08apr08,1,725737.story
"An SOS for 911 Systems in Age of High-Tech"
New York Times (04/06/07); Dewan, Shaila
There are over 6,000 911 call centers in the United States, many unable to pinpoint calls coming from cellphones or VoIP. The Federal Communications Commission is moving ahead with efforts to bring the nation's 911-system up to date by arming all call centers with the technology to pinpoint wireless callers to within 300 meters, but the effort will be expensive-- $340 million according to preliminary estimates by the National Emergency Number Association. Funding will come from surcharges on cellphone lines, which states and local governments can levy by federal mandate. Though Congress in 2004 passed a measure authorizing the spending of $250 million a year for new 911 technology, no money has yet been appropriated. http://www.nytimes.com/2007
/04/06/us/06phone.html?hp
"Dispatchers: Inexact Location Better Than Nothing"
Journal-World (Lawrence, Kan.) (04/06/07); Vockrodt, Steve
When someone places a 911 call from a cellular phone, the call can be traced from a few feet up to 1,000 yards away. Despite the inaccuracy of the coordinates pulled up on the dispatcher's satellite, Douglas County Emergency Communications director Jim Denney says, "However bad it is, it's infinitely better than nothing." Denney is most likely referring to the absence of dispatchers to track emergency calls from cell phones pre-2004. Dispatchers still ask callers their location, although Denney states most people believe the system to be "100 percent accurate and 100 percent functional." Although costly, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin says he will introduce proposals to enhance the accuracy of tracking emergency calls.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news
/2007/apr/06/dispatchers_inex
act_location_better_nothing/?city_local
"City Considers High-Tech System to Spot Gunmen"
New Haven Register (04/07/07); Kaempffer, William
New Haven, Conn., is considering installing Shotspotters' gunshot detection system. The system uses audio sensors, about the size of a coffee can, to detect and triangulate the location of gunfire, notifying police with 10 to 15 seconds of the first shot. The system guarantees accuracy with 75 feet, but depending on barometric conditions and competing noise, can be as accurate as five to 10 feet. The system can also detect how many shots were fired, if the shots were fired from a moving vehicle, and is able to determine the difference between a gunshot and similar sounds like a car backfiring or fireworks. According to Shotspotters, the system is used in 17 municipalities across the country, including Washington, D.C., and Boston has signed a $1.5 million contract to cover six square miles of the city. New Haven averages 400 to 500 confirmed reports of gunfire each year and would have to spend an estimated $700,000 to $800,000, plus annual maintenance, to install the system.
http://www.nhregister.com
/site/index.cfm?newsid=1818
0238&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=517515&rfi=8
"DA Wants Drug-Testing Machine"
Hickory Daily Record (04/07/07); Menster, Jennifer
Catawba County, N.C., District Attorney Jay Gaither and state Sen. Austin Allran (R) have teamed up to propose a bill that would help law enforcement agencies in the county purchase technology that determines the authenticity of drugs. The technology, called NarTest, can determine the authenticity of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin in about 10 to 15 minutes. The determination is then used as evidence against those facing drug charges. Law enforcement agencies currently send drugs to the State Bureau of Investigation's lab for testing, which can take at least a year. "The time that it takes from arrest to conviction in drug cases is far too long due to the fact that we are waiting on lab results on the drugs," Gaither said. "This technology will give my office the ability to move much more quickly. This means less money spent on inmates waiting in our local jail and less time for drug dealers who are out on bond to spend out on our streets." The technology is already making a difference for police departments in North Carolina that use it, according to Douglas Branch, marketing director for NarTest Technologies. He noted that these departments have seen at least a 10 percent reduction in the number of cases submitted to the state lab.
http://www.hickoryrecord.com
/servlet/Satellite?pagename=HDR/MGArticle/HD
R_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173350620051
"Improved Contra Costa Warning System Ready"
MediaNews (04/07/07); Huff, Ryan
Contra Costa County unveiled its new emergency telephone system, run by Honeywell International. The new system can send residents messages within a few minutes, place calls in foreign languages, and instantly show emergency officials which households have been reached. The new system should prevent any notification delays, such as the one experienced in January when a fire broke out at the Chevron Richmond Refinery and a computer glitch caused a half-hour delay in notifying houses potentially in the path of toxic fumes. The county's Community Warning System notifies residents of refinery emergencies, natural disasters, missing persons, and other situations that require nearby neighborhoods to receive information quickly. The system spreads information using automated telephone calls, sirens, broadcast, and online media and weather radios.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/search//ci_5616610
"Coplink Helps Nab Suspected Serial Robbers"
Daily News of Los Angeles (04/06/07) P. N3; Uranga, Rachel
COPLINK is a database tool in use in Southern California that soon will be placed in all Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) patrol cars. COPLINK links and gathers data from San Diego to Los Angeles from myriad documents, including from suspect descriptions, license plate numbers, arrest reports, citations, criminal records, and more. The LAPD, for instance, recently was faced with a serial criminal targeting people leaving their ATMs. Investigators had "TNV" as three license plate numbers, and after entering "TNV" into COPLINK, found a report in Palmdale, Calif., for one Ricky Marshall with a "TNV" license plate, who also was linked to a similar crime in Palmdale. LAPD tracked Marshall, and caught him and his partner attempting the same robbery.
http://www.dailynews.com
"Grand Haven Police Getting Stun Guns"
Grand Rapids Press (MI) (04/05/07) P. L1
On April 2, the Grand Haven, Mich., City Council approved buying four Taser stun guns for the area's police officers. A couple of Grand Haven police supervisors will take part in a seminar on how to utilize the Tasers. They will educate officers who want to use stun guns. In 2006, Michigan State Police had 175 situations where stun guns were employed to quell suspects. Sgt. Jason Williams notes that none of the injuries caused by the Tasers were serious. He adds that stuns guns are also safe for police officers to use. Separately, Taser International scientists are working on a wireless stun gun, although that technology is not yet accessible by police departments, Williams says.
http://www.mlive.com
"Law Officials Get on Same Frequency"
New Jersey Star-Ledger (04/05/07) P. 24; Haydon, Tom
The Department of Homeland Security is providing a $16,500 grant to the Middlesex County, N.J.'s sheriff's office to finance a computer system allowing sheriff's and police officers to communicate with one another over the radio. The new Radio Inter-Operability System (RIOS) means a radio from the sheriff's department and a radio from the police department would be connected to a computer, which would choose one frequency. In Middlesex County, 10 emergency service groups, including the sheriff's department, got funding for equipment and instruction in the latest offering of Homeland Security grants. Milltown, New Brunswick, and South Brunswick got money for thermal imaging devices that are employed in searches for missing individuals or criminals. Meanwhile, Perth Amboy, Piscataway, and Woodbridge police departments received funds to buy Stedi-Eye night-vision binoculars. Throughout New Jersey, 103 law enforcement and emergency entities got funding through the Homeland Security Department's Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program. The program is meant to deliver costly equipment to law enforcement and emergency response groups, and has donated $1.4 million in grants nationally.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger
"Grant Funds Police Video"
Seymour Tribune (Ind.) (04/05/07); Woods, Aubrey
Brownstown, Ind., police have won a Department of Homeland Security grant for $49,500 for equipment that will improve surveillance videos. Officer Tom Wright, who applied for the grant, stated that police will now be able to break down surveillance video into individual images. Improving and sharpening surveillance may make the pictures clear enough for police to locate a person who has been witnessed on tape doing something inappropriate, Wright added. In addition, he wants to be able to persuade store owners to bring their surveillance systems up to date to offer better video. The grant will finance the training needed to employ the equipment, which will be delivered later in 2007. Brownstown is required to make the grant available to other local departments.
http://www.tribtown.com
"Tac Cams"
Police (03/07) Vol. 31, No. 3, P. 44; Scoville, Dean
There are a number of tactical vision instruments on the market today that can help police officers see around, beneath, and even through barriers. Instrument Technology has been making tactical cameras since 1967, and today offers many types of basic core vision technologies, from gas-tank cameras for drug searches to pole cameras for SWAT teams to peep-hole and under-door cameras. Remington's Eye Ball R1 won a 2006 innovation award as a ball-shaped camera that can be rolled, thrown, or lowered into place to provide two hours of live imagery. This ball-shaped device with an embedded lens is controlled and seen through a remote control and remote screen, and a kit with two Eye Ball R1 cameras costs $5,000. The Supercircuits PC229XP Color Snake Camera costs under $250 and provides a camera attached to a flexible coil that can be extended for around the corner, over the top, and through the crack each. Tacview has a pole mounted camera that can help officers investigate attics and crawl spaces without exposing their physical selves to danger, and the camera can be detached and mounted on a shield also, making this a versatile tool. Zistos' Dual Mode Camera Systems is a pole-mounted camera that can be carried in the back of a squad car. It has detectable poles for various length uses, is water-proof, and has some customizable options in terms of adding infrared illumination or thermal detection.
http://www.policemag.com
"Road Warriors"
Law Enforcement Technology (03/07) Vol. 34, No. 3, P. 50; Mertens, Jennifer
Mobile command centers are used for multiple applications, such as controlling crowds, by both large and small agencies. In Rockville, Md., the city police department relies on a 24-foot motor coach mobile communications center from Dodgen Industries. "By using the mobile communications center, we can staff it with an additional dispatcher and run all our special events on a separate channel," which prevents the disruption of regular police activities, according to Lt. Bob Rappaport, homeland security and emergency preparedness director at the Rockville PD. Representatives from the fire/rescue service, public works, and the parks and recreation division also use the command center during special municipal events. Rappaport urges that before agencies purchase a command center, they should spend time studying vendors and defining how they will potentially use it, communicate with agencies that have already acquired the vehicle, and develop a strong mission when applying for funding. Massachusetts State Police (MSP) relies on a 53-foot, $1.5 million trailer from Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles equipped with such things as six separate communications models, 15 workstations with Internet and intranet, and a 20-foot light tower with surveillance capabilities. During the playoff series involving the Red Sox, MSP positioned the command center in the middle of a street, using a communications patch to enable state police--on 800 MHz radio--to talk with the Boston PD on 400 MHz radios. During the 2004 Democratic National Convention in July, the MSP was used to oversee power coordination, equipment operations, and deployment operations as well as real-time video from helicopters and city surveillance cameras.
http://www.officer.com/magazines/let/
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
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