NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary

"Ankle Monitors Alert Cops, Victims"
Cincinnati Enquirer (07/02/06) P. 1A; Horn, Dan

Ohio's Hamilton County's Sheriff's office started employing electronic monitoring nearly two decades ago as an alternative to sending low-level criminals to prison or to keep suspects locked away while they waited for trial. The system mandates offenders to sport an ankle bracelet that transmits an electronic signal to a monitor in their homes. They are usually allowed to travel to and from work during particular hours but must otherwise stay at home. If they go out during restricted hours, the monitor notifies the sheriff's department. Since electronic monitoring is not perfect, however, county authorities added another system 14 years ago known as JurisMonitor. The system is devised to caution potential victims when a violator breaches the conditions of his monitoring or removes the ankle bracelet. JurisMonitor offers a monitor that cautions victims if a violator is within 500 feet of his or her house. In addition, it has a medallion with a panic button, permitting them to call 911 if they are in trouble.
news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID
=/20060702/NEWS01/607020391/1077


"South Texas City Posts High-Tech Cameras at Border Bridge"
Associated Press (07/04/06)

Texas' Eagle Pass Police Department will employ new high-tech-surveillance cameras to stop drug smugglers and thieves, instead of to prevent illegal immigrants coming into Texas from Mexico. While Eagle Pass has the same trouble with illegal immigrants coming into this country from Piedras Negras, Mexico, as numerous other Texas border towns, a federal crackdown and rapid deportation program for migrants from nations other than Mexico has slowed the immigration inundation and a great deal of other criminal behavior in the city. Eagle Pass will launch three new surveillance cameras, one with night vision and one with a 360-degree view. The surveillance video will be watched full-time to locate criminal activity, public security emergencies, and homeland security risks, but will not be a means for local police to fight immigration breaches. The city's video footage will just be available to law enforcement. The $100,000 camera system was financed by the National Institute of Justice's Border Research and Technology Center. The new software, created by University of California at San Diego engineers with federal grants of around $1 million, will notify viewers of the video to any suspect activity. The new technology will be tested and provide Eagle Pass officials with a new look at sections around its bridge.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4024725.html

"Macomb County Sheriff Ready to Say, 'Let's Roll'"
Detroit Free Press (07/02/06); Christoff, Chris

The Macomb County Sheriff's Department has a new $150,000 mobile command center equipped with four dispatch stations, a self-contained cell phone system, a remote-controlled camera on a 30-foot extension pole, surveillance equipment, a meeting room that can accommodate up to 20 people, an electronic chalkboard that can send instructions by fax, and an electric generator "that'll light up a city," according to Sheriff's Capt. Dave Teske. The converted RV replaces a converted ambulance, offering more comfort for officers responding to situations such as hostage takings that can take days to resolve. The mobile crisis center was funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of efforts to revamp local public safety agencies. A second, smaller mobile command unit will be shared with local communities for disaster response and other emergency needs.
www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20060702/NEWS04/607020672/1006

"New Technology, Techniques Aid Police in Investigations"
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA) (07/02/06) P. A16; Valencia, Milton J.

The development of technology and investigative tactics are providing police detectives with greater leverage in reopening cold cases and solving new cases. Many murders have been solved by studying blood patterns, obtaining evidence, and testing fingerprints and DNA. Police are even starting to save fiber and glass in hopes new inventions will offer even greater opportunities in studying evidence. One case involves detectives saving a single-cell sample of semen discovered on a victim, in the hopes that one day technology that has yet to be invented might name the murderer. In Worcester, Mass., police Lt. David Grady and other detectives were able to solve the murder of two women discovered 20 feet apart by identifying the bite marks on one of the women. The marks were made by a man who knew both women. Grady has a picture of the man's teeth taken and obtained dental impressions, and a lab confirmed the pattern was identical to the one on the body of the woman.
www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20060702/SUMMERSERIES/607020488

"New Tool Helps Law Enforcement Map Crime"
Daily Herald (UT) (07/01/06); Ashton, Katie

Law enforcement personnel in Utah County are using electronic crime mapping to help fight crime. Police officers can access the technology either from a laptop in their police cruisers or via a desk computer. Every law enforcement agency in the county, excluding those in Provo, can use the technology. However, Provo law enforcement agencies may eventually join the system. The technology, which works in combination with the Utah County mapping program, allows officers to see where different criminal activities occur in the region. Officers can conduct searches by type of offense and limit searches to specific timelines. The technology provides the added benefit of helping officers coordinate anti-crime efforts with the community by identifying locations of concern. http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/184793/

"License-Plate Scanners: Snap Reads in Hunt for Stolen Cars"
Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA) (06/30/06) P. A01; Burge, Sarah

Riverside, Calif.-area police departments are trying out a new license-plate-scanning technology that could make it hard for thieves to drive around in stolen vehicles. The systems employ roof-mounted cameras on police cars to take digital photos of the plates on passing cars. A computer program obtains license plate numbers form the photos and checks them against databases of stolen cars and other "vehicles of interest," such as those lined with Amber Alerts or felony warrants. Several firms sell the technology, including Civica, which says its PlateScan system can read plates on cars going 110 miles per hour. Rancho Cucamonga's Police Department has a pair of cruisers equipped with license-plate-recognition systems. Meanwhile, Ontario, Calif., has grant money to purchase up to three of the systems, which cost around $20,000 a car. Riverside Police Department has asked for grant money after trying out numerous models this year. The Long Beach Police Department implemented four of the scanners in December, and has since found 234 stolen vehicles and arrested 48 individuals.
www.pe.com/localnews/morenovalley
/stories/PE_News_Local_R_plate30.293686a.html


"South Dakota Starts Statewide Internet Registry of Sex Offenders"
Associated Press (06/30/06); Brokaw, Chet

South Dakota residents who want data about sex offenders residing in their neighborhoods can now access a new state Internet site. For the last 12 years, the state has mandated that convicted sex offenders register with area law enforcement agencies, and data about those offenders has been accessible at city police departments and county sheriffs offices. Under a law approved by the 2006 Legislature, though, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is mandated to maintain an Internet site that lists all registered sex offenders in the state. The site has a warning that users can be prosecuted if they utilize the data to bother, threaten, or indicate an offender or that person's family. Certain problems are unavoidable with the new Internet site, and offenders sometimes offer incorrect data, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation computer technology and fingerprint identification manager Bob Grandpre noted. Anybody who notices incorrect information on the Web site, such as an offender residing at a different address, should inform the local police or county sheriff's office, he added. Users can look for offenders by name, address, city, county, or ZIP code, or look by clicking on city and county maps that possess red dots to find regions where registered offenders reside.
hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SD_SEX_REGISTRY_SDOL-?
SITE=SDSIO&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

"County to Use GPS Technology to Track Offenders"
Lebanon Daily News (PA) (06/30/06); Shuey, Karen

Lebanon County, Pa.'s adult probation division is using technology that enables the military to align targets and helps drivers find their way in order to follow defendants set for trial and nonviolent criminal offenders on parole or probation. The county's commissioners announced their approval on June 29 for the county's police department to purchase and implement GPS technology to oversee and follow offenders electronically. Officials stated they hope the technology can upgrade the monitoring of individuals inside and outside the home. With the installation of GPS tracking systems, probation officials will be able to track offenders' movement all the time. Subjects under GPS monitoring will sport a removable personal tracking device and a nonremovable wireless ankle cuff. The tracking device obtains its location from the Department of Defense's GPS satellites and lists the time and location in an Internet-based database system. This data can be transmitted to probation and court authorities. http://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_3998492

"Stun Gun Law Mandates Training"
Palm Beach Post (FL) (06/27/06) P. 8A; Kam, Dara

Police officers in Florida will be required to receive training on stun gun use and safety under a measure signed into law by Gov. Jeb Bush. The bill also restricts stun gun use to individuals being arrested who have the ability to harm an officer or others and suspects who are running away. Officers' training must cover the stun gun's effects, which have been associated with over 100 deaths across the country. Scientists and human rights proponents are concerned that the guns could have deleterious effects on pregnant women, old people, children, people on drugs, and people with heart and neurological conditions. www.palmbeachpost.com/politics/content
/state/epaper/2006/06/27/a8a_stungun_0627.html

"New Computer System to Aid Police"
Hartford Courant (CT) (06/27/06) P. B2; Grogan, Jennifer

Hartford, Conn.'s police department is receiving a new computer system that will permit officers to easily get data and file reports from their cars, instead of returning to the station. The department's old system will be replaced by the Law Enforcement Administration System, a computer-assisted dispatch and record management system that is sold by NexGen Solutions. The police department is working with NexGen to implement the software, educate the officers to utilize it, and move the old information to the new system so that is operational by this fall. The software will help with record-keeping, overseeing case data, and sharing data with the fire department and dispatching, which includes recording the call data, prioritizing calls, and following officers' availability. A mobile component will permit officers to obtain in-house records from their cruiser laptops and to file reports from their cars. The NexGen system, including training, costs $176,000. The mobile unit required to link the station house to the cruisers will cost an extra $13,000 to $41,000, depending on the type of system the police department selects. http://www.courant.com/

"Police Identify Oregon Man Shot at Las Vegas Airport Checkpoint"
Las Vegas Sun (06/28/06); Ritter, Ken

Police shot a man at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas Wednesday after the man grabbed a boy from an airport toy store, held a knife to the boy's throat, and ran past a security checkpoint at the airport. The man, identified as 19-year-old Michael John Allgood, lunged at a police officer with the knife, prompting police to shoot him, including one officer who stunned Allgood with a Taser. Allgood was in critical condition as of Wednesday, and police said that he has a mental illness and that the incident was not related to terrorism.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories
/nevada/2006/jun/28/062810034.html

"Congress Takes Aim at Social Network Sites' Safeguards"
SiliconValley.com (06/29/06); Davies, Frank

A U.S. House Energy and Commerce subcommittee plans to create anti-pornography legislation to help shield Internet users and especially young Internet users from online pornography. The legislation will require companies to take precautions to safeguard Internet users from both pornography and online predators that troll social-networking Web sites, chat rooms, and other online hot spots. Social-networking Web site MySpace.com now has 85 million registered users and gains 250,000 new users each day, and Congress is concerned about online predators targeting teenagers there. Connecticut police detective Frank Dannahey says teenagers are "very trusting and are willing to share very personal information with strangers." Dannahey himself has investigated 17 cases in Connecticut of girls who say they were assaulted by people they met through MySpace. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) says it is easy for young users to "get on MySpace," though the Web site's policy says users must be 14 years or older. Social-networking Web site Facebook has 8 million college and high school users, and blogging Web site Xanga has 27 million users. http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley
/business/technology/14930139.htm

"The Mobile Identifier--Instantaneous Mug Shots on Demand"
Police and Security News (06/06) Vol. 22, No. 3, P. 39; Siuru, Bill

A device from Neven Vision called Mobile Identifier is designed to help police officers identify criminals. The company asserts that its facial analysis software is the market leader in accuracy and enjoys identification rates of over 99 percent in mobile devices. The Mobile Identifier software can be used to spot gang members, fugitives, and those wanted on warrants, and has been tested by the Los Angeles Police Department, which plans to soon launch a larger follow-up initiative. The firm hopes to eventually offer three versions of the devices ranging from under $1,500 to $5,000. Officers operate the device by aiming its 1.3 megapixel lens towards a suspect; the device's LED lighting is able to sufficiently illuminate suspects even in low light conditions. The image is compared to those in the Mobile Identifier's database, after which the device displays nine pictures on its 3.5 inch display screen. Typically, the first or second picture yields a positively identified person. The unit can connect to its onboard database when it is placed in its cradle and can also link to other databases through Bluetooth, USB, RS232, or 802.11g Wi-Fi. But the facial recognition system might encounter difficulties when dealing with such changes as weight gain or loss, facial hair, sunglasses, aging, and different light conditions. In addition to assessing mug shots, the device can also assess fingerprints; future versions may also be able to analyze irises and skin. http://www.policeandsecuritynews.com/

"Software Calculates Distances in Photos"
Sheriff (06/06) Vol. 58, No. 3, P. 24

The Washington State Patrol's Major Accident Investigation Team is using a computer application created by Eos Systems to aid probes of highway accidents. PhotoModeler reduces the time that investigators spend at accident scenes reconstructing what occurred by using photos to create three-dimensional models. Investigators can then access the models back at their office. The technology uses photogrammetry to develop measurement data and is compatible with all digital or film cameras. A single copy of the software application is priced at $895, though no additional costs are required later. Washington State Patrol Sgt. Jerry Cooper notes that the technology is best applied for "more compact scenes," but can work with larger scenes as well. http://www.sheriffs.org/

"Wauconda Fire Department Granted Advanced Radio System"
Chicago Daily Herald (07/05/06); Evdoxiadis, Georgia

The Department of Homeland Security provided a grant to the Wauconda Fire Department for purchasing the "incident commander's radio interface" system. The technology facilitates communication between law enforcement and fire department officials by allowing them to use a number of different radio bands. The Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program grant also covers the cost of training for a single member of the department. Wauconda Fire Chief David Dato indicated other fire departments and villages will be granted access to the system. Island Lake Police Chief John Fellman believes that the technology will help his department fulfill its responsibilities. Fellman added that the department is eager for the system to become Internet-enabled. http://www.dailyherald.com/search/searchstory.asp?id=205274

"Lighting the Way"
Police (06/06) Vol. 30, No. 6, P. 36; Smith, Scott

When selecting a multi-use duty flashlight, law enforcement officers have many vendors and many configurations of lights to choose from. Lights made by name-brand companies will be of higher quality than generic brands. When purchasing a duty light, officers should look for one that best meets the various duties associated with their job. For example, bright lights are better for use in large, open spaces, while dimmer lights are more appropriate for the confines of warehouses, parking garages, or indoor areas. Bright lights that reflect off of indoor objects can temporarily blind an officer. Lights that are appropriate for duty belts include the one-inch diameter two- or three-cell CR123A lights, which are compact and weigh little. The brightness of LED lights has evolved to the point where these lights are comparable to xenon bulbs, though xenon bulbs have greater distance than LED lights. A small complaint about the LED lights is that they cast a bluish light, but a positive is that they last two to four times longer than xenon lights and their overall life expectancy is thousands of hours greater than xenon bulbs. The key to a flashlight's brightness is the lamp and reflector assembly. Officers are advised to choose a flashlight with a lens of tempered glass or Pyrex for greater durability. Lights with built-in batteries recharge faster than lights with removable/rechargeable battery packs. http://www.policemag.com/t_cipick.cfm?rank=92787