Law Enforcement Technology News Summaries

NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, May 31, 2007

"Gov. Wants State to Track Gangs"
Los Angeles Times (05/26/07) P. B1; Halper, Evan

California could continue to experiment with using ankle bracelet technology to monitor the movements of gang members under a $48 million proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Welcomed by some law enforcement groups, the plan calls for the state to expand a pilot program in San Bernardino that uses ankle devices for violent parolees to Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Fresno. "The worst of the worst will get [global positioning] bracelets so we know exactly where they are and what they are doing," said Schwarzenegger. The goal is to monitor violent gang parolees similar to the way in which the state tracks high-risk sex offenders, in that they would be outfitted with an ankle bracelet and a statewide database for following their movements would be created. However, the proposal is expensive, considering the anklets, which feature an antenna, cost more than $3,000 per year, and thousands of dollars more would have to be spent on parole agents. San Bernardino has been using 20 ankle bracelets to track 50 gang members since last March. The devices have led the police to the scene of crimes such as a carjacking, drug trafficking, and shots fired at police officers, as well as to a suspect in a murder.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/
cal/la-me-gangs26may26,1,7907168.story


"Text Messages Help Law Enforcement"
News 10 Now (NY) (05/28/07); Des Rosiers, Joleene

Law enforcement officials are using text messages to prosecute criminals. Syracuse Lieutenant Joe Cecile says criminals often text people they victimized after they have committed a crime as a form of harassment. "The suspect wants someone to know. He does it almost in a way of bragging," Cecile says. He adds that attempts to erase sent messages are futile because the cell phone's memory chip records everything. "Whether they've erased it or not, they stay in that phone until the memory itself is taken out of it," Cecile says. http://www.news10now.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=106896

"VPD: Virtual Police Department"
Canada.com (05/29/07); Eustace, Chantal

The Vancouver Police Department will host a recruitment seminar on Thursday inside the Second Life virtual reality world. The most popular online metaverse is home to more than 6.7 million people who live, work, play, and learn inside the virtual reality world, and the VPD views the initiative as an opportunity to find real-life people who are tech-savvy. "As we move into the future, we're going to need people who understand technology--that are conversant with it, that understand the impact of it and understand how to use it," says Insp. Kevin McQuiggin, head of VPD's tech crimes division. The Great Northern Way Campus has assisted VPD on the virtual recruitment seminar, opening the doors of its virtual campus, training officers, and outsourcing avatars to create the VPD cyber uniforms. VPD officers will have their own personas in Second Life; a specially designed uniform, badge, belt, and radio; and will operate in the customs and commands of the virtual world. Second Life will give VPD an opportunity to meet people with technology skills as far away as England and Germany. VPD needs tech-savvy officers because technology has a hand in every major crime today, notes McQuiggin. "It's important for us, as an organization, to keep abreast of modern technology--both from an educational standpoint and an outreach standpoint, and from an investigative standpoint," he says.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=
0c37d98d-c54f-44d3-9e72-0c19cf828565

"High-Tech Scanning"
Biloxi Sun Herald (MS) (05/25/07) P. A2; Fitzgerald, Robin

Gulfport is the initial law-enforcement group in Mississippi to test the Mobile Plate Hunter 900. The license-plate scanner connects cameras on police vehicles and laptop computers to a nationwide crime database. The system includes a pair of digital cameras connected to the top of a police cruiser. They scan license plates on vehicles that are both parked and in motion, employing infrared technology to see images at night. Equipment inside the police vehicle constantly scans license plates and checks them against a nationwide database of over 300,000 stolen cars and additional information. After the device goes off, the officer radios a dispatcher to confirm the data prior to pulling the vehicle over. Gulfport Police Chief Alan Weatherford stated that the scanner will save time and manpower. It costs around $20,000 to equip a patrol car with the scanner. http://www.sunherald.com/201/story/61783.html

"Cops Target Unsafe Drivers on Parkway"
Home News Tribune (05/29/07); Sahn, Michelle

In a bid to lower traffic accidents, New Jersey state troopers have stepped up their surveillance of reckless drivers along the Garden State Parkway. Over the next few weeks, state troopers stationed at certain exit and entrance ramp toll booths on the Parkway will be monitoring drivers that do not observe the speed limit, drive too closely to cars in front of them, or fail to wear their seatbelts. Drivers caught will be mailed a letter informing them of the infraction and of the risk their driving habits pose to themselves and fellow motorists. Law enforcement officials hope the campaign, conducted in partnership with the New Jersey Institute of Technology, will pinpoint driving behavior that causes fatal accidents. Troopers will use portable and existing cameras at select locations along the Parkway to spot aggressive drivers, tailgaters, and motorists without their seat belts. They hope the cameras will record hot spots so additional patrols can be dispatched. http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070529/NEWS01/705290402/1001

"Getting Under the Skin of Drunk Drivers"
Buffalo News (05/24/07) P. A1; Watson, Stephen T.

Electronic monitoring devices that are worn on the ankle will soon be given to chronic drunk driving violators in Erie and Niagara counties in New York as part of a new DWI Court. Violators who participate in the court's program must wear the ankle bracelet called SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring Systems), stop consuming alcohol, and meet with counselors and probation officers. The devices are able to gauge how much alcohol a person has consumed by assessing the skin, and law officials say they can record tampering attempts and consumption of alcohol. Anyone apprehended for drinking will be brought in for questioning, and violations could mean the offender is removed from the program and sent back to prison. "If we can stop them from drinking, then half of the drinking-and-driving issue is taken away," said Jeffrey D. Smith, principal court analyst for the 8th Judicial District. A grant of $320,000 in federal funds will pay for 60 monitoring devices as well as the operation of the new court; the maker of the devices, Alcohol Monitoring Systems will also collect a daily $4 fee from the DWI Court which will eventually be paid by offenders. Judges are expected to make the devices mandatory in mid-June.
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/82863.html?imw=Y

"Man Subdued by Police Taser Dies"
Los Angeles Times (05/26/07) P. B3; Griggs, Gregory W.

The Simi Valley, Calif., police department does not believe a Taser is responsible for the death of a man who was shocked with a stun gun on May 15, 2007. "At this point, we don't believe there was any direct connection to its use," says Lt. Roy Jones. The police department continues to investigate the cause of death for Raymundo Guerrero Garcia, 31, and it may take four months for the results of toxicology tests to become available. Garcia died at a local hospital last week, several days after driving erratically in a neighborhood and drawing a low-speed chase that ended with a confrontation with the police. An officer is said to have shot Garcia, who refused to leave his Ford pickup and attempted to ram a patrol vehicle, with the Taser, which uses compressed nitrogen to launch two darts into the body. The gun can deliver a 50,000-volt shock in five-second intervals. The police department acquired the Tasers last August, and says they have been used in 16 arrests but have led to no permanent damage or injury so far. Taser International of Scottsdale, Ariz., also defended the stun gun, with representative Steve Tuttle saying, "When used properly, medical and law enforcement experts have concluded that Taser technology is among the most effective use-of-force interventions available to law enforcement officers to halt violent situations that pose a safety risk to an officer, suspect or innocent citizens."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la-me-taser26may26,1,25469.
story?coll=la-news-state&ctrack=2&cset=true

"Law Enforcement Officials Camp Out at UC Campus"
Charleston Daily Mail (WV) (05/23/07); Snyder, Karen

Law enforcement officials staged a vigil at the University of Charleston campus to raise awareness about efficient communication during an emergency. The Rural Law Enforcement Technology Center provided officers with the latest laser weapons and enabled them to participate in a mock-conflict with a "shooter." In light of the recent Virginia Tech tragedy, such simulated scenarios are critical in the time of a potential crisis. The center's Rod Maggard cited communication as the primary dilemma facing emergencies that occur in rural areas. Campus police were accompanied by state and federal officers that participated in discussions on combating potential terror attacks and other university crises, and measures for implementing the most effective communication strategies between local and state agencies during such emergencies.
http://www.dailymail.com/story/News/2007052322/
Law-enforcement-officials-camp-out-at-UC-campus/

"Law Enforcement Simulator Makes Stop at UC"
Charleston Gazette (WV) (05/23/07) P. P1C; Davison, James I.

On May 22, a simulation trailer stopped at the University of Charleston in West Virginia as part of a campus security conference between the school's police officers and law enforcement members from throughout the state. The conference's primary objective was to establish a permanent communication protocol between university police agencies and area county and federal law enforcement, stated university chief of security Jack Rinchich. Following the conference, officers got to test the simulator, which can fire pellets back at the shooter if they make an error. Known as the Mobile Decision Shooting Van, the program has over 200 scenarios, including a campus-shooting event. Rural Law Enforcement Technology Center representatives go around the United States to provide the innovative training opportunity to law enforcement, some of whom have not practiced with a target that is in motion. Center director Rod Maggard noted that the program determines an officer's weaknesses by putting them in realistic scenarios to find out how they act. University of Charleston safety officer Ron Mercer tried out the simulator, and stated that the program is superior to typical training forms such as stationary targets, because it helps prepare reflexes if one must shoot a suspect. http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/2007052214

"Sacramento Firm Hopes Its Vehicle Recovery System Will Take Flight"
Sacramento Business Journal (05/18/07); Turner, Melanie

In addition to making tracking devices for bikes and laptop computers, Sacramento, Calif.-based Pegasus Technologies makes a stolen-vehicle recovery system called VectorTrac. Pegasus sells the system, which costs between $20,000 and $150,000, to private security companies in Pakistan, the West Indies, Nigeria, Haiti, Kenya, and the island nation of Curacao. However, the device is not available in the United States because Pegasus has not been able to get FCC certification for its transmitter. According to Jason Cecchettini, Pegasus' sole employee, VectorTrac's signal does not transmit at a fast enough rate for the FCC. The FCC has set aside a radio frequency specifically for companies such as LoJack to track stolen vehicles. Though Pegasus could design a system that is similar to LoJack's, it would risk patent infringement if it did so, Cecchettini said. Instead of going head-to-head with LoJack, Pegasus is focusing on other services, including one that allows customers to track their vehicle's location over the Internet. http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2007/05/21/story16.html

"Call Center Workers Welcome New Facility"
Arizona Republic (05/16/07) P. 5; Sowers, Carol

A new police communications center in Scottsdale, Ariz., is larger and handles emergency calls better. Until late April, 11 operators were squeezed into an 1,800-square-foot room in the Scottsdale police station at Via Linda Drive and 95th Street. The five monitors they employed to find the location of police cruisers, speak with officers, accept 911 and other calls, and search information were piled on top of one another. The new facility provides the staff with 6,500-square-feet in one building, with their monitors situated at eye level on top of a curved desk, which can be raised to permit staff to stand. The new facility can house 20 dispatchers a shift, and will be able to handle over 600,000 emergency and non-emergency calls annually. The communications center is the first in the Valley to use the Viper Phone System by Positron. Though the system is not Internet-based, it employs related technology that offers Internet phone service to the public, according to the police department's communications division director Tom Melton. http://www.arizonarepublic.com

"Site to Give Data on Sex Offenders"
Los Angeles Times (05/22/07) P. C2

The social networking Web site MySpace has agreed to submit information to eight state attorneys general regarding registered sex offenders who made online pages prior to being discovered and removed from the site. Authorities hope to obtain such data as offenders' names and any email messages sent by them to aid in searching for potential lawbreakers. Similar information is being requested from Facebook.com, another social networking site, said Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood. MySpace deleted approximately 7,000 online profile pages created by registered sex offenders after the company implemented a system from Sentinel Technologies that lets firms compare user information with offender lists. MySpace initially declined to provide the requested data due to legal restrictions, according to MySpace legal counsel Mike Angus; in some states, privacy laws allow firms to hand over information only after the issuance of a legal subpoena. The attorneys general have also requested that MySpace establish methods of verifying age or parents' consent, but this can be difficult due to the lack of records--such as a driver's license--that can verify children's age. Meanwhile, MySpace is developing a technology called Zephyr intended to let parents see if their child has set up an online profile, according to the firm's chief security officer Hemanshu Nigam. The technology may be soon be shared with other social networking sites. http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-myspace22may22,1,2098397.story

"Verizon Business Wins Contract With New York City to Provide State-of-the-Art Emergency Communications Services"
PRNewswire (05/22/07)

Verizon Business has begun work on implementing a new Enhanced 911 system designed to provide New York City's police, fire, and emergency medical personnel with state-of-the-art technology to help them locate and communicate with 911 callers. Verizon Business will provide the new system under a seven-year contract valued at as much as $195 million. The agreement with the city has an option for two two-year extensions, including upgrades in network and equipment technology to ensure that the system remains state of the art. A key feature will enable New York City's Police Department (NYPD) and Fire Department (FDNY), and the FDNY's Emergency Medical Services division for the first time to share redundant, dual-dedicated switches to receive and process E-911 calls. "Building on our experience in providing mission-critical communications services, Verizon Business is committed to assisting the city in protecting and serving the residents and visitors of the Big Apple," said Alex Coleman, group president for Verizon Business' government and education organization. "Once the city migrates to the new system, New Yorkers will know that their call for help will be handled by one of the most sophisticated, resilient and reliable E-911 systems available today." Verizon Business is overseeing implementation of a turnkey, fully managed E-911 service for the city that includes a new fiber-optic network, dedicated switches, routers, Centrex voice services, and Ethernet Private Line data network services. Implementation of the first phase of the new E-911 system has begun and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. All operations are currently planned to be migrated to the new system in 2008. http://sev.prnewswire.com/computer-electronics/
20070522/NYTU05822052007-1.html

"New Computer Model Predicts Crowd Behavior"
Arizona State University (05/22/07)

Arizona State University assistant professor in the School of Geographical Sciences Paul M. Torrens is developing a computer model that will realistically simulate the reaction and behaviors of people in a crowd. The computer model could be used by city planners, shopping center developers, and public safety and health officials to simulate situations that would be impossible to create in a live experiment, such as the evacuation of a city or large building. Torrens' goal is to create a simulation program that accounts for the panicked and desperate state that people would feel under such situations. The current behavior modeling programs have not proven to have the veracity this model could have, according to Torrens. In Torrens' model, each simulated person will behave independently and have different characteristics, such as age, sex, size, health, and body language. The program will also account for crowd and environmental features such as group panic and safety levels. Torrens said the model will be used for realistic experiments exploring "what if" and unforeseen scenarios that could affect cities. Additionally, the model can be used to explore sustainability in downtown settings, such as how can a city promote walking instead of driving and how pedestrian flow can fit better with city traffic. The spread of a pathogen through a city could also be simulated. The completed prototype model collects data from each element in the simulation every 60th of a second. Torrens' research is funded by a $400,000, five-year National Science Foundation CAREER Award. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070521094519.htm

Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.