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

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