"County Will Track Low-Risk Inmates With GPS Satellites"
Clovis News Journal (08/04/06); Johnson, Sharna
The Curry County Adult Detention Center plans to launch an inmate tracking program using the Global Positioning System on Monday. The program, which requires participants to wear ankle bracelets, is intended to ease overcrowding at the detention center. The center has 200 beds, but recently reported housing 315 adult inmates. County employees are overseeing implementation of the program, which requires inmates to submit to random drug tests and follow court orders. Judges will determine which inmates are eligible for the program, which is estimated to provide $534,240 in projected savings. The Jail Electronic Home Detention program will permit inmates to work, take educational courses, and spend time with their families as they also meet their obligations to the court. Participants are required to pay a fee of $10 per day, plus $10 for drug tests. In addition, the program will restrict some inmates to particular locations.
http://www.cnjonline.com
/engine.pl?station=clovis&template=storyfull.html&id=22412
"Police Tap Into 'Black Boxes' to Help Solve Traffic Crimes"
Virginian-Pilot (08/06/06); Hopkins, John
Police in South Hampton Roads, Va., and across the nation use technology to tap into the "black boxes" car makers install in transmission tunnels and under driver's seats to monitor the deployment of air bags. These event data recorders remain inactive until the vehicle senses an impending collision, at which time the air bag is deployed. A driver's speed, direction of travel, breaking percentage, and seat belt usage, among other data, can be gleaned from data stored on the units. Consumer data privacy issues led state Sen. John Watkins (R-Powhatan) to introduce Virginia's first law concerning the boxes. The measure gives owners of cars control over use of their data and allows them to share it with insurers, who are prevented from basing policy or coverage decisions on an owner's willingness to share the data. The need to gain owner approval is excepted in cases of police investigations and mechanical repairs.
http://home.hamptonroads.com
/stories/story.cfm?story=108755&ran=48188
"State Police Gain New Technology"
Courant.com (08/04/06); Fox, Tracy Gordon
The Meriden, Conn., statewide forensic lab has installed high-level video enhancement technology to help make grainy and blurry photographs often produced by bank and facility surveillance cameras much clearer. The new imaging technology was an approximately $20,000 purchase and part of an expanded computer crime center designed to track and catch online sexual predators who target teenagers and children. "They will be tools for prosecutors to pursue evidence in a better fashion," said Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle. The computer crime center mostly collects equipment that already has been purchased in one central area, and has expanded law enforcement staff from three to 12. The center is the beginning of an $8 million high-tech facility due to be unveiled in 2008, and the center will move into it once the new crime lab opens. The new imaging technology can improve video images, cell phone photos, hand-held camera evidence, and most video data.
http://www.courant.com
/news/local/hc-ctcrimesolve
0804.artaug04,0,6000839.story
"Deleted Criminal Records Remain"
Dallas Morning News (08/03/06); Krause, Kevin
Information earmarked for deletion in Dallas County's Adult Information System (AIS) by court order has been allowed to remain, putting the county at risk of legal action. Hundreds of criminal cases that should have been permanently removed from AIS are still inside the county's new computer system that went live on Jan. 1, 2005. Meanwhile, offices such as the county public defender have been unable to access the system while the problem is being fixed. The situation could also delay job applications, passports, and credit-related requests. Failure to eliminate or knowingly reveal expunged data is considered a Class B misdemeanor. Atos Origin, the company that won a five-year, $53 million contract from the county to oversee the mainframe, has been faulted for being unaware of the content of files, according to Robert Clines, the county's technology director. In addition to retaining expunged records, the AIS has been blamed for keeping certain prisoners in jail beyond their stipulated sentence, failing to monitor bond forfeitures, and mishandling other court and jail functions. Officials are now identifying and removing the stricken cases from AIS manually. "The last thing we want to do is wipe out a record that needs to be there," said District Clerk Jim Hamlin.
http://www.dallasnews.com
/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews
/stories/080306dnmetexpunge.220f68c.html
"Satellite Keeps an Eye on Sex Offenders"
Tampa Tribune (08/03/06) P. 1; Ziff, Deborah
The utilization of sex offender satellites is on the increase. Pro Tech Monitoring, one of the biggest satellite tracking companies in the world, makes a flexible bracelet that is placed on the ankle of an offender, and the offender must keep a GPS device the size of a pager within 150 feet of his person at all times. The bracelet communicates with the unit to make certain the offender does not go too far from the GPS device. The box transmits a signal periodically to a call center, where a probation officer can follow offenders' behavior by watching a trail of colored dots on a satellite map. When an offender breaches any regulations, a signal is transmitted to the operations center, where the green dots symbolizing a "good" site on offenders' maps change to red, meaning "bad." Pro Tech Monitoring contracts with law enforcement groups in 25 states. How efficient the units are, however, in stopping sexual offenders from repeating crimes is not certain, and the majority of experts caution that the satellites are not the solution, but a tool. Pro Tech Monitoring charges $8.90 a day for each offender. http://www.tbo.com
/news/metro/MGBMSNJLEQE.html
"Frankfort May Add More Eyes on Streets"
Utica Observer-Dispatch (NY) (08/01/06) P. 1A; Kline, Allissa
If approved by the village board, eight sites in Frankfort, N.Y., will be monitored by surveillance cameras as a response to budget reductions. "The reason behind it is we've had to make major cuts in our budget," says Mayor Frank Moracco. "So we thought this was one way we could use it as a high-tech neighborhood watch type of thing." Residents will have access to images online but will not be able to manipulate the cameras, which will utilize a pre-existing wireless network operated by hometown wireless company WavHost that provides wireless Internet access to residents. The network should cover the costs for the deployment, between $500 to $1,500 per camera.
http://www.uticaod.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20060801/NEWS/608010305/1001
"Police Add Cyber Van to Force"
Norwich Bulletin (08/01/06) P. 1B; Smith, Greg
Police in Norwich, Conn., recently unveiled the Mobile Cyber Crime Unit, a 34-foot van equipped with high-tech tools to fight Internet crime, especially predation. Funded by an approximately $300,000 federal grant, the mobile crime lab will be used to conduct sting operations and to educate the young about online predation as well as fraud and other cyber threats. The lab also provides investigators with badly needed space to conduct their work. http://www.norwichbulletin.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20060801/NEWS01/608010329/1002
"City's Web Policy Hinders Some Police Investigations"
Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) (08/02/06) P. BV1; LaRoe, Ginny
The city of Venice, Fla., has imposed strict Internet controls for all city employee computers, blocking access to Web sites that have potentially offensive content, although one consequence of the policy has been to block certain detective work. Venice Detective Eric Hill was investigating local Internet ads for prostitution when he discovered he could not access Craigslist, a popular classified Web site, because of the city's Internet blocking policy. Venice police officers have to call the city's technology hub to get Web sites unblocked for investigative purposes, and Detective Sgt. Mike Treanor calls that "better than nothing." Nearby, Sarasota County Sheriff Chuck Lesaltato says such a policy would "tie our hands" in his department. Venice's Internet restrictions have been in place since 2004. City manager Marty Black notes that the policy protects employees from Web surfing mistakes that could be construed as policy violations, and adds that before the employee ban, some officers were discovered to have looked at sports Web sites for fun while on the job.
http://www.heraldtribune.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20060802/NEWS/608020363/1417/RSS02
"Law Center in Waverly Complete and Ready for Review"
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier (IA) (08/01/06); Heinselman, Karen
The new Bremer-Waverly Law Enforcement Center is a $5.2 million project for the area to improve administrative and detention facilities, expanding inmate capacity to 79 total prisoners. The center serves both Bremer County and the city of Waverly in Iowa, and has eased administrative tasks and record-keeping for officers compared to the rumble-tumble jumble of stacked boxes and packed closets in the old jail. The new center has three outdoor surveillance cameras, while the old jail had none, and separate sets of entrances and exits for inmates, staff, and the public. The center is also equipped with spacious interviewing rooms that possess recording and video technology. The project, begun in October 2003, will be completed this year and was funded by a 1 percent local sales tax approved by voters.
http://www.wcfcourier.com
/articles/2006/08/01/news
/regional/28de9059e9be3109862571bd0043c915.txt
"Law Enforcement, Emergency Services Get Wireless Grants"
Great Falls Tribune (MT) (07/30/06) P. 1A; Florio, Gwen
Montana is one of five states receiving $50,000 grants to obtain dependable wireless technology for its law enforcement and emergency services. The funds come from the Department of Homeland Security and the National Governors Association. The plan is that one day local, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement and associated agencies will be able to employ the technology for quick, easy communications during an emergency. Montana Department of Administration IT supervisor Chris Christensen says a coordinated system could solve the dual problems of bad communications and poor-quality data. The grant will permit the National Governors Association's team of experts to conduct workshops in Montana, and to put together meetings among different states working on related projects. The four other states that also got grant money are Alabama, Indiana, Minnesota, and Washington.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20060730/NEWS01/607300310/1002
"Wyoming County Gets Grant for Stun Belts"
Times Leader (Penn.) (08/02/06) P. A2; Prekel, Jenna
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development has provided a $7,325 grant for Wyoming County police to purchase six stun belts. The grant also covers the cost of training. The stun belts will be worn by disruptive prisoners during transport. Advanced Technology Solutions and Brady Stroh of Penn State's geo-spatial services has also provided a check worth more than $15,000 for updating maps in the county. Wyoming County is expected to obtain a high resolution elevation map during 2008, which can aid the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies in developing flood control measures.
http://www.timesleader.com/
"Homeland Security Awards $3 Million to Rutgers-Led Research Consortium"
Rutgers University (07/26/06)
Rutgers University will receive a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to coordinate research projects into advanced information analysis and technology that could help indicate a potential terror threat to the nation. The university's Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS) will head a consortium that will focus on finding patterns and relationships in news stories, open-source Web logs, and other accessible information, and rate the consistency and reliability of the sources. "The challenge involved in this endeavor is not only the massive amount of information out there, but also how quickly it flows and how fast the sources of information change," says DIMACS director Fred Roberts. "We will develop real-time streaming algorithms to find patterns and relationships in communications, such as among writers who may be hiding their identities, and to rate information sources for their reliability and trustworthiness." Researchers from AT&T Laboratories, Lucent Technologies Bell Labs, Princeton University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Texas Southern University will participate in the research projects. DHS also awarded grants to the University of Southern California, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Pittsburgh for similar research, and Rutgers will coordinate the overall initiative.
http://ur.rutgers.edu
/medrel/viewArticle.html?ArticleID=5266
"Body Armor Fit For A Superhero"
Business Week (08/07/06) Vol. 3996, P. 76; Arndt, Michael
A company called Armor Holdings has developed a new type of bullet-resistant vest described as "liquid armor" by Robert R. Schiller, the firm's president and chief operating officer. He hopes to sell the garments to prison guards and, by the end of 2007, to police officers and possibly soldiers as well. The company is currently focusing on prison guards because the product is not only resistant to bullets but to knives and other sharp objects as well. Schiller believes the body armor "has the potential to be a breakthrough product." The vests feature multiple layers of strong fibers and fluid polymers that were developed by Norman Wagner, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Delaware's Center for Composite Materials. The materials used to make the garment include polyethylene glycol and silica, which form a liquefied material that hardens when struck by a swiftly moving object. When the impact dissipates, the material becomes liquid again. Eric Wetzel at the Army Research Laboratory says the substance enhances the functioning of materials such as Kevlar when applied in thin layers. The liquid is also lighter than Kevlar and other fabrics, which would likely make Armor Holdings' new vests lighter than existing types of body armor that can weigh four pounds or more. Schiller says Armor Holdings' versions should be cheaper to produce as well; the Jacksonville, Fla.-based firm hopes keep its basic products priced at about $500 to $600 each.
http://www.businessweek.com
/magazine/content/06_32/b3996068.htm?chan=tc&chan=technology_
technology+index+page_best+of+the+magazine
"Para-Ordnance Tac-Five LDA Pistol"
Police (07/06) Vol. 30, No. 7, P. 96; Scarlata, Paul
Canadian gun manufacturer Para-Ordnance recently launched its Tac-Five LDA chambered in 9mm and made to appeal to SWAT officers. A full-sized pistol, the Tac-Five has the rounded-off frame tang and bobbed safety grip of Para-Ordnance's compact, hidden carry models. Besides its large capacity and competition shooting design, the Tac-Five LDA provides shooters with the ergonomics of the 1911 and the security of a solely double-action pistol. It has a Para Power Extractor, made up of a vast claw, which is under continual spring pressure, and offers 50 percent greater contact with the cartridge rim than typical 1911 extractors. This means that the Tac-Five and additional Para pistols with the Para Power Extractor provide upgraded, controlled feeding of cartridges from the magazine and positive extraction and unloading of spent cases. The Tac-Five is a highly accurate pistol, due to an easy-to-fire trigger. The sole drawback of the Tac-Five is that it could use a Picatinny rail for mounting lights or laser sights. http://www.policemag.com/
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 9, 2006
Two counties to stage epidemic exercise
“An emergency response exercise is scheduled for late October to help prepare workers for not only an influenza pandemic but a biological attack. Carol Amato, director of the Huerfano-Las Animas health department, said she hopes in the process the department can vaccinate more than 4,000 people against influenza. More than 250 volunteers from law enforcement, emergency response and health care will participate in the eight-hour exercise involving both Huerfano and Las Animas counties. Using the incident command system, each volunteer will perform limited and specific tasks, working as a unit to move vaccine recipients through the screening process and vaccination within 25 minutes.” (The Pueblo Chieftain; 09Aug06; Tammy Alhadef)
http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1155124801/31
$28 billion U.S. bioterrorism defense remains vulnerable
“The federal government’s $28 billion crash program to defend against a bioterrorist attack is showing up in cities across the country. The FBI headquarters, World Bank and several other possible targets in the nation’s capital have been outfitted with germkilling air filters. In dozens of other cities, technicians retrieve air samples to test for anthrax spores, smallpox virus particles or other germs. Experts say this infusion of new technology along with medical resources might lower the effectiveness of a biological attack using classical germ agents. But they acknowledge that the nation remains highly vulnerable, especially against new, synthetically created germs for which the United States has no antidotes.” (The Columbus Dispatch; 09Aug06; Greg Gordon; McClatchy
Newspapers)
http://www.dispatch.com
/national-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/08/09/20060809-A5-00.html
Pulaski site makes first cut in competition for bioterrorism lab
“Kentucky has made the initial cut as a potential site for a $450 million bioterrorism laboratory, Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers announced today. Competitors had submitted a list of 29 proposed sites across the country for the lab. The Department of Homeland Security narrowed that list to 14 sites, including one in rural Pulaski County. The lab would be a tremendous economic plum, requiring hundreds of construction workers to build it and then creating an estimated 400 permanent jobs with an average salary of $74,000, as well as jobs in related businesses. ‘The economic benefits that would flow from this would be immeasurable,’ Rogers said. Scientists at the 500,000-square-foot lab would study potential bioterrorism threats to the U.S. food supply and humans, including foreign animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and zoonotic diseases — those that can be passed from animals to humans. That means it would handle deadly pathogens and would have the highest security level for a biological lab: biosafety level four. Some residents of Pulaski County are concerned about the potential for leaks of dangerous materials from the lab, or that it would be a target for terrorists. Opponents collected 2,800 names on a petition against bringing the lab to Kentucky. Rogers, however, said there is a great deal of support for the facility as well. The lab would use the most stringent safety measures known; the congressman said he thinks most people will become convinced it will be safe as they learn more about it.” (Lexington Herald; 09Aug06; Bill Estep) http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/15234693.htm
STATpack great boon to Enid, state
“A new system designed to identify bioterrorism materials already has paid dividends — and it didn’t involve an attack on our country. St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center recently installed STATPack, which stands for Secure Telecommunications Application Terminal Package. The system is a secure, Web-based network linking St. Mary’s and, when the system is fully installed, nine other labs in various parts of the state with Oklahoma State Department of Health. The system, purchased with funds from Health Resources and Services Administration, an arm of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was designed to help make clinical labs in Oklahoma better able to identify bioterrorism materials. Shortly after it was installed at St. Mary’s, a medical technician was doing tests on a patient’s blood. The technician saw something unusual — malaria. Using STATPack, St. Mary’s officials were able to get help in determining what form of malaria it was and were able to prescribe the proper treatment. It turns out the patient had contracted the disease during a recent visit to Africa. The system involves a camera attached to a microscope and a digital Web cam mounted on a sealed Plexiglas box connected to a computer, which are linked directly to the state Health Department. The system will allow a microbiologist at St. Mary’s to send still photos or live video of suspicious samples to the state Health Department’s experts.” (EnidNews;
08Aug06)
http://www.enidnews.com
/opinion/local_story_221012012.html?keyword=topstory
Nanowire 'Barcode' System Speeds Up Bio Detection In The Field
“Detecting biowarfare agents in the field will become a lot easier thanks to a new barcode system based on biosensing nanowires developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers. Multi-striped nanowires developed at LLNL allow rapid and sensitive immunoassays for biowarfare agent simulants. The researchers, led by Jeffrey Tok of LLNL’s BioSecurity and Nanosciences Laboratory, built submicrometer layers of different metals including gold, silver and nickel that act as “barcodes”
for detecting a variety of pathogens ranging from anthrax, smallpox and ricin to botulinum. The system not only applies to biowarfare agents, but could also be used during an outbreak of an infectious disease.”
(ScienceDaily; 08Aug06; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060808161332.htm
Penn Researchers Determine Structure Of Smallpox Virus Protein Bound To DNA
“Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have determined the structure of an important smallpox virus enzyme and how it binds to DNA. The enzyme, called a topoisomerase, is an important drug target for coming up with new ways to fight smallpox. The researchers present their findings in the August issue of Molecular Cell. The smallpox virus is one of the most easily transmissible infectious diseases known to humans, resulting in up to 30 percent mortality. The efficiency with which it spreads, combined with the deadly nature of the disease, has raised fears that smallpox could be revived for use in bioterrorism. Knowing the exact three-dimensional structure of smallpox virus proteins could help researchers design antiviral agents, but few structures of whole viral proteins exist.” (Medical News Today; 08Aug06)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
/medicalnews.php?newsid=48986&nfid=rssfeeds
Ceremony Takes Place At Future Research Center Site
“A new research center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center is one small step closer to being completed. A groundbreaking ceremony took place Tuesday morning at the site of where the new Research Center of Excellence II will be built. The second center is expected to be similar to the Durham Research Center that opened in 2003 at UNMC. The total cost for the proposed research center stands at $74 million. Most of that money comes from private funding, including a donation from Omaha businessman and philanthropist Charles Durham. But $12 million for the new 10-story building will come from the state's bioterrorism and homeland security funds. The center is slated to house several labs dedicated to improve testing for biological and chemical warfare agents. ‘The facility will serve as the new home of those efforts, with a significant portion of the 98 state-of-the-art laboratories devoted to the Nebraska bioterrorism preparedness laboratories,’ said Gov. Dave Heineman. The second tower will also focus on other areas of research, including cancer genetics, organ transplants and other diseases. The building is expected to be completed in late 2008.” (KETV 7; 08Aug06) http://www.ketv.com
/health/9649016/detail.html?rss=oma&psp=news
NY police targeted with suspected anthrax letter
“Two police officers were taken to a hospital on Wednesday after opening an envelope that contained a suspicious white powder, the New York Police Department said. The two police officers worked in the mail screening facility at police headquarters in downtown Manhattan and opened an envelope that contained an ‘undetermined white powder,’ said police department spokesman Paul Browne. They underwent decontamination at a hospital as a precautionary measure in case the powder turned out to be anthrax, Browne said. The powder was not accompanied with a note. On July 14 and August 2, The New York Times said it had received an envelope with a suspicious white powder, raising fears on of an anthrax attack. In both incidents the powder was found to be nonhazardous. The incidents raised fears of a repeat of a series of anthrax attacks in the United States, which started one week after the September 11 attacks in 2001. Letters with a Trenton, New Jersey, postmark and containing anthrax bacteria were mailed to several media offices and two U.S. senators, killing five people and sickening 17 others.” (Reuters; 09Aug06) http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml
?type=domesticNews&storyID=13136049&src=rss/domesticNews
Britain facing a new breed of fascist, warns Reid
“Britain is facing a new breed of ‘unconstrained’ terrorists who have access to chemical and biological weapons to cause mass destruction, the Home Secretary warned today. John Reid said that the country was facing its most sustained threat from terrorism since the end of the Second World War, and admitted that the security forces were unable to guarantee the public 100 per cent protection. The Home Secretary said that national security was jeopardised because institutions and legal frameworks were not adapting as fast as needed. He argued that Britain's security apparatus was created during the Cold War in response to the threat from fascism, but that the threat was now from ‘fascist individuals’. ‘Our security forces and the apparatus of the state provide a very necessary condition for defeating terrorism but can never be sufficient to do so on their own…Our common security will only be assured by a common effort from all sections of society…Individuals who can network courtesy of new technology, and access modern chemical, biological and other means of mass destruction, and who have therefore unconstrained capability as well as unconstrained intent, are an enemy we have never had to face before…While I am confident that the security services and police will guarantee 100 per cent effort and 100 per cent dedication, they cannot guarantee 100 per cent success,’ he said. Mr Reid linked the terrorism threat to the increased mobility and migration of people since the end of the Cold War.”
(Times Online; 09Aug06; Elsa McLaren and Agencies) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2305628,00.html
Alzheimer's drug may be poison antidote
“An Alzheimer's pill that helps slow the brain damage caused by the disease may also protect against the effects of nerve gases and pesticides, U.S. researchers reported on Monday. They said the drug, marketed under the name Reminyl and Razadyne, completely protected guinea pigs against the nerve agents soman and sarin, as well as toxic amounts of pesticides. They gave the animals high doses of the poisons and treated them with Reminyl, known generically as galantamine, along with atropine, often given as an antidote for organophospate pesticides such as paraoxon. ‘To our amazement, the animals treated with galantamine behaved as if they had not been exposed to these lethal agents,’ Dr. Edson Albuquerque, chairman of the Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in a statement. ‘I think maybe we have something that can protect us against bad terrorists,’ he said in a telephone interview, adding that the next step was to test female guinea pigs.” (Yahoo News; 07Aug06; Maggie Fox, Reuters) http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060807/sc_nm/antidote_dc
Bacteria Roll Out Carpet Of Goo That Converts Deadly Heavy Metal Into Less Threatening Nano-spheres “Since the discovery a little more than a decade ago of bacteria that chemically modify and neutralize toxic metals without apparent harm to themselves, scientists have wondered how on earth these microbes do it. For Shewanella oneidensis, a microbe that modifies uranium chemistry, the pieces are coming together, and they resemble pearls that measure precisely 5 nanometers across enmeshed in a carpet of slime secreted by the bacteria. The pearl is uranium dioxide, or uraninite, which moves much less freely in soil than its soluble counterpart, a groundwater-contamination threat at nuclear waste sites. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that uranium contaminates more than 2,500 billion liters of groundwater nationwide; over the past decade, the agency has support research into the ability of naturally-occurring microbes that can halt the uranium’s underground migration to prevent it from reaching streams used by plants, animals and people.” (Science Daily; 08Aug06; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060808091833.htm
Half of Americans still believe Iraq had WMDs
“Do you believe in Iraqi ‘WMD’? Did Saddam Hussein's government have weapons of mass destruction in 2003? Half of America apparently still thinks so, a new poll finds, and experts see a raft of reasons why: a drumbeat of voices from talk radio to die-hard bloggers to the Oval Office, a surprise headline here or there, a rallying around a partisan flag, and a growing need for people, in their own minds, to justify the war in Iraq. People tend to become ‘independent of reality’ in these circumstances, says opinion analyst Steven Kull. The reality in this case is that after a 16-month, $900-million-plus investigation, the U.S. weapons hunters known as the Iraq Survey Group declared that Iraq had dismantled its chemical, biological and nuclear arms programs in 1991 under U.N. oversight. That finding in 2004 reaffirmed the work of U.N. inspectors who in 2002-03 found no trace of banned arsenals in Iraq. Despite this, a Harris Poll released July 21 found that a full 50 percent of U.S. respondents - up from 36 percent last year - said they believe Iraq did have the forbidden arms when U.S. troops invaded in March 2003, an attack whose stated purpose was elimination of supposed WMD. Other polls also have found an enduring American faith in the WMD story. ‘I'm flabbergasted,’ said Michael Massing, a media critic whose writings dissected the largely unquestioning U.S. news reporting on the Bush administration's shaky WMD claims in 2002-03. ‘This finding just has to cause despair among those of us who hope for an informed public able to draw reasonable conclusions based on evidence,’ Massing said.” (ABC 13; 08Aug06; Associated Press)
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=nation_world&id=4442391
US Defends Indian Non-Proliferation Record Despite Sanctions
“The State Department Monday defended the Indian government's record in combating weapons proliferation despite the imposition of U.S. sanctions last week against two Indian firms for dealings with Iran. The two companies were cited for violating a U.S. law aimed at curbing sales that could help Iran develop weapons of mass destruction. Officials here stress that the U.S. penalties were levied against Indian private companies, not the government, and that the United States considers India a responsible actor in anti-proliferation efforts despite the sanctions. The State Department announced Friday that two Indian chemical producers were among seven companies from four countries sanctioned for violating the Iran Nonproliferation Act, a U.S. law enacted six years ago aimed at curbing Iran's ability to acquire weapons of mass destruction. Critics of the Bush administration's controversial nuclear cooperation accord with India pounced on the sanctions announcement as evidence that India's non-proliferation record is less than ideal. However State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said sanctions against private firms operating in a given country do not necessarily reflect badly on a government's non-proliferation record, which he said in the case of India is good."Look at the announcement. As I understand it, there are 33 companies that are currently sanctioned under the Iran Nonproliferation Act," noted McCormack. "They're from a variety of different countries. But we believe the Indian government itself is a responsible actor, a very responsible actor, on the front of non-proliferation."” (Voice of America; 08Aug06; David Gollust) http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-08-07-voa80.cfm
“An emergency response exercise is scheduled for late October to help prepare workers for not only an influenza pandemic but a biological attack. Carol Amato, director of the Huerfano-Las Animas health department, said she hopes in the process the department can vaccinate more than 4,000 people against influenza. More than 250 volunteers from law enforcement, emergency response and health care will participate in the eight-hour exercise involving both Huerfano and Las Animas counties. Using the incident command system, each volunteer will perform limited and specific tasks, working as a unit to move vaccine recipients through the screening process and vaccination within 25 minutes.” (The Pueblo Chieftain; 09Aug06; Tammy Alhadef)
http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1155124801/31
$28 billion U.S. bioterrorism defense remains vulnerable
“The federal government’s $28 billion crash program to defend against a bioterrorist attack is showing up in cities across the country. The FBI headquarters, World Bank and several other possible targets in the nation’s capital have been outfitted with germkilling air filters. In dozens of other cities, technicians retrieve air samples to test for anthrax spores, smallpox virus particles or other germs. Experts say this infusion of new technology along with medical resources might lower the effectiveness of a biological attack using classical germ agents. But they acknowledge that the nation remains highly vulnerable, especially against new, synthetically created germs for which the United States has no antidotes.” (The Columbus Dispatch; 09Aug06; Greg Gordon; McClatchy
Newspapers)
http://www.dispatch.com
/national-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/08/09/20060809-A5-00.html
Pulaski site makes first cut in competition for bioterrorism lab
“Kentucky has made the initial cut as a potential site for a $450 million bioterrorism laboratory, Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers announced today. Competitors had submitted a list of 29 proposed sites across the country for the lab. The Department of Homeland Security narrowed that list to 14 sites, including one in rural Pulaski County. The lab would be a tremendous economic plum, requiring hundreds of construction workers to build it and then creating an estimated 400 permanent jobs with an average salary of $74,000, as well as jobs in related businesses. ‘The economic benefits that would flow from this would be immeasurable,’ Rogers said. Scientists at the 500,000-square-foot lab would study potential bioterrorism threats to the U.S. food supply and humans, including foreign animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and zoonotic diseases — those that can be passed from animals to humans. That means it would handle deadly pathogens and would have the highest security level for a biological lab: biosafety level four. Some residents of Pulaski County are concerned about the potential for leaks of dangerous materials from the lab, or that it would be a target for terrorists. Opponents collected 2,800 names on a petition against bringing the lab to Kentucky. Rogers, however, said there is a great deal of support for the facility as well. The lab would use the most stringent safety measures known; the congressman said he thinks most people will become convinced it will be safe as they learn more about it.” (Lexington Herald; 09Aug06; Bill Estep) http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/15234693.htm
STATpack great boon to Enid, state
“A new system designed to identify bioterrorism materials already has paid dividends — and it didn’t involve an attack on our country. St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center recently installed STATPack, which stands for Secure Telecommunications Application Terminal Package. The system is a secure, Web-based network linking St. Mary’s and, when the system is fully installed, nine other labs in various parts of the state with Oklahoma State Department of Health. The system, purchased with funds from Health Resources and Services Administration, an arm of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was designed to help make clinical labs in Oklahoma better able to identify bioterrorism materials. Shortly after it was installed at St. Mary’s, a medical technician was doing tests on a patient’s blood. The technician saw something unusual — malaria. Using STATPack, St. Mary’s officials were able to get help in determining what form of malaria it was and were able to prescribe the proper treatment. It turns out the patient had contracted the disease during a recent visit to Africa. The system involves a camera attached to a microscope and a digital Web cam mounted on a sealed Plexiglas box connected to a computer, which are linked directly to the state Health Department. The system will allow a microbiologist at St. Mary’s to send still photos or live video of suspicious samples to the state Health Department’s experts.” (EnidNews;
08Aug06)
http://www.enidnews.com
/opinion/local_story_221012012.html?keyword=topstory
Nanowire 'Barcode' System Speeds Up Bio Detection In The Field
“Detecting biowarfare agents in the field will become a lot easier thanks to a new barcode system based on biosensing nanowires developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers. Multi-striped nanowires developed at LLNL allow rapid and sensitive immunoassays for biowarfare agent simulants. The researchers, led by Jeffrey Tok of LLNL’s BioSecurity and Nanosciences Laboratory, built submicrometer layers of different metals including gold, silver and nickel that act as “barcodes”
for detecting a variety of pathogens ranging from anthrax, smallpox and ricin to botulinum. The system not only applies to biowarfare agents, but could also be used during an outbreak of an infectious disease.”
(ScienceDaily; 08Aug06; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060808161332.htm
Penn Researchers Determine Structure Of Smallpox Virus Protein Bound To DNA
“Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have determined the structure of an important smallpox virus enzyme and how it binds to DNA. The enzyme, called a topoisomerase, is an important drug target for coming up with new ways to fight smallpox. The researchers present their findings in the August issue of Molecular Cell. The smallpox virus is one of the most easily transmissible infectious diseases known to humans, resulting in up to 30 percent mortality. The efficiency with which it spreads, combined with the deadly nature of the disease, has raised fears that smallpox could be revived for use in bioterrorism. Knowing the exact three-dimensional structure of smallpox virus proteins could help researchers design antiviral agents, but few structures of whole viral proteins exist.” (Medical News Today; 08Aug06)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
/medicalnews.php?newsid=48986&nfid=rssfeeds
Ceremony Takes Place At Future Research Center Site
“A new research center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center is one small step closer to being completed. A groundbreaking ceremony took place Tuesday morning at the site of where the new Research Center of Excellence II will be built. The second center is expected to be similar to the Durham Research Center that opened in 2003 at UNMC. The total cost for the proposed research center stands at $74 million. Most of that money comes from private funding, including a donation from Omaha businessman and philanthropist Charles Durham. But $12 million for the new 10-story building will come from the state's bioterrorism and homeland security funds. The center is slated to house several labs dedicated to improve testing for biological and chemical warfare agents. ‘The facility will serve as the new home of those efforts, with a significant portion of the 98 state-of-the-art laboratories devoted to the Nebraska bioterrorism preparedness laboratories,’ said Gov. Dave Heineman. The second tower will also focus on other areas of research, including cancer genetics, organ transplants and other diseases. The building is expected to be completed in late 2008.” (KETV 7; 08Aug06) http://www.ketv.com
/health/9649016/detail.html?rss=oma&psp=news
NY police targeted with suspected anthrax letter
“Two police officers were taken to a hospital on Wednesday after opening an envelope that contained a suspicious white powder, the New York Police Department said. The two police officers worked in the mail screening facility at police headquarters in downtown Manhattan and opened an envelope that contained an ‘undetermined white powder,’ said police department spokesman Paul Browne. They underwent decontamination at a hospital as a precautionary measure in case the powder turned out to be anthrax, Browne said. The powder was not accompanied with a note. On July 14 and August 2, The New York Times said it had received an envelope with a suspicious white powder, raising fears on of an anthrax attack. In both incidents the powder was found to be nonhazardous. The incidents raised fears of a repeat of a series of anthrax attacks in the United States, which started one week after the September 11 attacks in 2001. Letters with a Trenton, New Jersey, postmark and containing anthrax bacteria were mailed to several media offices and two U.S. senators, killing five people and sickening 17 others.” (Reuters; 09Aug06) http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml
?type=domesticNews&storyID=13136049&src=rss/domesticNews
Britain facing a new breed of fascist, warns Reid
“Britain is facing a new breed of ‘unconstrained’ terrorists who have access to chemical and biological weapons to cause mass destruction, the Home Secretary warned today. John Reid said that the country was facing its most sustained threat from terrorism since the end of the Second World War, and admitted that the security forces were unable to guarantee the public 100 per cent protection. The Home Secretary said that national security was jeopardised because institutions and legal frameworks were not adapting as fast as needed. He argued that Britain's security apparatus was created during the Cold War in response to the threat from fascism, but that the threat was now from ‘fascist individuals’. ‘Our security forces and the apparatus of the state provide a very necessary condition for defeating terrorism but can never be sufficient to do so on their own…Our common security will only be assured by a common effort from all sections of society…Individuals who can network courtesy of new technology, and access modern chemical, biological and other means of mass destruction, and who have therefore unconstrained capability as well as unconstrained intent, are an enemy we have never had to face before…While I am confident that the security services and police will guarantee 100 per cent effort and 100 per cent dedication, they cannot guarantee 100 per cent success,’ he said. Mr Reid linked the terrorism threat to the increased mobility and migration of people since the end of the Cold War.”
(Times Online; 09Aug06; Elsa McLaren and Agencies) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2305628,00.html
Alzheimer's drug may be poison antidote
“An Alzheimer's pill that helps slow the brain damage caused by the disease may also protect against the effects of nerve gases and pesticides, U.S. researchers reported on Monday. They said the drug, marketed under the name Reminyl and Razadyne, completely protected guinea pigs against the nerve agents soman and sarin, as well as toxic amounts of pesticides. They gave the animals high doses of the poisons and treated them with Reminyl, known generically as galantamine, along with atropine, often given as an antidote for organophospate pesticides such as paraoxon. ‘To our amazement, the animals treated with galantamine behaved as if they had not been exposed to these lethal agents,’ Dr. Edson Albuquerque, chairman of the Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in a statement. ‘I think maybe we have something that can protect us against bad terrorists,’ he said in a telephone interview, adding that the next step was to test female guinea pigs.” (Yahoo News; 07Aug06; Maggie Fox, Reuters) http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060807/sc_nm/antidote_dc
Bacteria Roll Out Carpet Of Goo That Converts Deadly Heavy Metal Into Less Threatening Nano-spheres “Since the discovery a little more than a decade ago of bacteria that chemically modify and neutralize toxic metals without apparent harm to themselves, scientists have wondered how on earth these microbes do it. For Shewanella oneidensis, a microbe that modifies uranium chemistry, the pieces are coming together, and they resemble pearls that measure precisely 5 nanometers across enmeshed in a carpet of slime secreted by the bacteria. The pearl is uranium dioxide, or uraninite, which moves much less freely in soil than its soluble counterpart, a groundwater-contamination threat at nuclear waste sites. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that uranium contaminates more than 2,500 billion liters of groundwater nationwide; over the past decade, the agency has support research into the ability of naturally-occurring microbes that can halt the uranium’s underground migration to prevent it from reaching streams used by plants, animals and people.” (Science Daily; 08Aug06; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060808091833.htm
Half of Americans still believe Iraq had WMDs
“Do you believe in Iraqi ‘WMD’? Did Saddam Hussein's government have weapons of mass destruction in 2003? Half of America apparently still thinks so, a new poll finds, and experts see a raft of reasons why: a drumbeat of voices from talk radio to die-hard bloggers to the Oval Office, a surprise headline here or there, a rallying around a partisan flag, and a growing need for people, in their own minds, to justify the war in Iraq. People tend to become ‘independent of reality’ in these circumstances, says opinion analyst Steven Kull. The reality in this case is that after a 16-month, $900-million-plus investigation, the U.S. weapons hunters known as the Iraq Survey Group declared that Iraq had dismantled its chemical, biological and nuclear arms programs in 1991 under U.N. oversight. That finding in 2004 reaffirmed the work of U.N. inspectors who in 2002-03 found no trace of banned arsenals in Iraq. Despite this, a Harris Poll released July 21 found that a full 50 percent of U.S. respondents - up from 36 percent last year - said they believe Iraq did have the forbidden arms when U.S. troops invaded in March 2003, an attack whose stated purpose was elimination of supposed WMD. Other polls also have found an enduring American faith in the WMD story. ‘I'm flabbergasted,’ said Michael Massing, a media critic whose writings dissected the largely unquestioning U.S. news reporting on the Bush administration's shaky WMD claims in 2002-03. ‘This finding just has to cause despair among those of us who hope for an informed public able to draw reasonable conclusions based on evidence,’ Massing said.” (ABC 13; 08Aug06; Associated Press)
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=nation_world&id=4442391
US Defends Indian Non-Proliferation Record Despite Sanctions
“The State Department Monday defended the Indian government's record in combating weapons proliferation despite the imposition of U.S. sanctions last week against two Indian firms for dealings with Iran. The two companies were cited for violating a U.S. law aimed at curbing sales that could help Iran develop weapons of mass destruction. Officials here stress that the U.S. penalties were levied against Indian private companies, not the government, and that the United States considers India a responsible actor in anti-proliferation efforts despite the sanctions. The State Department announced Friday that two Indian chemical producers were among seven companies from four countries sanctioned for violating the Iran Nonproliferation Act, a U.S. law enacted six years ago aimed at curbing Iran's ability to acquire weapons of mass destruction. Critics of the Bush administration's controversial nuclear cooperation accord with India pounced on the sanctions announcement as evidence that India's non-proliferation record is less than ideal. However State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said sanctions against private firms operating in a given country do not necessarily reflect badly on a government's non-proliferation record, which he said in the case of India is good."Look at the announcement. As I understand it, there are 33 companies that are currently sanctioned under the Iran Nonproliferation Act," noted McCormack. "They're from a variety of different countries. But we believe the Indian government itself is a responsible actor, a very responsible actor, on the front of non-proliferation."” (Voice of America; 08Aug06; David Gollust) http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-08-07-voa80.cfm
Police-Writers.com adds 77th Writer
Police-Writers.com added Marshall Frank, 67, a retired captain from the Metro-Dade Police Department in Miami, Florida, where he spent the majority of his thirty years investigating murders or commanding those who did.
Born to vaudevillian parents in New York City, Frank moved to Miami, Florida at the age of five in an era when more Seminole Indians strolled Main Street than Cuban-Americans. After graduating high school, he worked various jobs including ballroom dance instruction and symphony violinist before serving a short stint in the United States Marine Corps Reserves.
Thanks to the advice of a notorious Miami Beach bookie, and thoughtful stepfather, he found his niche in law enforcement by joining the Dade County Sheriff s Office in 1960, serving as a road patrolman for three years before rising through the ranks to captain.
Outside of working vice, Frank's career covered the gamut of high stress police assignments, including Internal Affairs, Criminal Intelligence and sixteen years in Homicide and Crime Scene Investigations, seven years as a detective and nine more in a command status. He also served as captain in charge of Staff Inspections and chief executive officer of a 250 man district station.
Frank’s books include "Beyond The Call," which loosely based on true events and addresses the perennial issue of police abuse of power; "Dire Straits: A Miami Novel," a high-tension story about a mass murder in a posh Miami subdivision and a stressed out homicide detective who finds himself with a double dose of troubles he hadn't counted on; "On My Fathers Grave," a Mafia mystery; "Call Me Mommy," a heart wrenching story of family dysfunction, drug addiction and murder; "The Latent," a story of homosexual serial killings in the Southeast and a distraught homicide detective whose life is wrought with troubles. An unexpected twist coming from CSI nails a most improbable suspect; and, “Militant Islam In America,” which unveils disturbing revelations about the surreptitious invasion of the United States by Wahhabi Islamic forces from the Middle East hell-bent on replacing the Constitution by the Quran.
Police-Writers.com currently lists 77 police authors who have written 188 books in six categories.
Click to Browse Frank’s Books
Born to vaudevillian parents in New York City, Frank moved to Miami, Florida at the age of five in an era when more Seminole Indians strolled Main Street than Cuban-Americans. After graduating high school, he worked various jobs including ballroom dance instruction and symphony violinist before serving a short stint in the United States Marine Corps Reserves.
Thanks to the advice of a notorious Miami Beach bookie, and thoughtful stepfather, he found his niche in law enforcement by joining the Dade County Sheriff s Office in 1960, serving as a road patrolman for three years before rising through the ranks to captain.
Outside of working vice, Frank's career covered the gamut of high stress police assignments, including Internal Affairs, Criminal Intelligence and sixteen years in Homicide and Crime Scene Investigations, seven years as a detective and nine more in a command status. He also served as captain in charge of Staff Inspections and chief executive officer of a 250 man district station.
Frank’s books include "Beyond The Call," which loosely based on true events and addresses the perennial issue of police abuse of power; "Dire Straits: A Miami Novel," a high-tension story about a mass murder in a posh Miami subdivision and a stressed out homicide detective who finds himself with a double dose of troubles he hadn't counted on; "On My Fathers Grave," a Mafia mystery; "Call Me Mommy," a heart wrenching story of family dysfunction, drug addiction and murder; "The Latent," a story of homosexual serial killings in the Southeast and a distraught homicide detective whose life is wrought with troubles. An unexpected twist coming from CSI nails a most improbable suspect; and, “Militant Islam In America,” which unveils disturbing revelations about the surreptitious invasion of the United States by Wahhabi Islamic forces from the Middle East hell-bent on replacing the Constitution by the Quran.
Police-Writers.com currently lists 77 police authors who have written 188 books in six categories.
Click to Browse Frank’s Books
Police-Writers.com adds 76th police author
Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors, announced the addition of the 76th Police Writer, James L. Greenstone, Ed.D.
With 40 years of practice, and almost 25 years as a police officer James L. Greenstone, Ed.D., has expertise as a police psychologist, a therapist, a teacher, an author, a police officer, a mediator and negotiator, and as a consultant. The field of Crisis Intervention has been his focus. For the better part of his career as a police officer, he has worked extensively in the field of hostage and crisis negotiations. As a mental health professional and consultant, and as a trainer of negotiators, as well as a member of hostage negotiations teams, he is knowledgeable about negotiator training, current practices in this area, dealing with suicidal and barricaded subjects, negotiations techniques, team development, and team and negotiator interactions with police tactical units. He has participated in numerous hostage, barricaded and suicidal situations, and has practical experience in all aspects of hostage and crisis negotiations team functioning.
Dr. Greenstone’s book, The Elements of Police Hostage and Crisis Negotiations, is designed for day-to-day, on-the-scene use. It is a practical handbook for experienced professionals and novices that can also be used as a supplementary textbook for criminal justice, crisis intervention, and psychology coursework. Each chapter contains useful checklists, procedural notes, tables, strategy worksheets, and forms, and the book includes special indices for quick reference in addition to a traditional index. The book examines the negotiation process from start to finish, including preincident preparations, first response responsibilities, responding to the call-out, arriving at the scene, preparing to negotiate, making contact, preparing for the surrender, post-incident tasks, preparing equipment, and more.
Police-Writers.com currently lists 76 police writers and their 182 books in six categories. Click here to view Greenstone’s Book.
With 40 years of practice, and almost 25 years as a police officer James L. Greenstone, Ed.D., has expertise as a police psychologist, a therapist, a teacher, an author, a police officer, a mediator and negotiator, and as a consultant. The field of Crisis Intervention has been his focus. For the better part of his career as a police officer, he has worked extensively in the field of hostage and crisis negotiations. As a mental health professional and consultant, and as a trainer of negotiators, as well as a member of hostage negotiations teams, he is knowledgeable about negotiator training, current practices in this area, dealing with suicidal and barricaded subjects, negotiations techniques, team development, and team and negotiator interactions with police tactical units. He has participated in numerous hostage, barricaded and suicidal situations, and has practical experience in all aspects of hostage and crisis negotiations team functioning.
Dr. Greenstone’s book, The Elements of Police Hostage and Crisis Negotiations, is designed for day-to-day, on-the-scene use. It is a practical handbook for experienced professionals and novices that can also be used as a supplementary textbook for criminal justice, crisis intervention, and psychology coursework. Each chapter contains useful checklists, procedural notes, tables, strategy worksheets, and forms, and the book includes special indices for quick reference in addition to a traditional index. The book examines the negotiation process from start to finish, including preincident preparations, first response responsibilities, responding to the call-out, arriving at the scene, preparing to negotiate, making contact, preparing for the surrender, post-incident tasks, preparing equipment, and more.
Police-Writers.com currently lists 76 police writers and their 182 books in six categories. Click here to view Greenstone’s Book.
75th Police Author
Police-Writers.com added its 75th police officer, Michael McGarrity. His career in criminal justice includes work in corrections, law enforcement, security, police officer training, and serving as an expert witness to the court. As a deputy sheriff for Santa Fe County he worked as a patrol officer, community relations officer, training and planning supervisor, and lead investigator for the sex crimes unit, which he established. He also has served as an instructor at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy, an investigator and caseworker for the Public Defender's Office, and an investigator for a state government agency. In 1987, he was honored as Santa Fe's Police Officer of the Year
Michael's debut novel, “Tularosa" was nominated for an Anthony Award, a Dilys Award and a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America, and was selected as one of the best books of the year by "Publishers Weekly". "Serpent Gate", the third novel in the Kevin Kerney series, was a "Booklist" top-ten crime novel of 1998-1999. "Under the Color of Law" garnered kudos as a Top 10 bestseller list for 2001 of the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. It was also judged as one of the best books of 2001 by Deadly Pleasures Magazine. Deadly Pleasures also gave a nod to the cover art as a top book cover of 2001. In 2003, Michael was nominated for two awards, the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts, and the Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Western Novel, his second Spur nomination and in 2004, Michael was not only nominated but was awarded the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts -- Literature.
With the addition of Michael’s books, Police-Writers.com now lists 75 police authors with 181 books in six categories.
Michael's debut novel, “Tularosa" was nominated for an Anthony Award, a Dilys Award and a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America, and was selected as one of the best books of the year by "Publishers Weekly". "Serpent Gate", the third novel in the Kevin Kerney series, was a "Booklist" top-ten crime novel of 1998-1999. "Under the Color of Law" garnered kudos as a Top 10 bestseller list for 2001 of the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. It was also judged as one of the best books of 2001 by Deadly Pleasures Magazine. Deadly Pleasures also gave a nod to the cover art as a top book cover of 2001. In 2003, Michael was nominated for two awards, the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts, and the Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Western Novel, his second Spur nomination and in 2004, Michael was not only nominated but was awarded the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts -- Literature.
With the addition of Michael’s books, Police-Writers.com now lists 75 police authors with 181 books in six categories.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 7, 2006
The secretive fight against bioterror
“On the grounds of a military base an hour's drive from the nation's capital, the Bush administration is building a massive biodefense laboratory unlike any seen since biological weapons were banned 34 years ago. The work at this new lab, at Fort Detrick, Md., could someday save thousands of lives — or, some fear, create new risks and place the United States in violation of international treaties. In either case, much of what transpires at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, or NBACC, may never be publicly known because the Bush administration intends to operate the facility largely in secret.” (Washington Post; 06Aug06; Joby Warrick) http://www.statesman.com
/insight/content/editorial/stories/insight/08/6bioterror.html
Threatening letter to police has return address on envelope
“A taunting missive containing a white power that was sent to a police station ended with "Catch me if you can." Police had no trouble catching the suspect: He signed the letter and included his return address on the envelope. Abdullah Date, 18, was charged with sending the threatening letter to the 73rd Precinct in Brooklyn and ordered held without bail, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday in Brooklyn federal court. The white powder turned out to be harmless.” (Associated Press; 07Aug06)
http://www.azcentral.com
offbeat/articles/0807LetterThreat07-ON.html#
Standard Developed For Collection of Suspicious Powders
“Federal, state, and local agencies have reached consensus on the first validated national standard for collecting, packaging, and transporting samples of visible powders that are suspected of being biological threat agents, such as anthrax. The new standard meets the needs of the first responders to test the powders on site, and the needs of the federal agencies to conduct tests on the same, uncontaminated powder samples for forensic and confirmatory analysis.” (ScienceDaily; 07Aug06) http://www.sciencedaily.com
/releases/2006/08/060807121419.htm
Agencies Test Post Office Biohazard Detection System
“Biohazard detection equipment and procedures at Salem's main post office were put to the test today, during an exercise that focused on the proper response to a biological threat such as Anthrax. Several public safety agencies including Salem Fire, Oregon State Police, and the Marion County Health Division conducted the joint exercise with the United States Postal Service. During the exercise, an alarm was activated and postal employees evacuated the facility to a safe location, established a command post, while initiating a call to 9-1-1 and completing other emergency notification procedures.” (Salem-News.com; 05Aug06)
http://www.salem-news.com
/articles/august052006/hazmat_driss_8506.php
Umatilla rocket destruction almost over
“If all goes well the last of more than 91,000 GB-filled M55 rockets will be destroyed today at the Umatilla Chemical Depot. With all the rockets gone there is a 91 percent risk reduction to the public, depot spokesman Bruce Henrickson told the East Oregonian newspaper of Pendleton. The rockets are being burned in a high-temperature oven built especially to get rid of the chemical weapons at the depot, which housed about 12 percent of the national stockpile when the incineration program started in August 2004.”
(Democratic Herald; 07Aug06; AP)
http://www.democratherald.com
/articles/2006/08/07/news/oregon/oresun08.txt
Depot pursues local pupils for future labor
“Around 2010, Blue Grass Army Depot will probably be the nation's final chemical weapons depository to begin disarming its stockpile of mustard gas, sarin and other agents, as required by an international treaty. But officials are quickly realizing there are advantages to going last, particularly when it comes to hiring practices. While sites in Utah and elsewhere resorted to out-of-state job fairs because they couldn't find enough skilled homegrown workers to fill the slots, Blue Grass is trying a different approach for its estimated 900 openings. Recruiters plan to go after high school students and possibly some even younger to talk up the lucrative employment, offer early training and get graduates immediately started on a high-tech career.” (06Aug06; Jeffrey McMurray, AP)
http://biz.yahoo.com
/ap/060806/nerve_gas_hiring.html?.v=2
VX waste plan inches on, despite misgivings
“Despite local public and political opposition, the Army has gotten nearly every scientific approval it needs to go ahead with plans to dispose of the deadly agent's caustic wastewater — or hydrolysate — in Deepwater, Salem County. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency have given their consent to the plan, saying it's scientifically sound. Now, all that's left is an environmental assessment, under the tenets of the National Environmental Policy Act, and a permit modification allowing DuPont to treat the hydrolysate. For that, DuPont must go to the state Department of Environmental Protection, and that approval is by no means guaranteed.” (Press of Atlantic City; 07Aug06; Daniel Walsh) http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com
/news/story/6596757p-6445908c.html
Chemical Warfare Ravages Mental Health of Iranian Civilians
“Iranian civilians exposed to high-intensity warfare and chemical weapons are experiencing significantly higher levels of psychological distress compared to those exposed to low-intensity warfare but not chemical weapons, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in the August 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association devoted to the theme of violence and human rights. The research was based on data collected in July 2004 on 153 civilians in three towns bordering Iran and Iraq by researchers in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) at Yale School of Medicine, the Department of Psychiatry and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.” (Yale University; 02Aug06; Karen N. Peart) http://www.yale.edu/opa/newsr/06-08-02-02.all.html
India says U.S. sanctions on its firms unjustified
“India said on Monday that U.S. sanctions against two of its firms for selling what Washington says are restricted items to Iran were unjustified as they had not violated any domestic laws or New Delhi's global obligations. The two firms were among seven foreign companies Washington announced sanctions on Friday saying it had credible information they had transferred materials to Iran that could contribute to the development of weapons of mass destruction or missiles.” (YahooNewsIndia; 07Aug06;
Reuters)
http://in.news.yahoo.com/060807/137/66hnr.html
“On the grounds of a military base an hour's drive from the nation's capital, the Bush administration is building a massive biodefense laboratory unlike any seen since biological weapons were banned 34 years ago. The work at this new lab, at Fort Detrick, Md., could someday save thousands of lives — or, some fear, create new risks and place the United States in violation of international treaties. In either case, much of what transpires at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, or NBACC, may never be publicly known because the Bush administration intends to operate the facility largely in secret.” (Washington Post; 06Aug06; Joby Warrick) http://www.statesman.com
/insight/content/editorial/stories/insight/08/6bioterror.html
Threatening letter to police has return address on envelope
“A taunting missive containing a white power that was sent to a police station ended with "Catch me if you can." Police had no trouble catching the suspect: He signed the letter and included his return address on the envelope. Abdullah Date, 18, was charged with sending the threatening letter to the 73rd Precinct in Brooklyn and ordered held without bail, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday in Brooklyn federal court. The white powder turned out to be harmless.” (Associated Press; 07Aug06)
http://www.azcentral.com
offbeat/articles/0807LetterThreat07-ON.html#
Standard Developed For Collection of Suspicious Powders
“Federal, state, and local agencies have reached consensus on the first validated national standard for collecting, packaging, and transporting samples of visible powders that are suspected of being biological threat agents, such as anthrax. The new standard meets the needs of the first responders to test the powders on site, and the needs of the federal agencies to conduct tests on the same, uncontaminated powder samples for forensic and confirmatory analysis.” (ScienceDaily; 07Aug06) http://www.sciencedaily.com
/releases/2006/08/060807121419.htm
Agencies Test Post Office Biohazard Detection System
“Biohazard detection equipment and procedures at Salem's main post office were put to the test today, during an exercise that focused on the proper response to a biological threat such as Anthrax. Several public safety agencies including Salem Fire, Oregon State Police, and the Marion County Health Division conducted the joint exercise with the United States Postal Service. During the exercise, an alarm was activated and postal employees evacuated the facility to a safe location, established a command post, while initiating a call to 9-1-1 and completing other emergency notification procedures.” (Salem-News.com; 05Aug06)
http://www.salem-news.com
/articles/august052006/hazmat_driss_8506.php
Umatilla rocket destruction almost over
“If all goes well the last of more than 91,000 GB-filled M55 rockets will be destroyed today at the Umatilla Chemical Depot. With all the rockets gone there is a 91 percent risk reduction to the public, depot spokesman Bruce Henrickson told the East Oregonian newspaper of Pendleton. The rockets are being burned in a high-temperature oven built especially to get rid of the chemical weapons at the depot, which housed about 12 percent of the national stockpile when the incineration program started in August 2004.”
(Democratic Herald; 07Aug06; AP)
http://www.democratherald.com
/articles/2006/08/07/news/oregon/oresun08.txt
Depot pursues local pupils for future labor
“Around 2010, Blue Grass Army Depot will probably be the nation's final chemical weapons depository to begin disarming its stockpile of mustard gas, sarin and other agents, as required by an international treaty. But officials are quickly realizing there are advantages to going last, particularly when it comes to hiring practices. While sites in Utah and elsewhere resorted to out-of-state job fairs because they couldn't find enough skilled homegrown workers to fill the slots, Blue Grass is trying a different approach for its estimated 900 openings. Recruiters plan to go after high school students and possibly some even younger to talk up the lucrative employment, offer early training and get graduates immediately started on a high-tech career.” (06Aug06; Jeffrey McMurray, AP)
http://biz.yahoo.com
/ap/060806/nerve_gas_hiring.html?.v=2
VX waste plan inches on, despite misgivings
“Despite local public and political opposition, the Army has gotten nearly every scientific approval it needs to go ahead with plans to dispose of the deadly agent's caustic wastewater — or hydrolysate — in Deepwater, Salem County. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency have given their consent to the plan, saying it's scientifically sound. Now, all that's left is an environmental assessment, under the tenets of the National Environmental Policy Act, and a permit modification allowing DuPont to treat the hydrolysate. For that, DuPont must go to the state Department of Environmental Protection, and that approval is by no means guaranteed.” (Press of Atlantic City; 07Aug06; Daniel Walsh) http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com
/news/story/6596757p-6445908c.html
Chemical Warfare Ravages Mental Health of Iranian Civilians
“Iranian civilians exposed to high-intensity warfare and chemical weapons are experiencing significantly higher levels of psychological distress compared to those exposed to low-intensity warfare but not chemical weapons, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in the August 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association devoted to the theme of violence and human rights. The research was based on data collected in July 2004 on 153 civilians in three towns bordering Iran and Iraq by researchers in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) at Yale School of Medicine, the Department of Psychiatry and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.” (Yale University; 02Aug06; Karen N. Peart) http://www.yale.edu/opa/newsr/06-08-02-02.all.html
India says U.S. sanctions on its firms unjustified
“India said on Monday that U.S. sanctions against two of its firms for selling what Washington says are restricted items to Iran were unjustified as they had not violated any domestic laws or New Delhi's global obligations. The two firms were among seven foreign companies Washington announced sanctions on Friday saying it had credible information they had transferred materials to Iran that could contribute to the development of weapons of mass destruction or missiles.” (YahooNewsIndia; 07Aug06;
Reuters)
http://in.news.yahoo.com/060807/137/66hnr.html
Friday, August 04, 2006
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 4, 2006
Enzyme Structure Offers Smallpox Drug Target
“Researchers searching for ways to combat the highly contagious, often lethal smallpox virus have a powerful new tool: a detailed picture of the enzyme the pathogen uses to tightly wraps itself around smallpox DNA as it aids in the virus's mission to multiply maintain its DNA in a usable form. Researchers can now see exactly how the enzyme inside infected cells. Understanding this structure opens the way to developing the first drugs against smallpox, which, although eradicated worldwide, is still considered a potential bioterrorism threat.” (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 04Aug06) http://www.hhmi.org/news/vanduyne20060803.html
STATPack links St. Mary’s [Regional Medical Center] with labs across the state [Oklahoma]
“STATPack, which stands for Secure Telecommunications Application Terminal Package, was installed at St. Mary’s just days before…[a] malaria case presented. STATPack is a secure, Web-based network linking St. Mary’s and, when the system is fully installed, nine other labs in various parts of the state with Oklahoma State Department of Health. The system, purchased with funds from Health Resources and Services Administration, an arm of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was designed to help make clinical labs in Oklahoma better able to identify bioterrorism materials. The system involves a camera attached to a microscope and a digital Web cam mounted on a sealed Plexiglas box connected to a computer, which are linked directly to the state Health Department. The system will allow a microbiologist at St. Mary’s to send still photos or live video of suspicious samples to the state Health Department’s experts.”
(EnidNews.com, 03Aug06, Jeff Mullin)
http://www.enidnews.com
/localnews/local_story_215004215.html/resources_printstory
Flu-pandemic plans call for volunteers to assist professionals
“If an avian flu were to actually land in King County [Washington], it would trigger such a crisis that public-health officials would need help. So Wednesday, officials with Public Health — Seattle & King County announced the launch of the Public Health Reserve Corps, which they hope will be an army of volunteers, including health professionals and regular members of the public, who can respond not just to a flu pandemic but to bioterrorism attacks and other public-health emergencies. Volunteers would be trained and ready to work side by side with public-health officials. They could help dispense medication and vaccines, conduct health screenings and assessments, or detect and track disease outbreaks, among other duties.” (The Seattle Times, 03Aug06, Carol M. Ostrom)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com
/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2003171501&zsection_id
=2002111777&slug=healthcorps03m&date=20060803
Judge orders further review of lab to study deadly germs
“A state judge has ordered further environmental review of Boston University Medical Center's construction of a high-security laboratory, where researchers would study the world's deadliest germs. In a decision made public today, Suffolk Superior Court Judge Ralph D. Gants found that earlier environmental assessments of the South End lab failed to adequately consider alternative sites or weigh worst-case scenarios for the release of highly contagious viruses or bacteria. Gants said that when the state Department of Environmental Affairs approved the earlier environmental review of the lab, that decision ‘lacked the necessary rational basis.’ The decision does not explicitly halt construction of the $178 million building, which began earlier this year on Albany Street.”
(The Boston Globe, 03Aug06, Stephen Smith) http://www.boston.com/news
/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2006/08/judge_orders_fu.html
New test toots out bioterror fakes—FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration]
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is developing a test to quickly identify substances used in bioterror hoaxes. The technology is known as mass spectrometry, and the FDA's National Center for Toxicological Research is incorporating it into a low-cost test to quickly distinguish between faux bioterror agents and the real thing…”
(United Press International, 03Aug06)
http://www.upi.com/HealthBusiness
/view.php?StoryID=20060803-044257-3645r
New Air Sterilization Device Can Battle Hospital Infections
“An innovative University at Buffalo air sterilization technology that the U.S. Department of Defense is funding to protect troops on the battlefield soon may be protecting hospital patients from deadly infections, thanks to recent funding from the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR). The funding comes as hospital-acquired infections, many of which are becoming increasingly difficult to treat, are on the rise. The $674,900 grant from NYSTAR's Technology Transfer Investment Program will allow Buffalo BioBlower Technologies, the UB spin-off company that licensed the technology from UB, to develop a health-care prototype and take it into clinical trials. In tests funded by the Department of Defense and conducted last fall, the UB team has shown it can eradicate greater than 99.9999 percent of the spores of an anthrax surrogate in an airstream, according to the researchers.” (Infection Control Today, 03Aug06) http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com
/hotnews/68h38561693726.html#
Aldevron announces GIA [Genetic Immunisation and Antibody] facility expansion
“Aldevron has announced the expansion of its Genetic Immunisation and Antibody (GIA) facility to meet the increased demand of vaccine screening contracts. The demand has been highlighted by current events that have seen worldwide governments invest in 'biodefense' vaccines and drugs, designed to reduce the public health consequences of a bioterrorism attack.” (LabTechnologist.com, 03Aug06, Wai Lang Chu) http://www.labtechnologist.com
/news/ng.asp?n=69598-aldevron-immunisation-genetic-testing
NY [New York] Times receives second white powder envelope
“The New York Times said on Wednesday it had received a second envelope with a suspicious white powder and a stamp with a September 11 image, just weeks after a similar incident raised fears of an anthrax attack. The substance was discovered by a mail room worker on Tuesday and city authorities have determined that it was ‘nonhazardous,’ said Times spokeswoman Abbe Ruttenberg Serphos. The handwritten envelope was addressed to the newspaper, not an individual, had a postmark from St. Louis and no return address, Serphos said. It contained a blank piece of paper. On the back of the envelope was a stamp with an image of three city firefighters on September 11 raising a U.S. flag that read on the bottom, ‘Freedom is not Free,’ a Times security official said. On July 14, the Times received a letter containing a suspicious white powder and a copy of a June 28 editorial entitled ‘Patriotism and the Press’ with an ‘X’ marked through it. Field tests revealed that the powder was harmless, probably corn starch, according to a police statement.” (Reuters, 02Aug06, Torrye Jones)
http://today.reuters.com/news
/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2006-08-02T181633Z_01_N02303682_
RTRUKOC_0_US-SECURITY-TIMES.xml&archived=False
Emergency Units Simulate Chemical Attack
“Marquette [Michigan] Emergency Response Agencies are making sure they're prepared for disasters including chemical terrorism. A training drill was held at the Superior Dome Wednesday. It simulated a Sarin nerve gas attack at an~NMU football game. The city police and fire departments, public safety and EMS, reacted like a crowd of 3,500 had been exposed to the deadly toxin [sic]. The practice~ensures a smooth response if the real thing ever occurs.” (WLUC-TV News, 03Aug06) http://www.wluctv6.com
/Global/story.asp?S=5234600&nav=81AX
British police officers cleared over terrorism-related shooting
“The officer who shot one of two brothers arrested during an anti-terrorism raid on an innocent Muslim family's house in London has been cleared of any wrongdoing by a police watchdog. The shooting was an ‘accident’ and no offence was committed, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has ruled. Police said at the time that they were prompted to act after receiving ‘credible’ intelligence that chemical weapons could be being manufactured there.” (Radio New Zealand, 04Aug06)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest
/200608041605/2a865d47
Inspectors complete work at site of razed nerve agent plant
“A multinational group that verifies chemical weapon sites are destroyed in compliance with an international treaty has finished its work at a razed plant where the U.S. Army produced its entire supply of deadly VX nerve agent. Between 1961 and 1968, the plant at the Newport Chemical Depot produced more than 4,400 tons of VX nerve agent - a single droplet of which can kill a human. The 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention treaty requires that signing nations destroy their chemical weapons stockpiles and related equipment by 2012 - a process that's being overseen by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a group based in The Hague, Netherlands. Now that those international inspectors have completed their work at the site of the old VX production plant, the project has been finished nearly a year ahead of schedule, said Doug Stroud, the depot's treaty compliance officer.” (The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, 02Aug06, AP) http://www.fortwayne.com/mld
/newssentinel/news/local/15182584.htm
Aussies tracking ‘dirty’ bombs
“Australian officials are playing a leading role in a global stocktake of radioactive materials that could be used by terrorists to build a ‘dirty’ nuclear bomb. Australian officials have been working for some time on the Group of Eight initiative to identify all the sources of radioactive material and come up with a strategy to secure it. A group of Australian officials met overseas counterparts in Tokyo two weeks ago to work through the practicalities of the initiative.” (The Australian, 04Aug06, Simon
Kearney)
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
/story/0,20867,20012791-31477,00.html
Realistic ER scenario to teach response for “dirty bombs”
“Next month the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (ACHMM) will be holding its 20th annual conference. One of the featured events will be a ‘live’ emergency response scenario designed to teach environmental, health and safety professionals and emergency response personnel how to handle the detonation of a ‘dirty’ bomb. The conference, entitled ‘The Wonderful World of Hazardous Materials Management: Expect the Unexpected’ will take place in Orlando on September 17 at a pass-only location within Universal Studios Theme Park.” (HazMat Management, 04Aug06)
http://hazmatmag.com/issues
/ISArticle.asp?id=58875&issue=08032006
Lawmakers may cut nuclear detection office funding
“In the web of agencies working to stop a nuclear weapon from creeping across the border or being carried off a ship at one of the nation's ports, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office is somewhere near the center. As officials often put it, the office is in charge of developing a nuclear detection ‘architecture,’ -- essentially a strategy for global deployment of nuclear detectors -- but responsibility for implementing that plan sprawls across a network of government agencies, including the FBI and the Defense, Energy, Justice and State departments. However, some lawmakers have questioned the office's ability to coordinate the deployment of that plan. The Senate Appropriations Committee in June recommended withholding $80 million in "research, development and operations" from fiscal 2007 Homeland Security Department funding until an agreement is reached between all the agencies involved in nuclear detection regarding their responsibilities.” (GovExec.com; 03Aug06; Jon Fox, Global Security Newswire)
http://www.govexec.com
/story_page.cfm?articleid=34707&dcn=todaysnews
New weapons on tap in war on terrorism
“Some of the latest weapons in the war on terrorism were unveiled Wednesday at a Duluth company. Isonics Homeland Security & Defense Corp. demonstrated a pair of ‘sniffer’ devices — one hand-held, one meant for mounting in train and subway cars, buses and the like — that can detect in the air minuscule amounts of chemical toxins and both homemade or weapons-grade explosives. The programmable devices recognize up to 60 substances such as sarin nerve gas or mustard gas, even at low levels, said Dennis Koehler, Isonics' vice president of sales and marketing. Another Isonics partner, Colorado-based DualDraw, demonstrated large chemical- and explosive-detecting workstations meant for inspection points or mailrooms that can raise an alert to the presence of toxins [sic] such as anthrax within 15 seconds.” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 03Aug06, John Ghirardini) http://www.ajc.com
/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/0803gwxdevice.html
“Researchers searching for ways to combat the highly contagious, often lethal smallpox virus have a powerful new tool: a detailed picture of the enzyme the pathogen uses to tightly wraps itself around smallpox DNA as it aids in the virus's mission to multiply maintain its DNA in a usable form. Researchers can now see exactly how the enzyme inside infected cells. Understanding this structure opens the way to developing the first drugs against smallpox, which, although eradicated worldwide, is still considered a potential bioterrorism threat.” (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 04Aug06) http://www.hhmi.org/news/vanduyne20060803.html
STATPack links St. Mary’s [Regional Medical Center] with labs across the state [Oklahoma]
“STATPack, which stands for Secure Telecommunications Application Terminal Package, was installed at St. Mary’s just days before…[a] malaria case presented. STATPack is a secure, Web-based network linking St. Mary’s and, when the system is fully installed, nine other labs in various parts of the state with Oklahoma State Department of Health. The system, purchased with funds from Health Resources and Services Administration, an arm of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was designed to help make clinical labs in Oklahoma better able to identify bioterrorism materials. The system involves a camera attached to a microscope and a digital Web cam mounted on a sealed Plexiglas box connected to a computer, which are linked directly to the state Health Department. The system will allow a microbiologist at St. Mary’s to send still photos or live video of suspicious samples to the state Health Department’s experts.”
(EnidNews.com, 03Aug06, Jeff Mullin)
http://www.enidnews.com
/localnews/local_story_215004215.html/resources_printstory
Flu-pandemic plans call for volunteers to assist professionals
“If an avian flu were to actually land in King County [Washington], it would trigger such a crisis that public-health officials would need help. So Wednesday, officials with Public Health — Seattle & King County announced the launch of the Public Health Reserve Corps, which they hope will be an army of volunteers, including health professionals and regular members of the public, who can respond not just to a flu pandemic but to bioterrorism attacks and other public-health emergencies. Volunteers would be trained and ready to work side by side with public-health officials. They could help dispense medication and vaccines, conduct health screenings and assessments, or detect and track disease outbreaks, among other duties.” (The Seattle Times, 03Aug06, Carol M. Ostrom)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com
/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2003171501&zsection_id
=2002111777&slug=healthcorps03m&date=20060803
Judge orders further review of lab to study deadly germs
“A state judge has ordered further environmental review of Boston University Medical Center's construction of a high-security laboratory, where researchers would study the world's deadliest germs. In a decision made public today, Suffolk Superior Court Judge Ralph D. Gants found that earlier environmental assessments of the South End lab failed to adequately consider alternative sites or weigh worst-case scenarios for the release of highly contagious viruses or bacteria. Gants said that when the state Department of Environmental Affairs approved the earlier environmental review of the lab, that decision ‘lacked the necessary rational basis.’ The decision does not explicitly halt construction of the $178 million building, which began earlier this year on Albany Street.”
(The Boston Globe, 03Aug06, Stephen Smith) http://www.boston.com/news
/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2006/08/judge_orders_fu.html
New test toots out bioterror fakes—FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration]
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is developing a test to quickly identify substances used in bioterror hoaxes. The technology is known as mass spectrometry, and the FDA's National Center for Toxicological Research is incorporating it into a low-cost test to quickly distinguish between faux bioterror agents and the real thing…”
(United Press International, 03Aug06)
http://www.upi.com/HealthBusiness
/view.php?StoryID=20060803-044257-3645r
New Air Sterilization Device Can Battle Hospital Infections
“An innovative University at Buffalo air sterilization technology that the U.S. Department of Defense is funding to protect troops on the battlefield soon may be protecting hospital patients from deadly infections, thanks to recent funding from the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR). The funding comes as hospital-acquired infections, many of which are becoming increasingly difficult to treat, are on the rise. The $674,900 grant from NYSTAR's Technology Transfer Investment Program will allow Buffalo BioBlower Technologies, the UB spin-off company that licensed the technology from UB, to develop a health-care prototype and take it into clinical trials. In tests funded by the Department of Defense and conducted last fall, the UB team has shown it can eradicate greater than 99.9999 percent of the spores of an anthrax surrogate in an airstream, according to the researchers.” (Infection Control Today, 03Aug06) http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com
/hotnews/68h38561693726.html#
Aldevron announces GIA [Genetic Immunisation and Antibody] facility expansion
“Aldevron has announced the expansion of its Genetic Immunisation and Antibody (GIA) facility to meet the increased demand of vaccine screening contracts. The demand has been highlighted by current events that have seen worldwide governments invest in 'biodefense' vaccines and drugs, designed to reduce the public health consequences of a bioterrorism attack.” (LabTechnologist.com, 03Aug06, Wai Lang Chu) http://www.labtechnologist.com
/news/ng.asp?n=69598-aldevron-immunisation-genetic-testing
NY [New York] Times receives second white powder envelope
“The New York Times said on Wednesday it had received a second envelope with a suspicious white powder and a stamp with a September 11 image, just weeks after a similar incident raised fears of an anthrax attack. The substance was discovered by a mail room worker on Tuesday and city authorities have determined that it was ‘nonhazardous,’ said Times spokeswoman Abbe Ruttenberg Serphos. The handwritten envelope was addressed to the newspaper, not an individual, had a postmark from St. Louis and no return address, Serphos said. It contained a blank piece of paper. On the back of the envelope was a stamp with an image of three city firefighters on September 11 raising a U.S. flag that read on the bottom, ‘Freedom is not Free,’ a Times security official said. On July 14, the Times received a letter containing a suspicious white powder and a copy of a June 28 editorial entitled ‘Patriotism and the Press’ with an ‘X’ marked through it. Field tests revealed that the powder was harmless, probably corn starch, according to a police statement.” (Reuters, 02Aug06, Torrye Jones)
http://today.reuters.com/news
/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2006-08-02T181633Z_01_N02303682_
RTRUKOC_0_US-SECURITY-TIMES.xml&archived=False
Emergency Units Simulate Chemical Attack
“Marquette [Michigan] Emergency Response Agencies are making sure they're prepared for disasters including chemical terrorism. A training drill was held at the Superior Dome Wednesday. It simulated a Sarin nerve gas attack at an~NMU football game. The city police and fire departments, public safety and EMS, reacted like a crowd of 3,500 had been exposed to the deadly toxin [sic]. The practice~ensures a smooth response if the real thing ever occurs.” (WLUC-TV News, 03Aug06) http://www.wluctv6.com
/Global/story.asp?S=5234600&nav=81AX
British police officers cleared over terrorism-related shooting
“The officer who shot one of two brothers arrested during an anti-terrorism raid on an innocent Muslim family's house in London has been cleared of any wrongdoing by a police watchdog. The shooting was an ‘accident’ and no offence was committed, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has ruled. Police said at the time that they were prompted to act after receiving ‘credible’ intelligence that chemical weapons could be being manufactured there.” (Radio New Zealand, 04Aug06)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest
/200608041605/2a865d47
Inspectors complete work at site of razed nerve agent plant
“A multinational group that verifies chemical weapon sites are destroyed in compliance with an international treaty has finished its work at a razed plant where the U.S. Army produced its entire supply of deadly VX nerve agent. Between 1961 and 1968, the plant at the Newport Chemical Depot produced more than 4,400 tons of VX nerve agent - a single droplet of which can kill a human. The 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention treaty requires that signing nations destroy their chemical weapons stockpiles and related equipment by 2012 - a process that's being overseen by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a group based in The Hague, Netherlands. Now that those international inspectors have completed their work at the site of the old VX production plant, the project has been finished nearly a year ahead of schedule, said Doug Stroud, the depot's treaty compliance officer.” (The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, 02Aug06, AP) http://www.fortwayne.com/mld
/newssentinel/news/local/15182584.htm
Aussies tracking ‘dirty’ bombs
“Australian officials are playing a leading role in a global stocktake of radioactive materials that could be used by terrorists to build a ‘dirty’ nuclear bomb. Australian officials have been working for some time on the Group of Eight initiative to identify all the sources of radioactive material and come up with a strategy to secure it. A group of Australian officials met overseas counterparts in Tokyo two weeks ago to work through the practicalities of the initiative.” (The Australian, 04Aug06, Simon
Kearney)
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
/story/0,20867,20012791-31477,00.html
Realistic ER scenario to teach response for “dirty bombs”
“Next month the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (ACHMM) will be holding its 20th annual conference. One of the featured events will be a ‘live’ emergency response scenario designed to teach environmental, health and safety professionals and emergency response personnel how to handle the detonation of a ‘dirty’ bomb. The conference, entitled ‘The Wonderful World of Hazardous Materials Management: Expect the Unexpected’ will take place in Orlando on September 17 at a pass-only location within Universal Studios Theme Park.” (HazMat Management, 04Aug06)
http://hazmatmag.com/issues
/ISArticle.asp?id=58875&issue=08032006
Lawmakers may cut nuclear detection office funding
“In the web of agencies working to stop a nuclear weapon from creeping across the border or being carried off a ship at one of the nation's ports, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office is somewhere near the center. As officials often put it, the office is in charge of developing a nuclear detection ‘architecture,’ -- essentially a strategy for global deployment of nuclear detectors -- but responsibility for implementing that plan sprawls across a network of government agencies, including the FBI and the Defense, Energy, Justice and State departments. However, some lawmakers have questioned the office's ability to coordinate the deployment of that plan. The Senate Appropriations Committee in June recommended withholding $80 million in "research, development and operations" from fiscal 2007 Homeland Security Department funding until an agreement is reached between all the agencies involved in nuclear detection regarding their responsibilities.” (GovExec.com; 03Aug06; Jon Fox, Global Security Newswire)
http://www.govexec.com
/story_page.cfm?articleid=34707&dcn=todaysnews
New weapons on tap in war on terrorism
“Some of the latest weapons in the war on terrorism were unveiled Wednesday at a Duluth company. Isonics Homeland Security & Defense Corp. demonstrated a pair of ‘sniffer’ devices — one hand-held, one meant for mounting in train and subway cars, buses and the like — that can detect in the air minuscule amounts of chemical toxins and both homemade or weapons-grade explosives. The programmable devices recognize up to 60 substances such as sarin nerve gas or mustard gas, even at low levels, said Dennis Koehler, Isonics' vice president of sales and marketing. Another Isonics partner, Colorado-based DualDraw, demonstrated large chemical- and explosive-detecting workstations meant for inspection points or mailrooms that can raise an alert to the presence of toxins [sic] such as anthrax within 15 seconds.” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 03Aug06, John Ghirardini) http://www.ajc.com
/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/0803gwxdevice.html
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary – August 3, 2006
More Technology, Less Court Travel"
St. Petersburg Times (FL) (07/28/06) P. 1; Abel, Jonathan
Prisoners held in Florida's Hernando, Citrus, and Sumter counties will make their initial court appearance via video technology. The video link system will enhance safety by eliminating the need to escort inmates to court for their first appearances. In addition, the technology provides the added bonus of eliminating thousands of dollars in costs incurred by sheriffs' offices as the result of transporting prisoners. Capt. Mark Rivenbark of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office judicial services department indicated that the cost of transporting inmates to their initial court appearances totaled $24,590 during the 12-month period that ended in May of this year. Prisoners must be presented to the court within 24 hours of their arrest as mandated by law. Sheriffs' offices are responsible for ensuring that the requirement is carried out. The new video system is expected to start operation on Aug. 5. http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/28/Citrus
/More_technology__less.shtml
"Dispatch Center Site is Discussed"
Fresno Bee (CA) (07/29/06); Hostetter, George
Municipal and county officials of Fresno, Calif., support the idea of a joint law enforcement dispatch center, but are undecided where it should be located. County Supervisor Susan Anderson has proposed establishing the dispatch center next to the county's existing ambulance dispatch center to achieve greater efficiencies. The ambulance dispatch center handles emergency calls for 15 public and private ambulance service providers in three counties, and it sends ambulances to emergency sites according to the shortest distance rather than jurisdiction. By creating a joint law enforcement dispatch center, the region would experience fewer delays and reduce superfluous services while enhancing communication among law enforcement agencies. Daniel Lynch, head of the county's emergency medical services, notes that the dispatch center works well because there is a clear chain of command, with the county having final authority, and because the center uses advanced computer technologies. When a person calling 911 requires medial help, the call is transferred to a dispatcher who gathers the necessary information into his or her computer. The computer then prioritizes the call and alerts another dispatcher to send an ambulance. Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer estimates that a joint law enforcement dispatch center would need to measure at least 62,000 square fee in order to successfully handle over 1 million calls annually. http://feed.insnews.org
/v-cgi/feeds.cgi?feedid=150&story_id=2024244
"Team Combing Internet to Track Terrorism"
Arizona Republic (07/28/06); Carroll, Susan
Researchers at the University of Arizona have amassed the largest online repository of intelligence on terrorist and extremist organizations in the world. They hope that the Dark Web project will improve intelligence agents' ability to track terror suspects on the Internet, which has long been acknowledged as a shortcoming of the intelligence community. The Web has become the primary tool for communication and recruiting among many extremist and terrorist groups. Using supercomputers, the Arizona researchers developed a virtual library that contains millions of Web pages and intercepts chatter on terrorist Web sites. "Even the people we talk to in the federal agencies are hampered by the amount of information that's being collected. They don't know how to analyze it," said Hsinchun Chen, the director of UA's Artificial Intelligence Lab, which launched the Dark Web project three years ago. "It's a new virtual battleground." Dark Web uses programs to find connections among different groups using social-networking analysis, and also detects similarities in writing styles and performs Web-matrix analyses to gauge the sophistication of the sites. To avoid detection, terrorist groups often only hold on to Internet addresses for a short period of time. Some of the sites contain detailed instructional information, such as a guide on how to carry out a bombing or a beheading. "The Web is the al-Qaida university. They season you, and they recruit you, and they give you all the materials to train you," Chen said. "It's a very significant international phenomenon." http://www.azcentral.com/
arizonarepublic/news/articles/0728darkweb28.html
"Now Deputies Have Eyes Near the Back of Their Treads"
Tampa Tribune (07/28/06) P. 1; Thompson, Stephen
Four police cruisers at the Pinellas County, Fla., Sheriff's Office are equipped with infrared cameras that can automatically scan the license plates of vehicles while deputies are driving. The plate numbers are currently being matched against a state Department of Law Enforcement "hot list" that has between 100,000 and 120,000 stolen cars and plates. In addition, police officers will be able to enter plate numbers of cars connected with an Amber Alert or a murder suspect on the loose, states sheriff's system analyst Scott McCallum. In the future, he explains, the sheriff's office plans to scan plates for drivers with revoked or suspended licenses or who have warrants. On July 27, a pair of five-pound cameras that are part of the Mobile Plate Hunter system were erected on the back of one of the cruisers. They are attached with magnets, so the cameras can be removed and placed almost anywhere. If an officer wants to slowly drive through the parking lot of a mall to look at car tags, the cameras would be set up at around a 90-degree angle from the cruiser, and if he wants to obtain the tags of cars next to him in traffic, they would be pitched at around 35 degrees to the side. The systems cost $20,000 for every vehicle and were purchased with grants. http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBK3Q9Z5QE.html
"Cops Have New Set of 'Eyes' At 7th and Girard"
Philadelphia Daily News (07/29/06); McDonald, Mark
On July 28, two new surveillance cameras came online in the city of Philadelphia at 7th Street and Girard Avenue in the community of Northern Liberties. The cost for the cameras, wiring, and other gear totaled $50,000, estimated Pedro Ramos, the managing director for the City of Philadelphia. The two cameras represent the first part of an initiative that will feature cameras in four areas, including one near a Philadelphia school. The overall number of cameras has not yet been determined. The police surveillance project was endorsed by city residents through a vote in a ballot question in May. Police spokesman Capt. Benjamin Naish said the current location was chosen because of its crime activity and due to technological considerations; this includes a fiber-optic signal linking the two cameras to the nearby police forensic-science building as well as the Police Administration Building, commonly known as the Roundhouse. According to Ramos, the surveillance project will feature two main elements: Surveillance cameras and yet-to-be-purchased mobile units called pods. The pods are portable and can "transmit to a laptop computer," Ramos said. The pan, tilt, and zoom cameras would be monitored by police on screens at the Roundhouse. Ramos also said the cameras might be supported by the "Wireless Philadelphia" technology that is currently being implemented. http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/15151285.htm
"Penobscot County Unveils New ID System"
Bangor Daily News (ME) (07/28/06); Kesseli, Doug
Police in Penobscot County, Maine, will soon have near instantaneous access to a national database of missing children hosted by The Nation's Missing Children Organization and National Center for Missing Adults through portable iris scanning technology aimed at identifying missing children and adults with Alzheimer's. The device was developed by Biometric Intelligence & Identification Technologies of Massachusetts and paid for with a $25,000 grant from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation. It is capable of distinguishing between twins and a person's left and right eye. In the future it could be used to identify inmates and visitors to the county jail and eventually suspects. The program is now in use in 21 states. http://www.bangornews.com
/news/templates/?a=137985&z=176%20class=
"Eye-Scan Database New Tool for IDs"
Columbus Dispatch (OH) (07/27/06) P. 1D; Ludlow, Randy
The sheriff's office in Richland County, Ohio, intends to employ iris-recognition technology to scan the eyes of Mansfield children, store them in a database, and use them to find abducted children and runaways, as well as sex offenders and Alzheimer's patients who wander away. A unique digital camera manufactures images of the iris to produce individual identifying data that is more correct than fingerprints, according to Children's Identification and Location Database (CHILD) President Sean Mullin. Sheriff J. Steve Sheldon explained that the system will be introduced at schools, festivals, and additional events to obtain iris images and present the information to the CHILD computers in Phoenix. Law enforcement agencies that take part in the program can scan the eyes of children and others and use the database to find names and addresses. Every iris has 266 unique elements, and Mullin notes that iris images can be found more rapidly than fingerprint images. The county's system costs $28,932.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com
/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/07/27/20060727-D1-04.html
"Bracelets Designed to Deter Drinking"
Akron Beacon Journal (OH) (07/27/06)
Since January 2006, the municipal court in Cuyahoga Falls, N.Y., has been using SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor) ankle bracelets for offenders sentenced to home incarceration. The SCRAM ankle bracelets detect if offenders ingest alcohol; the bracelet's sensors measure the level of ethanol gas emitted through the skin. The anklets are primarily used in cases of domestic violence or drunk driving, and offenders are required to wear them 24 hours a day. The device checks for the presence of alcohol each hour, and results are stored in the anklet's flash memory. The devices are also linked by radio to a modem that allows the maker of SCRAM, Alcohol Monitoring Devices, to examine the tests and transfer the results to law enforcement officials. Jeff Hawthorne, chief technology officer for Alcohol Monitoring Systems, says offenders have attempted to thwart the anklets, but such actions can trigger alerts being sent to SCRAM analysts. The Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court has 13 SCRAM devices, and requires offenders sentenced to wear them to pay roughly $10 to $15 per day. A total of 36 states across the country used SCRAM anklets last year for 7,424 offenders, of whom approximately 60 percent had no alcohol infringements for that year. "The more convinced [offenders] are that these devices work, the more likely they are to abstain from alcohol," Cuyahoga Falls Judge Kim Hoover said. http://www.ohio.com
/mld/ohio/news/15133587.htm
"Administration and Critics, in Senate Testimony, Clash Over Eavesdropping Compromise"
New York Times (07/27/06) P. A19; Lichtblau, Eric
The Bush administration is urging Congress to back a proposal that critics of the domestic surveillance program warn would provide a broad, unchecked mandate that could impinge on Americans' civil liberties. The proposal was developed jointly by the White House and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), but critics argue that it is simply a transparent and uncompromising restatement of administration policy. While it agreed that the NSA's activities would be subject to court review, the administration insisted that the bill explicitly grant the president "constitutional authority" to gather surveillance beyond the provisions of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The proposal "would turn the clock back to an era of unchecked presidential power, warrantless domestic surveillance, and constitutional uncertainty," said James Dempsey of the Center for Democracy and Technology. During the testimony, Specter bristled at the criticism, arguing that the proposal was a major concession by the president. "I would suggest to you that given the president's attitude on the surveillance program and his attitude on executive power generally that it was not a simple concession, but really was quite a breakthrough," Specter told Dempsey. After months as a leading administration critic, Specter is now playing the improbable role of White House ally. Specter has clashed with Vice President Dick Cheney over the administration's attempts to protect telecommunications executives from having to testify about their role in the NSA program and argued against the legitimacy or presidential signing statements. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/27/washington/27fisa.html
"Florida Statewide Radio Voice Communications System Completed and Fully Operational"
PRNewswire (07/27/06)
M/A-COM, Inc., a business unit of Tyco Electronics, has announced the completion of Florida's Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS), a single, unified radio network that meets the radio voice communications needs of state law enforcement officers and agencies throughout the state of Florida. The SLERS system is the result of a unique public-private partnership between M/A-COM and the State of Florida to create a coordinated statewide 800 MHz communication system which enables local and regional public safety agencies to communicate on a single common network. "Because of this unique public-private partnership arrangement, the state has saved more than $600 million and due to the great work of M/A-COM and the other SLERS partners, we now have a statewide radio system that is the envy and marvel of the rest of the country," said Florida Governor Jeb Bush at an event in Miami held on July 14, 2006 announcing the completion of the SLERS voice system. "By providing a single system, Florida is able to provide law enforcement officers responding to an emergency with a more efficient means of communications and the ability to talk to one another in real time." While other states use multiple methods and systems for public safety communication, Florida's law enforcement officers can now immediately contact every local and state agency through the SLERS system. "Due to the leadership of the Governor and the cooperative effort of the Florida Highway Patrol and all state law enforcement agencies, Florida's law enforcement officers are able to communicate reliably and focus on the job at hand," said Fred Dickinson, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. This standardized communications system was tested successfully during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. State law enforcement officials depended upon the radio system for communication during and after storms and were impressed by the reliability, strength and quality of the SLERS system.
http://www.prnewswire.com
/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-27-2006/0004405213&EDATE=
"Decertified Cops Database Soon Available"
United Press International (07/25/06)
U.S. police departments plan to check the names of new recruits against a national registry developed by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training. The national registry will contain the names of police officers fired by law enforcement agencies. Police departments hope to begin running names through the database beginning this fall. The amount of fired police officers that have obtained jobs with other departments is unknown. The database will list the names of the officers that are decertified by state accreditation agencies. http://www.upi.com
/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060725-105815-4305r
"Fort Pierce Police Chief Proposes Covert Surveillance Cameras"
Stuart News/Port St. Lucie News (FL) (07/26/06) P. B1; Howk, Alexi
Recently speaking at the annual City Commission workshop, Fort Pierce, Fla., Police Chief Eugene Savage unveiled a plan to test surveillance cameras at a cost of $200,000 to $400,000. The digital cameras would be wireless and moveable and would initially be located in high-crime areas of the city such as in the Lincoln Park section. The cameras would be monitored in real time via a monitoring station or specially outfitted police vehicles. The commission said it wanted to discuss the project more fully during budget meetings scheduled for August to determine the availability of funds, but Savage obtained the support of at least three commissioners. Savage stressed that the digital video cameras would have to be concealed because "when you first put them in you want to create some detection and deterrent and then let the public know." He acknowledged that the move could be controversial because "there's some expectation of privacy, and there are some statutory restrictions on using crime surveillance, such as voice recognition." Another option proposed by Savage was equipping all squad cars with digital video systems for roughly $200,000, but he said that would limit surveillance to within the boundaries of the cars. http://www.tcpalm.com
/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_4869895,00.html
"BMV Spits Out Bogus Driver Data, Police Say"
Indianapolis Star (07/26/06) P. 1; Gillaspy, James A.
A $32 million computer system recently launched by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has a flaw that is causing problems for police officers statewide. The flaw is preventing officers from accessing reliable data on motorists. Police are concerned that they might erroneously arrest innocent people or accidentally set free a lawbreaker. The problem has already forced police agencies in Marion and Hamilton counties to abandon using the BMV's computer system for making arrests involving drivers. Meanwhile, Indianapolis' Metropolitan Emergency Communications Agency has been warning sheriff's deputies and police officers in the city and in Marion County that the BMV records are inaccurate. "We should consider that information unreliable unless we can verify it," said Indianapolis Police Capt. Greg Bieberich. "And if they can't verify, then they shouldn't write the violation." BMV started experiencing problems after the new computer system came online between July 1 and July 4. BMV Commissioner Joel Silverman asserted that the new system has not gone out of order and that most of the problems have been corrected. He said the biggest problems now involve data related to license renewals and reinstatements. http://www.indystar.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060726/NEWS01/607260435/-1/ZONES01
"Joint Command Center to Track Terrorist Activity in Southern California"
Associated Press (07/27/06); Marquez, Jeremiah
A number of law enforcement agencies are assisting the FBI in launching the Joint Regional Intelligence Center. The center is being created to streamline information sharing between law enforcement investigators from different agencies. Supporters of the center hope it can save officers time by eliminating redundant efforts related to investigating leads. A number of similar centers are already in operation, says sheriff's Lt. Robert Galarneau. Sixty-two law enforcement personnel from 15 or more agencies are directly involved in the new center's operation. One of the center's locations is called the "bullpen," which allows officers to access classified information via computer displays. The FBI's threat squad is also stationed at the center, along with forensic analysts, firefighters, and epidemiologists. A range of other types of analysts also work at the center.
http://sfgate.com
/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/07/27/state/n000325D11.DTL
"Cameras Aid Trash-Dumping Arrests"
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA) (07/25/06) P. A1; Kotsopoulos, Nick
Worcester, Mass., is using surveillance cameras placed in problem areas to prosecute illegal dumpers of garbage. In one case video was used to extract a confession, in another, to trace a vehicle to its owner. The city collects fines imposed for illegal dumping to pay for boosted enforcement of the program. Robert L. Moylan Jr., commissioner of public works and parks, says that the surveillance cameras have proved effective in identifying individuals who were videotaped illegally disposing of waste. Moylan says his department is continuing to monitor illegal dumping and is utilizing surveillance video techniques at locations throughout the city. "As we obtain evidence on illegal dumping, we will work in conjunction with the Worcester Police Department and the city Law Department in bringing these cases to prosecution," he says. http://www.telegram.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060725/NEWS/607250699/1116
"Town Cracks Down on Vandalism, Misbehavior in Park"
Buffalo News (07/25/06) P. B3; O'Brien, Barbara
Cheektowaga Town Park Council Member James J. Jankowiak believes the police need the help of parents to curb vandalism in the area. Some vandalism has been recorded by security cameras at the Recreation Center. Teens were shown damaging a vehicle and vending machines at the center in two separate incidents. However, police personnel and town employees said other incidents have also occurred in the park. Jankowiak added that the park is spending one-fifth of its budget on repairing vandalism-related damage. http://www.buffalonews.com
"Devices Help Nab Violators"
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) (07/24/06); Bonopartis, Nik
A new computer system mounted on Poughkeepsie, N.Y., police cars allows officers to check instantly whether a car's license plate is valid, making it much easier to identify drivers of stolen cars. The computer scanning equipment, known as automatic number plate recognition, automatically digitizes every plate the car passes, checking each of them against any of numerous databases. The computers can be configured to be compatible with state or local information. The system then emits a tone to let officers know whether the car has been stolen or if the driver has any infractions. The tool, which costs approximately $20,000 per patrol car, has identified more stolen cars and invalid drivers than Poughkeepsie police expected, showing that violations are common even in everyday situations. In addition, police can use the system to check for violations during DWI and seat-belt checkpoints. http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/NEWS05/607240334&SearchID=73251853030352
St. Petersburg Times (FL) (07/28/06) P. 1; Abel, Jonathan
Prisoners held in Florida's Hernando, Citrus, and Sumter counties will make their initial court appearance via video technology. The video link system will enhance safety by eliminating the need to escort inmates to court for their first appearances. In addition, the technology provides the added bonus of eliminating thousands of dollars in costs incurred by sheriffs' offices as the result of transporting prisoners. Capt. Mark Rivenbark of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office judicial services department indicated that the cost of transporting inmates to their initial court appearances totaled $24,590 during the 12-month period that ended in May of this year. Prisoners must be presented to the court within 24 hours of their arrest as mandated by law. Sheriffs' offices are responsible for ensuring that the requirement is carried out. The new video system is expected to start operation on Aug. 5. http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/28/Citrus
/More_technology__less.shtml
"Dispatch Center Site is Discussed"
Fresno Bee (CA) (07/29/06); Hostetter, George
Municipal and county officials of Fresno, Calif., support the idea of a joint law enforcement dispatch center, but are undecided where it should be located. County Supervisor Susan Anderson has proposed establishing the dispatch center next to the county's existing ambulance dispatch center to achieve greater efficiencies. The ambulance dispatch center handles emergency calls for 15 public and private ambulance service providers in three counties, and it sends ambulances to emergency sites according to the shortest distance rather than jurisdiction. By creating a joint law enforcement dispatch center, the region would experience fewer delays and reduce superfluous services while enhancing communication among law enforcement agencies. Daniel Lynch, head of the county's emergency medical services, notes that the dispatch center works well because there is a clear chain of command, with the county having final authority, and because the center uses advanced computer technologies. When a person calling 911 requires medial help, the call is transferred to a dispatcher who gathers the necessary information into his or her computer. The computer then prioritizes the call and alerts another dispatcher to send an ambulance. Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer estimates that a joint law enforcement dispatch center would need to measure at least 62,000 square fee in order to successfully handle over 1 million calls annually. http://feed.insnews.org
/v-cgi/feeds.cgi?feedid=150&story_id=2024244
"Team Combing Internet to Track Terrorism"
Arizona Republic (07/28/06); Carroll, Susan
Researchers at the University of Arizona have amassed the largest online repository of intelligence on terrorist and extremist organizations in the world. They hope that the Dark Web project will improve intelligence agents' ability to track terror suspects on the Internet, which has long been acknowledged as a shortcoming of the intelligence community. The Web has become the primary tool for communication and recruiting among many extremist and terrorist groups. Using supercomputers, the Arizona researchers developed a virtual library that contains millions of Web pages and intercepts chatter on terrorist Web sites. "Even the people we talk to in the federal agencies are hampered by the amount of information that's being collected. They don't know how to analyze it," said Hsinchun Chen, the director of UA's Artificial Intelligence Lab, which launched the Dark Web project three years ago. "It's a new virtual battleground." Dark Web uses programs to find connections among different groups using social-networking analysis, and also detects similarities in writing styles and performs Web-matrix analyses to gauge the sophistication of the sites. To avoid detection, terrorist groups often only hold on to Internet addresses for a short period of time. Some of the sites contain detailed instructional information, such as a guide on how to carry out a bombing or a beheading. "The Web is the al-Qaida university. They season you, and they recruit you, and they give you all the materials to train you," Chen said. "It's a very significant international phenomenon." http://www.azcentral.com/
arizonarepublic/news/articles/0728darkweb28.html
"Now Deputies Have Eyes Near the Back of Their Treads"
Tampa Tribune (07/28/06) P. 1; Thompson, Stephen
Four police cruisers at the Pinellas County, Fla., Sheriff's Office are equipped with infrared cameras that can automatically scan the license plates of vehicles while deputies are driving. The plate numbers are currently being matched against a state Department of Law Enforcement "hot list" that has between 100,000 and 120,000 stolen cars and plates. In addition, police officers will be able to enter plate numbers of cars connected with an Amber Alert or a murder suspect on the loose, states sheriff's system analyst Scott McCallum. In the future, he explains, the sheriff's office plans to scan plates for drivers with revoked or suspended licenses or who have warrants. On July 27, a pair of five-pound cameras that are part of the Mobile Plate Hunter system were erected on the back of one of the cruisers. They are attached with magnets, so the cameras can be removed and placed almost anywhere. If an officer wants to slowly drive through the parking lot of a mall to look at car tags, the cameras would be set up at around a 90-degree angle from the cruiser, and if he wants to obtain the tags of cars next to him in traffic, they would be pitched at around 35 degrees to the side. The systems cost $20,000 for every vehicle and were purchased with grants. http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBK3Q9Z5QE.html
"Cops Have New Set of 'Eyes' At 7th and Girard"
Philadelphia Daily News (07/29/06); McDonald, Mark
On July 28, two new surveillance cameras came online in the city of Philadelphia at 7th Street and Girard Avenue in the community of Northern Liberties. The cost for the cameras, wiring, and other gear totaled $50,000, estimated Pedro Ramos, the managing director for the City of Philadelphia. The two cameras represent the first part of an initiative that will feature cameras in four areas, including one near a Philadelphia school. The overall number of cameras has not yet been determined. The police surveillance project was endorsed by city residents through a vote in a ballot question in May. Police spokesman Capt. Benjamin Naish said the current location was chosen because of its crime activity and due to technological considerations; this includes a fiber-optic signal linking the two cameras to the nearby police forensic-science building as well as the Police Administration Building, commonly known as the Roundhouse. According to Ramos, the surveillance project will feature two main elements: Surveillance cameras and yet-to-be-purchased mobile units called pods. The pods are portable and can "transmit to a laptop computer," Ramos said. The pan, tilt, and zoom cameras would be monitored by police on screens at the Roundhouse. Ramos also said the cameras might be supported by the "Wireless Philadelphia" technology that is currently being implemented. http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/15151285.htm
"Penobscot County Unveils New ID System"
Bangor Daily News (ME) (07/28/06); Kesseli, Doug
Police in Penobscot County, Maine, will soon have near instantaneous access to a national database of missing children hosted by The Nation's Missing Children Organization and National Center for Missing Adults through portable iris scanning technology aimed at identifying missing children and adults with Alzheimer's. The device was developed by Biometric Intelligence & Identification Technologies of Massachusetts and paid for with a $25,000 grant from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation. It is capable of distinguishing between twins and a person's left and right eye. In the future it could be used to identify inmates and visitors to the county jail and eventually suspects. The program is now in use in 21 states. http://www.bangornews.com
/news/templates/?a=137985&z=176%20class=
"Eye-Scan Database New Tool for IDs"
Columbus Dispatch (OH) (07/27/06) P. 1D; Ludlow, Randy
The sheriff's office in Richland County, Ohio, intends to employ iris-recognition technology to scan the eyes of Mansfield children, store them in a database, and use them to find abducted children and runaways, as well as sex offenders and Alzheimer's patients who wander away. A unique digital camera manufactures images of the iris to produce individual identifying data that is more correct than fingerprints, according to Children's Identification and Location Database (CHILD) President Sean Mullin. Sheriff J. Steve Sheldon explained that the system will be introduced at schools, festivals, and additional events to obtain iris images and present the information to the CHILD computers in Phoenix. Law enforcement agencies that take part in the program can scan the eyes of children and others and use the database to find names and addresses. Every iris has 266 unique elements, and Mullin notes that iris images can be found more rapidly than fingerprint images. The county's system costs $28,932.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com
/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/07/27/20060727-D1-04.html
"Bracelets Designed to Deter Drinking"
Akron Beacon Journal (OH) (07/27/06)
Since January 2006, the municipal court in Cuyahoga Falls, N.Y., has been using SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor) ankle bracelets for offenders sentenced to home incarceration. The SCRAM ankle bracelets detect if offenders ingest alcohol; the bracelet's sensors measure the level of ethanol gas emitted through the skin. The anklets are primarily used in cases of domestic violence or drunk driving, and offenders are required to wear them 24 hours a day. The device checks for the presence of alcohol each hour, and results are stored in the anklet's flash memory. The devices are also linked by radio to a modem that allows the maker of SCRAM, Alcohol Monitoring Devices, to examine the tests and transfer the results to law enforcement officials. Jeff Hawthorne, chief technology officer for Alcohol Monitoring Systems, says offenders have attempted to thwart the anklets, but such actions can trigger alerts being sent to SCRAM analysts. The Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court has 13 SCRAM devices, and requires offenders sentenced to wear them to pay roughly $10 to $15 per day. A total of 36 states across the country used SCRAM anklets last year for 7,424 offenders, of whom approximately 60 percent had no alcohol infringements for that year. "The more convinced [offenders] are that these devices work, the more likely they are to abstain from alcohol," Cuyahoga Falls Judge Kim Hoover said. http://www.ohio.com
/mld/ohio/news/15133587.htm
"Administration and Critics, in Senate Testimony, Clash Over Eavesdropping Compromise"
New York Times (07/27/06) P. A19; Lichtblau, Eric
The Bush administration is urging Congress to back a proposal that critics of the domestic surveillance program warn would provide a broad, unchecked mandate that could impinge on Americans' civil liberties. The proposal was developed jointly by the White House and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), but critics argue that it is simply a transparent and uncompromising restatement of administration policy. While it agreed that the NSA's activities would be subject to court review, the administration insisted that the bill explicitly grant the president "constitutional authority" to gather surveillance beyond the provisions of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The proposal "would turn the clock back to an era of unchecked presidential power, warrantless domestic surveillance, and constitutional uncertainty," said James Dempsey of the Center for Democracy and Technology. During the testimony, Specter bristled at the criticism, arguing that the proposal was a major concession by the president. "I would suggest to you that given the president's attitude on the surveillance program and his attitude on executive power generally that it was not a simple concession, but really was quite a breakthrough," Specter told Dempsey. After months as a leading administration critic, Specter is now playing the improbable role of White House ally. Specter has clashed with Vice President Dick Cheney over the administration's attempts to protect telecommunications executives from having to testify about their role in the NSA program and argued against the legitimacy or presidential signing statements. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/27/washington/27fisa.html
"Florida Statewide Radio Voice Communications System Completed and Fully Operational"
PRNewswire (07/27/06)
M/A-COM, Inc., a business unit of Tyco Electronics, has announced the completion of Florida's Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS), a single, unified radio network that meets the radio voice communications needs of state law enforcement officers and agencies throughout the state of Florida. The SLERS system is the result of a unique public-private partnership between M/A-COM and the State of Florida to create a coordinated statewide 800 MHz communication system which enables local and regional public safety agencies to communicate on a single common network. "Because of this unique public-private partnership arrangement, the state has saved more than $600 million and due to the great work of M/A-COM and the other SLERS partners, we now have a statewide radio system that is the envy and marvel of the rest of the country," said Florida Governor Jeb Bush at an event in Miami held on July 14, 2006 announcing the completion of the SLERS voice system. "By providing a single system, Florida is able to provide law enforcement officers responding to an emergency with a more efficient means of communications and the ability to talk to one another in real time." While other states use multiple methods and systems for public safety communication, Florida's law enforcement officers can now immediately contact every local and state agency through the SLERS system. "Due to the leadership of the Governor and the cooperative effort of the Florida Highway Patrol and all state law enforcement agencies, Florida's law enforcement officers are able to communicate reliably and focus on the job at hand," said Fred Dickinson, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. This standardized communications system was tested successfully during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. State law enforcement officials depended upon the radio system for communication during and after storms and were impressed by the reliability, strength and quality of the SLERS system.
http://www.prnewswire.com
/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-27-2006/0004405213&EDATE=
"Decertified Cops Database Soon Available"
United Press International (07/25/06)
U.S. police departments plan to check the names of new recruits against a national registry developed by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training. The national registry will contain the names of police officers fired by law enforcement agencies. Police departments hope to begin running names through the database beginning this fall. The amount of fired police officers that have obtained jobs with other departments is unknown. The database will list the names of the officers that are decertified by state accreditation agencies. http://www.upi.com
/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060725-105815-4305r
"Fort Pierce Police Chief Proposes Covert Surveillance Cameras"
Stuart News/Port St. Lucie News (FL) (07/26/06) P. B1; Howk, Alexi
Recently speaking at the annual City Commission workshop, Fort Pierce, Fla., Police Chief Eugene Savage unveiled a plan to test surveillance cameras at a cost of $200,000 to $400,000. The digital cameras would be wireless and moveable and would initially be located in high-crime areas of the city such as in the Lincoln Park section. The cameras would be monitored in real time via a monitoring station or specially outfitted police vehicles. The commission said it wanted to discuss the project more fully during budget meetings scheduled for August to determine the availability of funds, but Savage obtained the support of at least three commissioners. Savage stressed that the digital video cameras would have to be concealed because "when you first put them in you want to create some detection and deterrent and then let the public know." He acknowledged that the move could be controversial because "there's some expectation of privacy, and there are some statutory restrictions on using crime surveillance, such as voice recognition." Another option proposed by Savage was equipping all squad cars with digital video systems for roughly $200,000, but he said that would limit surveillance to within the boundaries of the cars. http://www.tcpalm.com
/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_4869895,00.html
"BMV Spits Out Bogus Driver Data, Police Say"
Indianapolis Star (07/26/06) P. 1; Gillaspy, James A.
A $32 million computer system recently launched by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has a flaw that is causing problems for police officers statewide. The flaw is preventing officers from accessing reliable data on motorists. Police are concerned that they might erroneously arrest innocent people or accidentally set free a lawbreaker. The problem has already forced police agencies in Marion and Hamilton counties to abandon using the BMV's computer system for making arrests involving drivers. Meanwhile, Indianapolis' Metropolitan Emergency Communications Agency has been warning sheriff's deputies and police officers in the city and in Marion County that the BMV records are inaccurate. "We should consider that information unreliable unless we can verify it," said Indianapolis Police Capt. Greg Bieberich. "And if they can't verify, then they shouldn't write the violation." BMV started experiencing problems after the new computer system came online between July 1 and July 4. BMV Commissioner Joel Silverman asserted that the new system has not gone out of order and that most of the problems have been corrected. He said the biggest problems now involve data related to license renewals and reinstatements. http://www.indystar.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060726/NEWS01/607260435/-1/ZONES01
"Joint Command Center to Track Terrorist Activity in Southern California"
Associated Press (07/27/06); Marquez, Jeremiah
A number of law enforcement agencies are assisting the FBI in launching the Joint Regional Intelligence Center. The center is being created to streamline information sharing between law enforcement investigators from different agencies. Supporters of the center hope it can save officers time by eliminating redundant efforts related to investigating leads. A number of similar centers are already in operation, says sheriff's Lt. Robert Galarneau. Sixty-two law enforcement personnel from 15 or more agencies are directly involved in the new center's operation. One of the center's locations is called the "bullpen," which allows officers to access classified information via computer displays. The FBI's threat squad is also stationed at the center, along with forensic analysts, firefighters, and epidemiologists. A range of other types of analysts also work at the center.
http://sfgate.com
/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/07/27/state/n000325D11.DTL
"Cameras Aid Trash-Dumping Arrests"
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA) (07/25/06) P. A1; Kotsopoulos, Nick
Worcester, Mass., is using surveillance cameras placed in problem areas to prosecute illegal dumpers of garbage. In one case video was used to extract a confession, in another, to trace a vehicle to its owner. The city collects fines imposed for illegal dumping to pay for boosted enforcement of the program. Robert L. Moylan Jr., commissioner of public works and parks, says that the surveillance cameras have proved effective in identifying individuals who were videotaped illegally disposing of waste. Moylan says his department is continuing to monitor illegal dumping and is utilizing surveillance video techniques at locations throughout the city. "As we obtain evidence on illegal dumping, we will work in conjunction with the Worcester Police Department and the city Law Department in bringing these cases to prosecution," he says. http://www.telegram.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060725/NEWS/607250699/1116
"Town Cracks Down on Vandalism, Misbehavior in Park"
Buffalo News (07/25/06) P. B3; O'Brien, Barbara
Cheektowaga Town Park Council Member James J. Jankowiak believes the police need the help of parents to curb vandalism in the area. Some vandalism has been recorded by security cameras at the Recreation Center. Teens were shown damaging a vehicle and vending machines at the center in two separate incidents. However, police personnel and town employees said other incidents have also occurred in the park. Jankowiak added that the park is spending one-fifth of its budget on repairing vandalism-related damage. http://www.buffalonews.com
"Devices Help Nab Violators"
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) (07/24/06); Bonopartis, Nik
A new computer system mounted on Poughkeepsie, N.Y., police cars allows officers to check instantly whether a car's license plate is valid, making it much easier to identify drivers of stolen cars. The computer scanning equipment, known as automatic number plate recognition, automatically digitizes every plate the car passes, checking each of them against any of numerous databases. The computers can be configured to be compatible with state or local information. The system then emits a tone to let officers know whether the car has been stolen or if the driver has any infractions. The tool, which costs approximately $20,000 per patrol car, has identified more stolen cars and invalid drivers than Poughkeepsie police expected, showing that violations are common even in everyday situations. In addition, police can use the system to check for violations during DWI and seat-belt checkpoints. http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/NEWS05/607240334&SearchID=73251853030352
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 2, 2006
City [of Pasadena, California] to continue receiving grant for emergencies
“The city will continue to receive funding for bioterrorism or similar public health emergency preparedness under an agreement announced Tuesday by the county Board of Supervisors. The board unanimously approved the deal authorizing the Los Angeles Department of Public Health to pass $493,000 to the Pasadena Public Health Department to provide for pandemic influenza preparedness and response. Dr. Takashi Wada, health officer and medical director for the PPHD, said much of the funding is earmarked for preparing for the avian flu. Wada said the rest of the money will be used for planning and preparedness, special disease surveillance, training medical staff, education outreach, coordinating with local health organizations and equipping staff members to respond to possible outbreaks. Pasadena has not been threatened by a terrorist attack, but the city is a partner in a coalition of organizations and agencies working to improve local coordination of emergency planning and response.” (Pasadena Star News, 02Aug06)
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com
/portlet/article/html/fragments/print_article.jsp?article=4124149
Massachusetts officials issue tularemia precautions
“For the seventh year in a row, cases of tularemia are being reported on Martha's Vineyard, where six cases of the rare respiratory form of the disease have occurred so far.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) in a Jul 27 press release said that the patients, ages 33 to 67, became ill between May 13 and Jul 5. All have been successfully treated and are recovering. Four of the six are employed as landscapers.
The MDPH added that cases of tularemia have occurred on Martha's Vineyard every year since 2000, when an outbreak infected 15 people and caused one death. Tularemia in the United States is usually linked to insect bites or handling carcasses of small animals, particularly rabbits. The disease is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, one of the six biological agents deemed most likely to be used by terrorists. The annual tularemia outbreaks have stymied public health officials because they raise questions about the disease's reservoir and vector. Bioterrorism experts have a key interest in monitoring tularemia patterns in wildlife populations because it would better help them distinguish a natural outbreak from a human-caused bioterrorism outbreak.” (CIDRAP, 01Aug06) http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap
/content/bt/tularemia/news/aug0106tularemia.html
No action on bio-terrorism loophole
“The government faces criticism from scientists for not acting on a legal loophole exposed by the Guardian which could be used by terrorists to make a bio-weapon. The decision not to act was prompted by five parliamentary questions tabled by Phil Willis, chairman of the Commons science and technology select committee. Mr Willis condemned the government's ‘cavalier attitude’ to the issue, while an expert in chemical and biological weapons described the decision as ‘naïve’. A Guardian investigation in June showed that it was possible to buy a short sequence of DNA from the virus that causes smallpox over the internet. The virus has been extinct for nearly 30 years, existing only in government labs in the US and Russia, but some scientists believe it could be manufactured from scratch by taking short pieces of DNA and splicing them together. Mr Willis's questions asked what regulations the Department of Trade and Industry would consider in light of the report.” (The Guardian, 01Aug06, James Randerson) http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,1834549,00.html
Rocket milestone in sight for depot
“The Umatilla Chemical Depot expects by this weekend to destroy its last sarin-filled rocket, a milestone in the effort to eliminate the nation's deadly chemical arsenal.
Officials at the depot near Hermiston aren't quite ready to celebrate, although Morrow County officials and representatives of the Oregon Citizens Advisory Commission Chemical Demilitarization group are pleased about the news.” (TriCityHerald.com, 01Aug06, Jeannine Koranda) http://www.tri-cityherald.com
/tch/local/story/8027325p-7920556c.html
11.5 square miles at former arsenal removed from Superfund
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday removed 7,360 acres of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal from its Superfund list of heavily polluted areas, clearing the way for a large part of the former chemical weapons plant property to become a national wildlife refuge. Cleanup on the 11.5 square miles of land known as the Internal Parcel included the removal or destruction of 196 structures and closure of 27 groundwater wells that posed a risk of contamination, EPA officials said Monday. Crews also excavated and disposed of contaminated soil and materials, including munitions debris and red ash from mustard gas demilitarization at the arsenal, which is about 10 miles northeast of downtown Denver. The Army manufactured chemical weapons at the once-classified arsenal during World War II and the 1950s, and Shell Oil manufactured pesticides and other chemicals there until 1982.” (Longmont Daily Times-Call, 02Aug06, AP) http://www.longmontfyi.com
/Local-Story.asp?id=9097
Senator seeks to take chemical security bill fight to the floor
“Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, urged colleagues Tuesday to proceed with Senate floor action on a chemical security bill, saying differences should be debated on the Senate floor. The bill, which her committee approved unanimously in June, has been bogged down over objections from more than a dozen senators. It would give the Homeland Security Department the authority, for the first time, to regulate and establish security standards for facilities that produce, use or store chemical substances, and penalize facilities that do not comply.” (GovExec.com; 02Aug06; Chris Strohm, CongressDaily)
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=34693&dcn=todaysnews
Mobile Combat Robots to Debut by 2010
“The [Korean] Army will develop unmanned tactical mobile robots for reconnaissance and search-and-surveillance missions by 2010 as part of programs to meet the security challenges of future warfare, Army officials said Wednesday. The robot will be equipped with extendable arms, a sensor to detect chemical weapons, explosives and smoke bombs. Once completed, the devices will be deployed to infantry and anti-terrorist units.” (The Korea Times, 02Aug06, Jung Sung-ki) http://times.hankooki.com
/lpage/200608/kt2006080217363668040.htm
Dirty-bomb pilot adds to layered security
“The International Assn. for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals
(IACSP) is ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the effectiveness of the Dept. of Homeland Security’s (DHS) pilot program to use radiation-detection devices to find dirty bombs before they enter New York City. If the pilot is successful, the DHS aims to deploy the program in major cities across the U.S. DHS has not elaborated on how its Securing the Cities Initiative will look once it’s finalized, but said it is still considering ‘ways in which [DHS] could best capture a detection of radioactive material coming in’
without disrupting traffic flow using both stationary and mobile equipment. The pilot began in ‘the last few months’ and its timetable is ‘being worked on,’ DHS said.” (Fleet Owner, 31Jul06, Terrence Nguyen) http://fleetowner.com/news
/topstory/dirty_bomb_dhs_new_york_city_iacsp_alion_073106/
UK joins global initiative to combat nuclear terrorism
“he British government has announced that it is joining the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT), launched by US President George W Bush and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last month. ‘The United Kingdom was pleased to accept a joint invitation from the US and Russia to be a founding member of this important Initiative,’ Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells said in a statement.” (Islamic Republic News Agency, 01Aug06) http://www.irna.ir
/en/news/view/menu-234/0608011297165947.htm
Xoma lands $16M biodefense contract
“Xoma Ltd. has been awarded a $16 million contract by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to produce antibodies for protection against bioterrorism, the company announced Monday. The new three-year contract calls for Xoma, of Berkeley [California], to develop an injectable product made up of three antibodies to protect against the harmful effects of botulinum neurotoxins that could be used in bioterrorism.” pla(East Bay Business Times, 31Jul06) http://washington.bizjournals.com
/eastbay/stories/2006/07/31/daily3.html
Lockheed Plants a Small Seed: Aerospace giant’s latest government grant could sprout a new line of business
“The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently awarded Lockheed Martin a modest $1.7 million contract to design a remotely controlled ‘nano air vehicle’ (NAV). The miniature device has nothing to do with nanotechnology (its size is nowhere near nanoscale) but, at 1.5 inches -- or about the size of a maple seed (which the device is said to resemble) -- it is still impressively small. According to reports, DARPA is hoping that the NAV will be able to deliver a sensor payload about a half-mile from its point of release, and then return safely to its home base for its next mission. If Lockheed engineers can successfully produce such a device, it would obviously have a host of military applications, including ferreting out possible terrorist and insurgent hideouts, as well as detecting everything from roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to the presence of biological and chemical weapons.” (MSNBC; 02Aug06; Jack Uldrich, The Motley Fool) http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14151094/
“The city will continue to receive funding for bioterrorism or similar public health emergency preparedness under an agreement announced Tuesday by the county Board of Supervisors. The board unanimously approved the deal authorizing the Los Angeles Department of Public Health to pass $493,000 to the Pasadena Public Health Department to provide for pandemic influenza preparedness and response. Dr. Takashi Wada, health officer and medical director for the PPHD, said much of the funding is earmarked for preparing for the avian flu. Wada said the rest of the money will be used for planning and preparedness, special disease surveillance, training medical staff, education outreach, coordinating with local health organizations and equipping staff members to respond to possible outbreaks. Pasadena has not been threatened by a terrorist attack, but the city is a partner in a coalition of organizations and agencies working to improve local coordination of emergency planning and response.” (Pasadena Star News, 02Aug06)
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com
/portlet/article/html/fragments/print_article.jsp?article=4124149
Massachusetts officials issue tularemia precautions
“For the seventh year in a row, cases of tularemia are being reported on Martha's Vineyard, where six cases of the rare respiratory form of the disease have occurred so far.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) in a Jul 27 press release said that the patients, ages 33 to 67, became ill between May 13 and Jul 5. All have been successfully treated and are recovering. Four of the six are employed as landscapers.
The MDPH added that cases of tularemia have occurred on Martha's Vineyard every year since 2000, when an outbreak infected 15 people and caused one death. Tularemia in the United States is usually linked to insect bites or handling carcasses of small animals, particularly rabbits. The disease is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, one of the six biological agents deemed most likely to be used by terrorists. The annual tularemia outbreaks have stymied public health officials because they raise questions about the disease's reservoir and vector. Bioterrorism experts have a key interest in monitoring tularemia patterns in wildlife populations because it would better help them distinguish a natural outbreak from a human-caused bioterrorism outbreak.” (CIDRAP, 01Aug06) http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap
/content/bt/tularemia/news/aug0106tularemia.html
No action on bio-terrorism loophole
“The government faces criticism from scientists for not acting on a legal loophole exposed by the Guardian which could be used by terrorists to make a bio-weapon. The decision not to act was prompted by five parliamentary questions tabled by Phil Willis, chairman of the Commons science and technology select committee. Mr Willis condemned the government's ‘cavalier attitude’ to the issue, while an expert in chemical and biological weapons described the decision as ‘naïve’. A Guardian investigation in June showed that it was possible to buy a short sequence of DNA from the virus that causes smallpox over the internet. The virus has been extinct for nearly 30 years, existing only in government labs in the US and Russia, but some scientists believe it could be manufactured from scratch by taking short pieces of DNA and splicing them together. Mr Willis's questions asked what regulations the Department of Trade and Industry would consider in light of the report.” (The Guardian, 01Aug06, James Randerson) http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,1834549,00.html
Rocket milestone in sight for depot
“The Umatilla Chemical Depot expects by this weekend to destroy its last sarin-filled rocket, a milestone in the effort to eliminate the nation's deadly chemical arsenal.
Officials at the depot near Hermiston aren't quite ready to celebrate, although Morrow County officials and representatives of the Oregon Citizens Advisory Commission Chemical Demilitarization group are pleased about the news.” (TriCityHerald.com, 01Aug06, Jeannine Koranda) http://www.tri-cityherald.com
/tch/local/story/8027325p-7920556c.html
11.5 square miles at former arsenal removed from Superfund
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday removed 7,360 acres of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal from its Superfund list of heavily polluted areas, clearing the way for a large part of the former chemical weapons plant property to become a national wildlife refuge. Cleanup on the 11.5 square miles of land known as the Internal Parcel included the removal or destruction of 196 structures and closure of 27 groundwater wells that posed a risk of contamination, EPA officials said Monday. Crews also excavated and disposed of contaminated soil and materials, including munitions debris and red ash from mustard gas demilitarization at the arsenal, which is about 10 miles northeast of downtown Denver. The Army manufactured chemical weapons at the once-classified arsenal during World War II and the 1950s, and Shell Oil manufactured pesticides and other chemicals there until 1982.” (Longmont Daily Times-Call, 02Aug06, AP) http://www.longmontfyi.com
/Local-Story.asp?id=9097
Senator seeks to take chemical security bill fight to the floor
“Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, urged colleagues Tuesday to proceed with Senate floor action on a chemical security bill, saying differences should be debated on the Senate floor. The bill, which her committee approved unanimously in June, has been bogged down over objections from more than a dozen senators. It would give the Homeland Security Department the authority, for the first time, to regulate and establish security standards for facilities that produce, use or store chemical substances, and penalize facilities that do not comply.” (GovExec.com; 02Aug06; Chris Strohm, CongressDaily)
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=34693&dcn=todaysnews
Mobile Combat Robots to Debut by 2010
“The [Korean] Army will develop unmanned tactical mobile robots for reconnaissance and search-and-surveillance missions by 2010 as part of programs to meet the security challenges of future warfare, Army officials said Wednesday. The robot will be equipped with extendable arms, a sensor to detect chemical weapons, explosives and smoke bombs. Once completed, the devices will be deployed to infantry and anti-terrorist units.” (The Korea Times, 02Aug06, Jung Sung-ki) http://times.hankooki.com
/lpage/200608/kt2006080217363668040.htm
Dirty-bomb pilot adds to layered security
“The International Assn. for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals
(IACSP) is ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the effectiveness of the Dept. of Homeland Security’s (DHS) pilot program to use radiation-detection devices to find dirty bombs before they enter New York City. If the pilot is successful, the DHS aims to deploy the program in major cities across the U.S. DHS has not elaborated on how its Securing the Cities Initiative will look once it’s finalized, but said it is still considering ‘ways in which [DHS] could best capture a detection of radioactive material coming in’
without disrupting traffic flow using both stationary and mobile equipment. The pilot began in ‘the last few months’ and its timetable is ‘being worked on,’ DHS said.” (Fleet Owner, 31Jul06, Terrence Nguyen) http://fleetowner.com/news
/topstory/dirty_bomb_dhs_new_york_city_iacsp_alion_073106/
UK joins global initiative to combat nuclear terrorism
“he British government has announced that it is joining the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT), launched by US President George W Bush and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last month. ‘The United Kingdom was pleased to accept a joint invitation from the US and Russia to be a founding member of this important Initiative,’ Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells said in a statement.” (Islamic Republic News Agency, 01Aug06) http://www.irna.ir
/en/news/view/menu-234/0608011297165947.htm
Xoma lands $16M biodefense contract
“Xoma Ltd. has been awarded a $16 million contract by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to produce antibodies for protection against bioterrorism, the company announced Monday. The new three-year contract calls for Xoma, of Berkeley [California], to develop an injectable product made up of three antibodies to protect against the harmful effects of botulinum neurotoxins that could be used in bioterrorism.” pla(East Bay Business Times, 31Jul06) http://washington.bizjournals.com
/eastbay/stories/2006/07/31/daily3.html
Lockheed Plants a Small Seed: Aerospace giant’s latest government grant could sprout a new line of business
“The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently awarded Lockheed Martin a modest $1.7 million contract to design a remotely controlled ‘nano air vehicle’ (NAV). The miniature device has nothing to do with nanotechnology (its size is nowhere near nanoscale) but, at 1.5 inches -- or about the size of a maple seed (which the device is said to resemble) -- it is still impressively small. According to reports, DARPA is hoping that the NAV will be able to deliver a sensor payload about a half-mile from its point of release, and then return safely to its home base for its next mission. If Lockheed engineers can successfully produce such a device, it would obviously have a host of military applications, including ferreting out possible terrorist and insurgent hideouts, as well as detecting everything from roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to the presence of biological and chemical weapons.” (MSNBC; 02Aug06; Jack Uldrich, The Motley Fool) http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14151094/
International Association of Chiefs of Police
According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, IACP, “If you take it seriously and commit yourself to being the best leader and most effective follower you can become, leadership development is a lifelong process. Continue to seek out opportunities to participate in formal leadership training, strive for increased leadership roles and responsibilities, and keep reading!”
Leaders from large and small Police Departments, like the Los Angeles Police Department, the New York City Police Department, or the West Covina Police Department, can benefit from personal development and study.
Police Department Leadership is organized according to leadership position
Level One: Service Deliver Providers/Followers
Level Two: Small-Unit Leaders
Level Three: Organizational Leaders
Level Four: Executive Leaders
View the IACP’s List
Leaders from large and small Police Departments, like the Los Angeles Police Department, the New York City Police Department, or the West Covina Police Department, can benefit from personal development and study.
Police Department Leadership is organized according to leadership position
Level One: Service Deliver Providers/Followers
Level Two: Small-Unit Leaders
Level Three: Organizational Leaders
Level Four: Executive Leaders
View the IACP’s List
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Teenage Cop
Dale W. Duke is the 74th author to be added to Police-Writers.com. Dale has published Behind the Badge: The True Story of California's First Teenage Cop.” While working as a police officer in sunny central California as a teenager, he attended Bakersfield College obtaining his degree in Administration of Justice. To pay the bills he worked as an ambulance crew member, drove a school bus and trucked hay. After college Officer Duke joined the Bakersfield Police Department, worked traffic, patrol and a variety of other law enforcement duties. After a stint riding with his buddies in the Sheriffs helicopter he went on to become a pilot. He now earns a living by writing and working in labor relations with the Postal Service.
Click for more information Dale’s Book
Click for more information Dale’s Book
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