NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
"Professors Devise Way to Detect Secret Data in Photos"
Des Moines Register (IA) (11/19/06); Rossi, Lisa
A pair of professors at Iowa State University (ISU) are teaming with law enforcement authorities in the state to create a better way to locate secret information concealed in photos that are transmitted over the Internet. Professors Clifford Bergman and Jennifer Davidson have trained current software to determine whether child pornographers and terrorists have included secrets in harmless-looking photos found on the Internet. The project was financed by a Midwest Forensics Resource Center grant for $80,000. The professors are currently awaiting approval to dispense the technology from the ISU Research Foundation, which takes care of intellectual property rights matters. The professors stated they hoped to hand out the software to law enforcement personnel at no cost within the coming few months. Bergman and Davidson trained the software to find the existence of secret information by placing concealed images in 1,200 photos in various ways until they had 10,000 images with different information included. They then introduced the vast database of images to the software, so it could tell the difference between a clean and an altered image. The university's new strategy should offer a more accessible and dependable way for authorities to discover whether or not a photo has a concealed image. Although commercial software now exists for these applications, it is costly and hard to study, as the technology utilized is a trade secret, Bergman and Davidson claim. http://desmoinesregister.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2
0061119/NEWS02/611190339/-1/SPORTS07
"Cameras Focused on Crime"
Dallas Morning News (11/16/06); Trahan, Jason
Dallas, Texas, began installing wireless surveillance cameras in its downtown core in mid November this year in an initiative to deter crime and reassure citizens that Dallas is safe. The surveillance initiative involves 40 cameras covering about one third of downtown Dallas. The goal is to reduce crime levels by 30 percent after six months, and the project has been funded with a two-year maintenance budget by a $840,000 grant from The Meadows Foundation. Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle says downtown crime mostly involves the city's sizable homeless population, and fights among club goers and bar hoppers in the wee hours of the weekend evenings. Kunkle says crime is down already, and that cameras will help augment this perception. The department plans to monitor the cameras so police can be dispatched to the scene of an ongoing crime, as well as store images for two weeks to provide evidence for crime scenes. Dallas may expand this initiative if the project produces results. http://www.dallasnews.com
/sharedcontent/dws/news/l
ocalnews/stories/DN-copca
meras_16met.ART0.North.E
dition1.3e3011c.html
"System Speeds 911 Cell Phone Calls"
Los Angeles Daily News (11/16/06); Orlov, Rick
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has launched a communications system that can save emergency personnel time in reaching accident or crime scenes by connecting 911 calls from mobile phones to local dispatchers, rather than the California Highway Patrol. A $2.1 million state grant covered the cost of the technology that is expected to aid 911 operators by allowing them to automatically determine the location of a wireless call. 911 calls are anticipated to grow by 1,000 per day to 1,500 per day, compared to the current amount of roughly 9,000 calls handled each day by the city's 911 operators. LAPD Police Chief William Bratton indicated that the system will allow the department to avoid boosting its staff of 911 operators by 95 employees as previously expected.
http://www.dailynews.com
/ci_4664500
"U.S. File Access Aids Police"
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (FL) (11/15/06) P. 12A; Marquez, Jeremiah
A Mexican national, who has been deported from the United States a minimum of three times, was recently arrested again in California. Jesus F. Palacios has convictions for child molestation and grand theft auto. However, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department are focusing on preventing similar cases in the future by making federal fingerprint data more quickly available to local law enforcement officers. Roughly 50 law enforcement agencies in Southern California can now access fingerprint data within a shorter period of time to prevent the release of illegal immigrants. However, civil rights groups have expressed concerns that the new approach could discourage immigrants from providing important information to police because they want to avoid a check of their status.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
/news/nationworld/sfl-apolicei
mmig15nov15,0,2649494.story
?coll=sfla-news-nationworld
"Camera Phones Focus on Police Use of Force in L.A."
Reuters (11/16/06); Serjeant, Jill
Cell phone cameras provide an easy way for citizens to record footage, including incidents in which police misconduct is alleged. For example, Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton is conducting a probe of several police officers after video cell phones recorded recent arrests. The footage reportedly shows officers using excessive force when arresting the suspects. Some residents in the community complain that police unfairly target black citizens, with one activist stating that video cell phone footage would not be an issue "if the police were not overreacting." www.eweek.com/article2
/0,1759,2060345,00.asp
"Adding Taser Technology"
Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) (11/18/06) P. B1; Moore, Ronnie
Fort Oglethorpe, Tenn.'s City Council recently voted to purchase 30 of the most recent design in stun guns for the police department. The devices, equipped with video cameras that record picture and sound, cost $1,200 each. Fort Oglethorpe Police Chief Larry Black noted that police officers now handle the most violent and dangerous suspects he has ever witnessed during his time in law enforcement. Taser International is the sole firm that sells the $800 gun, the price of which increases to $1,200 when the camera is factored in. The connected camera starts recording when the Taser power is turned on. Black explained that studies have proven that when Tasers with cameras are utilized, there is a conviction or plea rate of 96.2 percent. He added that the camera-equipped Tasers will have the extra benefits of guaranteeing officer accountability, reducing the claims of too much force, discrediting false complaints, and lessening legal costs. Meanwhile, Officer Greg Plemons stated that the Taser is another means for helping law enforcement to protect both residents and themselves.
www.timesfreepress.com
"Taser Death Raises Questions"
Memphis Commercial Appeal (TN) (11/17/06) P. A14
Memphis, Tenn., resident Darren Faulkner, 47, recently died after receiving two Taser shocks from an unidentified police deputy, after Faulkner allegedly attacked the officer. Though Memphis District Attorney John Champion says preliminary data shows officers involved "followed the policies" and exhibited restraint, Faulkner's death will revive concerns that Tasers can cause serious injuries in some people. Today there is international debate concerning the safety of electro-muscular disruption and the U.S. Justice Department is conducting a study to help understand whether the technology can contribute to or cause death and, if so, in what ways.
http://www.commercialappeal.com
/mca/editorials/article/0,2845,MCA
_25348_5149112,00.html
"Law Enforcement Pursuits: Managing the Risks"
PoliceOne.com (11/20/06); Yates, Travis
Newly available technology can help reduce many of the risks associated with police vehicle pursuits, but many police departments are unaware of how to use the technology, and some improperly deploy it. However, better education about technology use can help make pursuits shorter and slower, and thus far less risky. One of the most important tools to reduce pursuit risks is the Tire Deflation Device, which can help safely reduce a pursued car's speed. The devices cost only around $400 each, which makes them a sound investment that pays for itself through collision and injury declines. Helicopters are also an effective tool for reducing the time and risk involved in vehicle pursuits by monitoring suspects' activities and alert ground officers when the suspects abandon their vehicles and where. The Pursuit Intervention Technique, which requires the police driver to ram the pursued car, is also effective, but must be used only with careful training. However, experts also note that officers need to be trained to maintain the safety of the roadways, surrounding drivers, and pedestrians above their desire to capture the suspect engaged in the pursuit.
http://www.policeone.com
/writers/columnists/Travis
Yates/articles/84097/
"Va. Beach Police Trace Victim's Cell Phone"
Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) (11/15/06) P. B-7
Virginia Beach, Va., police were able to find a murder victim's killer by using her cell phone. The phone's global-positioning feature directed police to a house in Norfolk. At the home, police discovered the phone, the victim's purse, and a hooded sweatshirt covered in blood. A woman in the house informed police that she had loaned her vehicle to Christopher Eugene Hagans, her boyfriend; authorities located the car, with blood on the door of the driver's side, sitting on a street a few miles away. Hagans was arrested and is being charged with first-degree murder and robbery. He could be charged with capital murder, punishable by execution, because the victim, Elisabeth Kelly Reilly, was shot and killed during a robbery at a shopping center in Virginia Beach.
http://www.timesdispatch.com
/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/R
TD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle
&cid=1149191699884
"Policing Terror"
Federal Computer Week (11/13/06) Vol. 20, No. 39, P. 21; Moore, John
A recent report from Rand, called "Unconquerable Nation: Knowing our Enemies, Strengthening Ourselves," emphasizes the important role local police can play in homeland security beyond serving as first responders. In the Los Angeles area, local and federal agencies have put together a Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC) based on a Memex intelligence management and analysis system to track leads and information from all over a seven-county region. Such a solution can be difficult to scale when organizations begin linking to additional information sources, but JRIC is working around this problem through in-house replication of databases of interest. A similar system has been launched by the Louisiana State Police for counterterrorism and crime investigation, called the Louisiana Fusion and Analytical Center and put together by Apogen Services and based on Microsoft .NET and an SQL Server database. The system brings in incident information from police who contact the center, enabling state police to review leads and assign them to investigators with the help of an automated workflow script. Another component of the Fusion Center enables analysts to search multiple data sources with a single search. Another region that has put together this sort of system is the Seattle region, where the Law Enforcement Information Exchange Northwest has put together a data warehouse full of information from local and state agencies, with Northrop Grumman as contractor. Putting such systems into place involves more than just deploying the IT: there are also cultural, policy, and human-resources issues that have to be overcome in order for the systems to be a success. http://www.fcw.com
/article96760-11-13-06-Print
"In-Car Computers"
Police (10/06) Vol. 30, No. 10, P. 34; Griffith, David
Computers have become so ubiquitous in patrol cars that some cars have more than one computer. A laptop that can be used in and outside of the patrol car remains the most popular patrol computer. These computers must be more rugged than typical laptops, due to the hard use they receive from officers and the constant vibrations produced by patrol cars. These types of computers, known as "ruggedized computers," have been tested for their durability, having been exposed to a variety of rough treatment, including drops, liquid spills, and shaking. Some of the leading manufacturers of these types of computers include Amrel, Data911, Datalux, Getac, Itronix, JLT Mobile Computers, Kontron, L3 Communications, and Panasonic. Popular computer models by these firms include Amrel's Rocky Unlimited and the Tracer from Datalux. The Toughbook from Panasonic is the most popular laptop used by law enforcement. http://www.policemag.com
"Post-9/11, a New Push for Information Sharing"
Baseline (10/06) No. 64, P. 67; Gage, Deborah
The mission of the Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC), which is sponsored by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, the FBI, the Homeland Security Department, and the state of California, is to set up networks and policies for sharing information across agencies in the seven-county Los Angeles area for the purposes of bolstering public safety and deterring terrorist attacks. The center is designed to link the various agencies with international law enforcement agencies and local firms that watchdog potential terrorist targets or critical components of local infrastructure. Analysts think the time is ripe for JRIC because of technological advancements such as Global Justice XML and service-oriented architecture. These standards form the basis of Memex, the Windows-based collaboration software that lies at the heart of the center. Memex compiles, manages, secures, and circulates information according to participant-established rules; it looks for both structured and unstructured data, and can visually sort, connect, or display data. JRIC project manager Mario Cruz says the project's success does not hinge on the software, but on whether or not participating agencies can resolve their differences over what type of information to share and the manner of sharing. At this point no agency can link electronically to any other agency because information sharing agreements are still lacking. An array of analytical tools (Google Earth, Microsoft SQL, and ESRI's ArcView GIS software among them) are employed to filter information. "The people who work [at JRIC] now are interested in analysis and cooperation," reports LAPD detective Stanley Salas. "They really want this."
http://www.baselinemag.com
/article2/0,1540,2021980,00.asp
Article sponsored by Navy Gifts and police officer turned law enforcement writer.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Convicted Cop Killer has Myspace Account
On death row for the murder of a Police Officer, he has a Myspace page where he, like millions of other people, talks about his daily life, his likes, dislikes, favorites, etc. In a recent new story, the mother of the slain officer was reported to have said, "To me, if (Myspace.com) had any sort of ethics whatsoever, they wouldn't want that sort of thing on their Web site,"
Find the hyperlink to the Myspace account, associated new stories, join the discussion and take a poll on the issue at:
http://www.criminaljustice-online.com/forum22/465.html
Find the hyperlink to the Myspace account, associated new stories, join the discussion and take a poll on the issue at:
http://www.criminaljustice-online.com/forum22/465.html
Friday, November 17, 2006
Keating: Katrina Lessons to Ensure Better U.S. Disaster Response
By Donna Miles
Nov. 17, 2006 – Lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina have been applied to ensure a faster, more efficient and coordinated U.S. emergency response, the commander of U.S. Northern Command said today. Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating pointed to a wide range of initiatives, all adopted after Hurricane Katrina, to improve the way military troops and assets are used during an emergency when called on by the president or secretary of defense. These include:
Thousands of active-duty troops are now on alert at any given time to respond to an emergency. These troops are organized into "force packages" sized according to "the magnitude of the potential catastrophe," Keating said.
New off-the-shelf communications capabilities ensure a steady communication flow even if local cell phone towers or the electrical grid are disabled or destroyed. "We literally put up a small, portable tower, fire up the generator and start handing out cell phones," Keating said. "That lets us get a first-hand assessment of the situation on the ground - a capability that wasn't in place last summer." Keating noted that while DoD has three of these systems, the Department of Homeland Security has about 12.
The national response plan, revised by DHS in coordination with DoD and other agencies, ensures a better emergency response. "It is a more effective more efficient, more timely way of providing our citizens the response capability they need," Keating said.
Full-time, active-duty military defense coordinating officers are now positioned in each Federal Emergency Management Agency region to coordinate with DHS and other emergency responders. By building relationships and an understanding of capabilities and requirements before they're needed, this ensures a faster, better coordinated response, Keating said.
NORTHCOM exercises its response capabilities "frequently and vigorously" and continually improves on its disaster planning and coordination. Keating noted an upcoming exercise, Vigilant Shield, which will test the U.S. response to a simulated nuclear accident.
As NORTHCOM fine-tunes its plans and procedures, Keating emphasized, the military's job isn't to run emergency response efforts, but rather to support civilian authorities when directed by the president or defense secretary.
"We will respond, as directed, with the capabilities that are in the DoD and the arrows that are in our quiver," he said. "We're not interested in taking charge. We're interested in saving lives and reducing human suffering."
That mission requires a deviation from the traditional military emphasis on command and control, he said. Now the big watchwords, he said, are "communication and collaboration."
"You have to be able to talk to each other," he said. "You have to be able to assess the situation and you have to collaborate - not just coordinate, but collaborate-on the capabilities we can provide, that the first responders can and can't provide, and that the National Guard under the auspices of their commander in chief, the governor, can provide."
This collaboration will ensure a better response and "avoid efficient overlap but at all costs, eliminate the seams," Keating said.
Articles sponsored by Police Officer Gifts and Police Officer turned law enforcement writers.
Nov. 17, 2006 – Lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina have been applied to ensure a faster, more efficient and coordinated U.S. emergency response, the commander of U.S. Northern Command said today. Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating pointed to a wide range of initiatives, all adopted after Hurricane Katrina, to improve the way military troops and assets are used during an emergency when called on by the president or secretary of defense. These include:
Thousands of active-duty troops are now on alert at any given time to respond to an emergency. These troops are organized into "force packages" sized according to "the magnitude of the potential catastrophe," Keating said.
New off-the-shelf communications capabilities ensure a steady communication flow even if local cell phone towers or the electrical grid are disabled or destroyed. "We literally put up a small, portable tower, fire up the generator and start handing out cell phones," Keating said. "That lets us get a first-hand assessment of the situation on the ground - a capability that wasn't in place last summer." Keating noted that while DoD has three of these systems, the Department of Homeland Security has about 12.
The national response plan, revised by DHS in coordination with DoD and other agencies, ensures a better emergency response. "It is a more effective more efficient, more timely way of providing our citizens the response capability they need," Keating said.
Full-time, active-duty military defense coordinating officers are now positioned in each Federal Emergency Management Agency region to coordinate with DHS and other emergency responders. By building relationships and an understanding of capabilities and requirements before they're needed, this ensures a faster, better coordinated response, Keating said.
NORTHCOM exercises its response capabilities "frequently and vigorously" and continually improves on its disaster planning and coordination. Keating noted an upcoming exercise, Vigilant Shield, which will test the U.S. response to a simulated nuclear accident.
As NORTHCOM fine-tunes its plans and procedures, Keating emphasized, the military's job isn't to run emergency response efforts, but rather to support civilian authorities when directed by the president or defense secretary.
"We will respond, as directed, with the capabilities that are in the DoD and the arrows that are in our quiver," he said. "We're not interested in taking charge. We're interested in saving lives and reducing human suffering."
That mission requires a deviation from the traditional military emphasis on command and control, he said. Now the big watchwords, he said, are "communication and collaboration."
"You have to be able to talk to each other," he said. "You have to be able to assess the situation and you have to collaborate - not just coordinate, but collaborate-on the capabilities we can provide, that the first responders can and can't provide, and that the National Guard under the auspices of their commander in chief, the governor, can provide."
This collaboration will ensure a better response and "avoid efficient overlap but at all costs, eliminate the seams," Keating said.
Articles sponsored by Police Officer Gifts and Police Officer turned law enforcement writers.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Missing World War II Airmen Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are 1st Lt. Robert H. Miller, of Providence, R.I.; 2nd Lt. Robert L. Hale, of Newtonville, Mass.;
Staff Sgt. Joseph A. Berube, of Fall River, Mass.; and,
Staff Sgt. Glendon E. Harris, of North Monmouth, Maine; all U.S. Army Air Forces. Miller, Hale and Berube were buried last month and Harris' burial is being set by his family.
On Oct. 24, 1943, a B-25D-1 Mitchell bomber crewed by these airmen departed Oro Bay Airfield in New Guinea on a bombing run of enemy targets in Rabaul. As the aircraft neared its target, it was attacked by Japanese fighter aircraft. Crewmen from other aircraft said they saw the B-25 crash near a plantation at Kabanga Point. There were no survivors.
In 1946 and 1947, Australian War Graves search teams recovered some of the crew's remains from the crash site. Identifications were not possible at the time and the remains were ultimately buried at the Manila American Military Cemetery in the Philippines.
From 1999-2000, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) led a joint U.S. and Papua New Guinea (P.N.G.) investigation and excavation of a WWII-era crash site in East New Britain Province. One joint team interviewed individuals having information on the crash, including an eyewitness who said he saw the B-25 crash near his village. Another individual found and buried human remains at the crash site in the mid 1990s. The team surveyed the site and found aircraft wreckage, human remains and personal effects. A second joint team excavated the site and recovered additional human remains and crew-related artifacts from the wreckage field.
In 2004, an anthropologist from JPAC's Central Identification Laboratory (CIL) exhumed the graves at the Manila American Military Cemetery where he recovered the remains buried there in the 1940s.
Among dental records, other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
They are 1st Lt. Robert H. Miller, of Providence, R.I.; 2nd Lt. Robert L. Hale, of Newtonville, Mass.;
Staff Sgt. Joseph A. Berube, of Fall River, Mass.; and,
Staff Sgt. Glendon E. Harris, of North Monmouth, Maine; all U.S. Army Air Forces. Miller, Hale and Berube were buried last month and Harris' burial is being set by his family.
On Oct. 24, 1943, a B-25D-1 Mitchell bomber crewed by these airmen departed Oro Bay Airfield in New Guinea on a bombing run of enemy targets in Rabaul. As the aircraft neared its target, it was attacked by Japanese fighter aircraft. Crewmen from other aircraft said they saw the B-25 crash near a plantation at Kabanga Point. There were no survivors.
In 1946 and 1947, Australian War Graves search teams recovered some of the crew's remains from the crash site. Identifications were not possible at the time and the remains were ultimately buried at the Manila American Military Cemetery in the Philippines.
From 1999-2000, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) led a joint U.S. and Papua New Guinea (P.N.G.) investigation and excavation of a WWII-era crash site in East New Britain Province. One joint team interviewed individuals having information on the crash, including an eyewitness who said he saw the B-25 crash near his village. Another individual found and buried human remains at the crash site in the mid 1990s. The team surveyed the site and found aircraft wreckage, human remains and personal effects. A second joint team excavated the site and recovered additional human remains and crew-related artifacts from the wreckage field.
In 2004, an anthropologist from JPAC's Central Identification Laboratory (CIL) exhumed the graves at the Manila American Military Cemetery where he recovered the remains buried there in the 1940s.
Among dental records, other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Kojak, Lone Ranger and Tonto, and other love stories
Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors added Albert Seedman, John Sepe, Robert Wheeler, Joseph Turner and Anthony Schiano.
Albert Seedman, the once NYPD Chief of Detectives, recounts his career and the cases with which he was involved in his book “chief.” According to “Jump the Shark” Kojak was based on Albert Seedman, “an NYPD detective who was known for wearing huge gold cufflinks, etc., as well as being quite brilliant at solving crimes.” The book cover of “Chief” shows Seedman, an Edward G. Robinson doppelganger, chomping on his trademark cigar.
“Cop Team” by John Sepe, of the New York City Housing Police, is billed as “the blockbusting true story of New York’s famed “Lone Ranger and Tonto” undercover cop team. The New York Housing Bureau was responsible for providing the security and delivery of police services to about 420,000 people using public housing throughout New York City. They were stationed in Police Service Areas (PSA), which are almost identical to police precincts, with nine PSAs in total located throughout the five boroughs. Police officers often did vertical patrols, making sure illegal activity does not take place in the halls, stairways, or the roof. The housing police was merged with the New York Police Department, like the New York City Transit Police, in 1995. Today, some police officers are randomly assigned to housing units.
Readers might be surprised to find that a retired motorcycle police officer writes romance novels. Robert Wheeler, a retired Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer, has published two novels, "Love Forever Lost" and "Beyond Yesterday." Wheeler, a Southern California native who grew up during Hollywood’s heyday of the 1940s and 1950s, retired from the LAPD in 1980. Post retirement he worked in the film industry. In 1994, he pursued his goal of becoming a writer and subsequently published his first novel – “Love Forever Lost.” In addition to being listed on Police Writers, Wheeler is also listed on LAPD Authors.
Joseph Turner is a retired NYPD police officer who has authored three books: “Memorandum Pad U.F. 16,” “Partners” and “New York City Medley.” In his book, “Memorandum” it is explained that certain members of the New York Police Department are required to maintain a record of all duty performed on a Department Form called the “U.F. 16 - Memorandum Pad.” His book is a collection of stories told by five NYPD officers who joined NYPD in 1954. Using their pads, these five old-timers share funny, poignant and frightening stories from their careers.
New York Police Department police officer Anthony Schiano was also added to the website with his book, “Solo: Self-portrait of an undercover cop.”
Police-Writers.com hosts 217 state and local police officers and their 578 books in six categories. Also, Police-Writers.com features listings of federal and international law enforcement writers.
Albert Seedman, the once NYPD Chief of Detectives, recounts his career and the cases with which he was involved in his book “chief.” According to “Jump the Shark” Kojak was based on Albert Seedman, “an NYPD detective who was known for wearing huge gold cufflinks, etc., as well as being quite brilliant at solving crimes.” The book cover of “Chief” shows Seedman, an Edward G. Robinson doppelganger, chomping on his trademark cigar.
“Cop Team” by John Sepe, of the New York City Housing Police, is billed as “the blockbusting true story of New York’s famed “Lone Ranger and Tonto” undercover cop team. The New York Housing Bureau was responsible for providing the security and delivery of police services to about 420,000 people using public housing throughout New York City. They were stationed in Police Service Areas (PSA), which are almost identical to police precincts, with nine PSAs in total located throughout the five boroughs. Police officers often did vertical patrols, making sure illegal activity does not take place in the halls, stairways, or the roof. The housing police was merged with the New York Police Department, like the New York City Transit Police, in 1995. Today, some police officers are randomly assigned to housing units.
Readers might be surprised to find that a retired motorcycle police officer writes romance novels. Robert Wheeler, a retired Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer, has published two novels, "Love Forever Lost" and "Beyond Yesterday." Wheeler, a Southern California native who grew up during Hollywood’s heyday of the 1940s and 1950s, retired from the LAPD in 1980. Post retirement he worked in the film industry. In 1994, he pursued his goal of becoming a writer and subsequently published his first novel – “Love Forever Lost.” In addition to being listed on Police Writers, Wheeler is also listed on LAPD Authors.
Joseph Turner is a retired NYPD police officer who has authored three books: “Memorandum Pad U.F. 16,” “Partners” and “New York City Medley.” In his book, “Memorandum” it is explained that certain members of the New York Police Department are required to maintain a record of all duty performed on a Department Form called the “U.F. 16 - Memorandum Pad.” His book is a collection of stories told by five NYPD officers who joined NYPD in 1954. Using their pads, these five old-timers share funny, poignant and frightening stories from their careers.
New York Police Department police officer Anthony Schiano was also added to the website with his book, “Solo: Self-portrait of an undercover cop.”
Police-Writers.com hosts 217 state and local police officers and their 578 books in six categories. Also, Police-Writers.com features listings of federal and international law enforcement writers.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Police Procedurals
Meet other writers of police procedurals, crime fiction, true crime, detective fiction and thrillers.The group leader, Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA is a veteran of 24 years of law enforcement service with the Los Angeles Police Department. In addition to being the author Police Technology and Leadership: Texas Hold em Style, Raymond is a university professor and accomplished entrepreneur.
The purpose of the meeting is to network with other authors who are writing law enforcement related material. It is an excellent opportunity to explore new ideas, further plot development and gain first hand knowledge of police procedure from other law enforcement practitioners and writers.
When: Monday, Nov 13, 2006, 10:00 AM
Where: Coffee Bazaar661 W Arrow Hwy San Dimas, CA 91773
Visit the Homepage atPolice Procedurals
Sponsored by:Police Writers
The purpose of the meeting is to network with other authors who are writing law enforcement related material. It is an excellent opportunity to explore new ideas, further plot development and gain first hand knowledge of police procedure from other law enforcement practitioners and writers.
When: Monday, Nov 13, 2006, 10:00 AM
Where: Coffee Bazaar661 W Arrow Hwy San Dimas, CA 91773
Visit the Homepage atPolice Procedurals
Sponsored by:Police Writers
Friday, October 27, 2006
Asymmetrical Marketing
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA and Chris Tinney are co-authoring “Asymmetrical Marketing: Globalizing Small Business.” This book on marketing and promotion for small business owners directly applies to authors. Now that you are writing, how do you get read? In essence, asymmetrical marketing is akin to asymmetric warfare. That is, when "two belligerents are mismatched in their military capabilities or methods of engagement such that the militarily disadvantaged power must press its special advantages or effectively exploit its enemy's particular weaknesses if they are to have any hope of prevailing." Like small business owners, most authors are disadvantaged in the global arena. However, many of our disadvantages can be turned to against the larger corporate world. Today, no matter how small your enterprise you can compete and win globally; and Raymond and Chris can show you how. Sign up for our newsletter to learn how to compete: Click Here.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
200 State and Local Police Officers
Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors, exceeded 200 state and local police officers who have become authors. Added to the website are: Jack Maple, William McCarthy, Thomas McKenna, Robert McLaughlin, Phil Foran and Vincent Murano.
Jack Maple worked his way up the ranks from a transit police officer in the New York City Transit Police to an undercover detective patrolling Times Square and the 42nd Street train station at 8th Avenue, and finally becoming a deputy police commissioner of the New York Police Department in Mayor Guiliani's administration. His book, “The Crime Fighter : Putting the Bad Guys Out of Business,” chronicles his rise from cop on the beat to Deputy Police Commissioner. It is said that this book inspired the television series “The District.”
William McCarthy's spent 20 years in the New York Police Department. He rose through the ranks to ultimately become the Commanding Officer of the Public Morals (Vice) Division and; and, later the commanding officer of the Bomb Squad. His autobiography “Vice Cop: My Twenty Year Battle with New York's Dark Side,” centers on his years as an uncover vice sergeant. His book provides interesting and detailed descriptions of police work, under cover operations and crime.
Thomas McKenna, a 30 veteran of NYPD, in his book “Manhattan North Homicide: Detective First Grade Thomas McKenna NYPD,” tells about the crimes he helped solve while a homicide detective. Several of the cases are familiar, high-profile cases such as “the Central Park jogger,” the preppie murder,” and “Baby Maldonado.”
In the early 1960s Robert McLaughlin and Phil Foran, both NYPD police officers, wrote at least one book together: “Nothing to Report.” According to one book seller in possession of a copy, they are billed as “police captains.” Robert McLaughlin wrote at least on second book: “Pending Investigation.” There is some information to suggest that Phil Foran worked the 114th Precinct in Queens during the 1950s.
Vincent Murano’s first book describes his tour in the New York Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division. He tells the story of not only finding corrupt police officers taking bribes, but of police officers committing other crimes like robbery, drug dealing and even murder. According to Vincent Murano’s book, the NYPD was more interested in protecting its image than convicting the police officers of crimes. He followed up this semi-autobiographical work with two fictional novels – “The Dead File” and “The Thursday Club.”
Police-Writers.com hosts 204 state and local police officers and their 556 books in six categories. Also, Police-Writers.com features listings of federal and international law enforcement writers.
Jack Maple worked his way up the ranks from a transit police officer in the New York City Transit Police to an undercover detective patrolling Times Square and the 42nd Street train station at 8th Avenue, and finally becoming a deputy police commissioner of the New York Police Department in Mayor Guiliani's administration. His book, “The Crime Fighter : Putting the Bad Guys Out of Business,” chronicles his rise from cop on the beat to Deputy Police Commissioner. It is said that this book inspired the television series “The District.”
William McCarthy's spent 20 years in the New York Police Department. He rose through the ranks to ultimately become the Commanding Officer of the Public Morals (Vice) Division and; and, later the commanding officer of the Bomb Squad. His autobiography “Vice Cop: My Twenty Year Battle with New York's Dark Side,” centers on his years as an uncover vice sergeant. His book provides interesting and detailed descriptions of police work, under cover operations and crime.
Thomas McKenna, a 30 veteran of NYPD, in his book “Manhattan North Homicide: Detective First Grade Thomas McKenna NYPD,” tells about the crimes he helped solve while a homicide detective. Several of the cases are familiar, high-profile cases such as “the Central Park jogger,” the preppie murder,” and “Baby Maldonado.”
In the early 1960s Robert McLaughlin and Phil Foran, both NYPD police officers, wrote at least one book together: “Nothing to Report.” According to one book seller in possession of a copy, they are billed as “police captains.” Robert McLaughlin wrote at least on second book: “Pending Investigation.” There is some information to suggest that Phil Foran worked the 114th Precinct in Queens during the 1950s.
Vincent Murano’s first book describes his tour in the New York Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division. He tells the story of not only finding corrupt police officers taking bribes, but of police officers committing other crimes like robbery, drug dealing and even murder. According to Vincent Murano’s book, the NYPD was more interested in protecting its image than convicting the police officers of crimes. He followed up this semi-autobiographical work with two fictional novels – “The Dead File” and “The Thursday Club.”
Police-Writers.com hosts 204 state and local police officers and their 556 books in six categories. Also, Police-Writers.com features listings of federal and international law enforcement writers.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Police author writes Christian fiction, Science Fiction and Historical Novels
October 18, 2006 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors, has added James Bryon Huggins a veteran police officer and police writer with nine novels.
James Huggins' life story reads more like fiction than fact. His career as a writer began normally enough. He received a bachelor's degree in journalism and English from Troy State University, and then worked as a reporter for the Hartselle Enquirer in Hartselle, Alabama. Huggins won seven awards while with the newspaper before leaving journalism in 1985. With a desire to help persecuted Christians in eastern Europe, Huggins moved to Texas to work in conjunction with members of the Christian underground in that region. From the Texas base, Huggins helped set up a system used to smuggle information in and out of Iron Curtain countries. In 1987, Huggins was finally able to leave the United States to offer hands-on assistance in Romania. As a jack of all trades, Huggins photographed a secret police installation, took photos of people active in the Christian underground, and also continued his work, orchestrating smuggling routes.
Huggins was instrumental in smuggling out film and documentation that showed the plight of Christians in Romania. He even found time to create a code that allowed communication with the United States. As in Texas, Huggins' life had few creature comforts. To survive, he would often remain hidden in the woods or in secure basements for days at a time. After his time in Romania, Huggins returned to the United States and took up journalism once more. He again worked for a small newspaper and won several awards as a reporter. Later on, he worked at a nonprofit Christian magazine before becoming a patrolman with the Huntsville Police Department in Huntsville, Alabama.
After distinguished service as a decorated field police officer, Huggins left the police department to pursue writing novels. His first three novels--A Wolf Story, The Reckoning, and Leviathan--achieved best-seller status in the Christian marketplace. From there, Huggins broke into mainstream science fiction with Cain and Hunter, both of which brought him more than $1 million for optioning the film rights. Huggins then released Rora, a historical novel depicting the harrowing life of a European martyr. Huggins currently lives in Kentucky.
Police-Writers.com now lists 186 police officers and their 508 books in six categories.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Hell’s Kitchen, Submarines and Stolen Dope
Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors, added five NYPD authors Peter Keenan, William Jacobsen, Gerald Kelly, Adolph Hart and Donald Herlihy
Peter Keenan was born in Hell’s Kitchen during the Roaring Twenties. Shortly after his 20th birthday in 1942, he enlisted in the United States Navy. During World War II he served as a radio operator on a submarine in the South Pacific and South China seas. In 1946, following his discharge from the Navy, he joined the New York Police Department. He spent twenty years as a uniformed police officer in the patrol branch.
In 1967, after retiring from the police department he became a Revenue Officer and later a Special Agent, Criminal Investigator with the United States Treasury Department. From 1981 until his retirement from Federal civil service in 1989 he was assigned as the Internal Revenue Service’s Intelligence Representative to the United States National Central Bureau of INTERPOL located in Washington, D.C. Over 135 countries were affiliated with this famous criminal investigative agency during that period. His assignment entailed occasional foreign travel to the international headquarters of INTERPOL at St. Cloud, located outside of Paris, France, and various countries in South America and the Caribbean. Constables on Patrol is Peter Keenan’s first book.
William Jacobsen, the author of “Viper,” “Business as Usual” and “For Hire,” was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. When he joined the New York Police Department he was first assigned to the 25th Precinct in upper Manhattan. Later, he was transferred to the Tactical Patrol Force and then the Brooklyn North Youth Squad. He also worked the 67th Detective Squad in Flatbush, Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Burglary-Larceny Squad, and the Brooklyn Burglary Squad. William Jacobsen retired out of the Brooklyn Burglary Squad and now lives in Florida.
Gerald Kelly is a retired NYPD detective. During his career he worked both narcotics and the Special Investigating Unit. Gerald Kelly's “Honor for Sale,” is a somewhat fictionalized account of the theft of 500 pounds of narcotics from the New York Police Department’s seized evidence. The theft included 112 pounds of heroin that had been seized in conjunction with the French Connection case.
In “Memoirs of a Spy,” Adolph Hart tells the story of how he was recruited by NYPD to infiltrate early Civil Rights movement and Communist party provocateurs during the troublesome years of the 1960s.
From escaping death during the Korean War, to the practical jokes played by the “Brothers in Blue,” Donald Herlihy’s autobiography is a true testament to how the brothers of the NYPD lived their lives day by day while on the police department and how they became lifelong friends on and off the job.
Police-Writers.com hosts 182 police officers and their 486 books in six categories.
Peter Keenan was born in Hell’s Kitchen during the Roaring Twenties. Shortly after his 20th birthday in 1942, he enlisted in the United States Navy. During World War II he served as a radio operator on a submarine in the South Pacific and South China seas. In 1946, following his discharge from the Navy, he joined the New York Police Department. He spent twenty years as a uniformed police officer in the patrol branch.
In 1967, after retiring from the police department he became a Revenue Officer and later a Special Agent, Criminal Investigator with the United States Treasury Department. From 1981 until his retirement from Federal civil service in 1989 he was assigned as the Internal Revenue Service’s Intelligence Representative to the United States National Central Bureau of INTERPOL located in Washington, D.C. Over 135 countries were affiliated with this famous criminal investigative agency during that period. His assignment entailed occasional foreign travel to the international headquarters of INTERPOL at St. Cloud, located outside of Paris, France, and various countries in South America and the Caribbean. Constables on Patrol is Peter Keenan’s first book.
William Jacobsen, the author of “Viper,” “Business as Usual” and “For Hire,” was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. When he joined the New York Police Department he was first assigned to the 25th Precinct in upper Manhattan. Later, he was transferred to the Tactical Patrol Force and then the Brooklyn North Youth Squad. He also worked the 67th Detective Squad in Flatbush, Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Burglary-Larceny Squad, and the Brooklyn Burglary Squad. William Jacobsen retired out of the Brooklyn Burglary Squad and now lives in Florida.
Gerald Kelly is a retired NYPD detective. During his career he worked both narcotics and the Special Investigating Unit. Gerald Kelly's “Honor for Sale,” is a somewhat fictionalized account of the theft of 500 pounds of narcotics from the New York Police Department’s seized evidence. The theft included 112 pounds of heroin that had been seized in conjunction with the French Connection case.
In “Memoirs of a Spy,” Adolph Hart tells the story of how he was recruited by NYPD to infiltrate early Civil Rights movement and Communist party provocateurs during the troublesome years of the 1960s.
From escaping death during the Korean War, to the practical jokes played by the “Brothers in Blue,” Donald Herlihy’s autobiography is a true testament to how the brothers of the NYPD lived their lives day by day while on the police department and how they became lifelong friends on and off the job.
Police-Writers.com hosts 182 police officers and their 486 books in six categories.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
High Technology Crime Training Conference
High Technology Crime Investigator's Association (HTCIA) Training Conference
The 2006 High Technology Crime Investigator's Association (HTCIA) Training Conference and Expo, is being held in Cleveland, Ohio, October 30, 2006 through November 1, 2006.
This year's event is our 20th anniversary of being a non-profit professional organization devoted to the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of high tech crime. We have over 3,000 members through out the world. Attendees are registering from the entire world for this important training event.
Information concerning registering and attending this event can be found here:
http://ohiohtcia.org/conf_main.html
Detailed Information:
Keynote/Lunch Speakers from MySpace, U.S. Dept of Justice, and the Brazilian Forensic Computer Crime Unit. We have five rooms devoted to breakout sessions and seven rooms devoted to hands on computer labs.
Here is just a sample of the topics and classes:
Artifacts of Deletion Utilities
Cell Phone Forensics
Network Crime and Network Intrusions
Internet Browser Forensics
Linux/SMART Enterprise forensics
ProDiscover Basic Freeware Lab
Access Data FTK 2.0 Technology
Investigation the Usenet Tips and Tricks Mac Forensics
Google as an Investigative tool
Forensics on "Live" Running Networks and Systems Wireless hacking and Cell Phone Forensics
Inside Illegal World of the WAREZ
Tool Shootout for Cell Phone Forensics
AOL Forensics
Detecting and Collecting Whole Disk Encryption Media
Access Protected Registry Forensics
Ultimate Boot Disk CD for Windows
Investigating Wireless Devices
Steganography Investigations
The Handheld - The next hacker workstation Tripping over Borders in Cyberspace - Legal Issues Introduction to Malicious Software Analysis (Windows)
AccessData Rainbow Tables
Guide For Handling Cyber-Terrorism And Information Warfare Advanced Unicode and Code Page Keyword Searching Moble IP, Secure Portable Metro Networks Digital Crime Scene Forensics Cyber laundering Informal Value Transfer systems
Electronic operations traceability. A challenge for IT Managers
Dissecting The Stream, IP forensics
Cell/Mobile Phones: The Good, the Bad, the GSM
Volatile Data collection from Running Windows Machines
Bypassing the Best Laid Plans: How They Steal Proprietary Information
Fuzzy Hashing- Matching similar documents Proactive Forensics: The Data Before it Goes Bad Advanced Unicode and Code Page Keyword Searching Instant message Forensics Detecting and Extracting Steganography Using Back Track to Compromise a Network CyberCrime in Brazil Anti-forensics Using Google Desktop in forensic Investigation Handheld Forensics: Cell Phones, PDAs, and Hybrids
Google Hello, Access Data Password Cracking
The turtle tool - Peer-to Peer Investigations Maresware Tools Legal Discovery and Redaction Issues
Benefits and Risks of Undercover Internet Investig
Moving from LE into the private sector
Legal Issues in Civil Trials
Network forensics in the digital world
Benefits and Risks of Undercover Internet Investigations Proactive Online Investigation Artifacts of Deletion Utilities Malicious software & Steganography Investigations TCP/IP Protocol Analysis
Hacking with iPods and Forensic Analyst
Victims of Internet Crimes
Dissecting The Stream, IP forensics
Art Bowker
HTCIA International Secretary
Conference Chairperson
Notification sponsored by: Raymond E. Foster, the author of Police Technology and Hi Tech Criminal Justice Online
The 2006 High Technology Crime Investigator's Association (HTCIA) Training Conference and Expo, is being held in Cleveland, Ohio, October 30, 2006 through November 1, 2006.
This year's event is our 20th anniversary of being a non-profit professional organization devoted to the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of high tech crime. We have over 3,000 members through out the world. Attendees are registering from the entire world for this important training event.
Information concerning registering and attending this event can be found here:
http://ohiohtcia.org/conf_main.html
Detailed Information:
Keynote/Lunch Speakers from MySpace, U.S. Dept of Justice, and the Brazilian Forensic Computer Crime Unit. We have five rooms devoted to breakout sessions and seven rooms devoted to hands on computer labs.
Here is just a sample of the topics and classes:
Artifacts of Deletion Utilities
Cell Phone Forensics
Network Crime and Network Intrusions
Internet Browser Forensics
Linux/SMART Enterprise forensics
ProDiscover Basic Freeware Lab
Access Data FTK 2.0 Technology
Investigation the Usenet Tips and Tricks Mac Forensics
Google as an Investigative tool
Forensics on "Live" Running Networks and Systems Wireless hacking and Cell Phone Forensics
Inside Illegal World of the WAREZ
Tool Shootout for Cell Phone Forensics
AOL Forensics
Detecting and Collecting Whole Disk Encryption Media
Access Protected Registry Forensics
Ultimate Boot Disk CD for Windows
Investigating Wireless Devices
Steganography Investigations
The Handheld - The next hacker workstation Tripping over Borders in Cyberspace - Legal Issues Introduction to Malicious Software Analysis (Windows)
AccessData Rainbow Tables
Guide For Handling Cyber-Terrorism And Information Warfare Advanced Unicode and Code Page Keyword Searching Moble IP, Secure Portable Metro Networks Digital Crime Scene Forensics Cyber laundering Informal Value Transfer systems
Electronic operations traceability. A challenge for IT Managers
Dissecting The Stream, IP forensics
Cell/Mobile Phones: The Good, the Bad, the GSM
Volatile Data collection from Running Windows Machines
Bypassing the Best Laid Plans: How They Steal Proprietary Information
Fuzzy Hashing- Matching similar documents Proactive Forensics: The Data Before it Goes Bad Advanced Unicode and Code Page Keyword Searching Instant message Forensics Detecting and Extracting Steganography Using Back Track to Compromise a Network CyberCrime in Brazil Anti-forensics Using Google Desktop in forensic Investigation Handheld Forensics: Cell Phones, PDAs, and Hybrids
Google Hello, Access Data Password Cracking
The turtle tool - Peer-to Peer Investigations Maresware Tools Legal Discovery and Redaction Issues
Benefits and Risks of Undercover Internet Investig
Moving from LE into the private sector
Legal Issues in Civil Trials
Network forensics in the digital world
Benefits and Risks of Undercover Internet Investigations Proactive Online Investigation Artifacts of Deletion Utilities Malicious software & Steganography Investigations TCP/IP Protocol Analysis
Hacking with iPods and Forensic Analyst
Victims of Internet Crimes
Dissecting The Stream, IP forensics
Art Bowker
HTCIA International Secretary
Conference Chairperson
Notification sponsored by: Raymond E. Foster, the author of Police Technology and Hi Tech Criminal Justice Online
Friday, October 13, 2006
Serial Killers, Psychology and the State Police
October 13, 2006 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors, added two new police authors, Ronald Turco and Wayne Beyea.
Ron Turco is a police officer, forensic scientist and psychiatrist. He is also the author of two books on the psychology of creativity, one dealing with artists, the other on serial killers.
His book, Closely Watched Shadows, is a true crime murder mystery and a personal account of what it took to develop the psychological profile that helped convict Westley Allan Dodd of the murders of three young boys from Washington State. This book penetrates the mind of a pedophile and reveals the harrowing revulsion that drives the hunter, a sensitive man, to examine the dark corners of his soul. It describes Ron’s personal struggle to re-establish his sense of goodness and innocence.
Ron’s second book, The Architecture of Creativity–-Profiles Behind The Mask, uses the same methods of psychoanalysis to define the personalities of eight famous artists based on their artwork.
Ron is in private practice in clinical psychiatry and psychoanalysis in Portland, and is a member of the Beaverton Police Department.
Wayne Beyea retired after a 25-year career in the New York State Police as Trooper, Investigator and Senior Investigator. He supervised a very busy detective unit located in the Hudson Valley for and was specially trained in hostage negotiation and suicide intervention. He supervised design of New York State Police hostage negotiation training program and "First Officer Response to High Crisis Incident program." In retirement he is a freelance writer and author of three books.
Two of his books, “Reflections from the Shield” and “Reflections from the Shield: The Final Years” depict t Wayne Beyea’s career as a member of the New York State Police; providing an exciting expose of true criminal cases and a glimpse of New York State Police history.
His third book, a novel entitled “Fatal Impeachment” tells the story of a tenacious and young State Police Investigator who develops circumstantial evidence identifying a suspect in a rape/murder case. Incredibly, that suspect is the President of the United States. The murder was committed while he was a student in college and went unsolved for 25 years.
Police-Writers.com hosts 155 police officers and their 439 books in six categories.
Ron Turco is a police officer, forensic scientist and psychiatrist. He is also the author of two books on the psychology of creativity, one dealing with artists, the other on serial killers.
His book, Closely Watched Shadows, is a true crime murder mystery and a personal account of what it took to develop the psychological profile that helped convict Westley Allan Dodd of the murders of three young boys from Washington State. This book penetrates the mind of a pedophile and reveals the harrowing revulsion that drives the hunter, a sensitive man, to examine the dark corners of his soul. It describes Ron’s personal struggle to re-establish his sense of goodness and innocence.
Ron’s second book, The Architecture of Creativity–-Profiles Behind The Mask, uses the same methods of psychoanalysis to define the personalities of eight famous artists based on their artwork.
Ron is in private practice in clinical psychiatry and psychoanalysis in Portland, and is a member of the Beaverton Police Department.
Wayne Beyea retired after a 25-year career in the New York State Police as Trooper, Investigator and Senior Investigator. He supervised a very busy detective unit located in the Hudson Valley for and was specially trained in hostage negotiation and suicide intervention. He supervised design of New York State Police hostage negotiation training program and "First Officer Response to High Crisis Incident program." In retirement he is a freelance writer and author of three books.
Two of his books, “Reflections from the Shield” and “Reflections from the Shield: The Final Years” depict t Wayne Beyea’s career as a member of the New York State Police; providing an exciting expose of true criminal cases and a glimpse of New York State Police history.
His third book, a novel entitled “Fatal Impeachment” tells the story of a tenacious and young State Police Investigator who develops circumstantial evidence identifying a suspect in a rape/murder case. Incredibly, that suspect is the President of the United States. The murder was committed while he was a student in college and went unsolved for 25 years.
Police-Writers.com hosts 155 police officers and their 439 books in six categories.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Memorial Dedication to Launch AF's 60th Anniversary Observance
WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2006 – The nation's youngest military service will kick off its 60th anniversary observance this weekend with the official dedication of the U.S. Air Force Memorial here. The memorial, composed of three bold and graceful spires soaring skyward to a height of 270 feet, will be dedicated and given to the nation by the Air Force Memorial Foundation at an official ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 14 on a three-acre promontory next to Arlington National Cemetery and a short walk from the Pentagon.
Officials said the memorial honors the millions of men and women who have served in the Air Force and its predecessor organizations, including the U.S. Signal Corps, the Army Air Corps and the Army Air Forces. It pays tribute to the dedication, sacrifice and contributions of those who pioneered the skies, those who shape the air, space and cyberspace victories of today, and those who will continue to do so in the future, officials added.
The memorial hosts a paved "Runway to Glory" at the site entrance, a larger-than-life bronze Honor Guard statue, two granite inscription walls located at either end of a central lawn, and a glass contemplation wall that reflects the missing-man formation, the final tribute given to fallen airmen. The memorial's surrounding spaces will be landscaped to create a memorial park and parade ground overlooking the nation's capital.
The dedication ceremony will include an aerial review consisting of aircraft from the 1930s through modern day, from the B-17 and B-24 of World War II fame to the B-2 Spirit and C-17 Globemaster III of the global war on terror, as well as a five-ship "Heritage Flight" featuring the P-51 Mustang, the F-86 Sabre, the F-4 Phantom, the F-15C Eagle and the F-22A Raptor. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will also perform a flyover and "bomb-burst" maneuver reflecting the design of the memorial's three spires.
Due to space limitations at the Memorial site, overflow seating will be available in Pentagon South Parking with live simulcast of the dedication.
The Air Force also will host an open house in Pentagon South Parking from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 14. In addition to the live simulcast of the dedication from 1:30 to 3 p.m., the open house will feature performances by the U.S. Air Force Drill Team and the U.S. Air Force Band's high-energy "Max Impact" ensemble, a "Heritage Parade of Uniforms," a concert by country singer Lee Ann Womack and a wide variety of interactive displays and exhibits showcasing America's airmen, Air Force equipment, technology and aircraft.
Static aircraft displays will include the Predator and Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles; UH-1, HH-60, MH-53 helicopters; the CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft; and an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter display model.
The weekend will conclude with a memorial service Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at the memorial site. Officials will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony punctuated by a missing-man formation flown by F-16s. Again, due to space limitations at the site, overflow seating will be available in Pentagon South Parking with live simulcast of the service.
Immediately following both the official dedication ceremony Oct. 14 and the memorial service Oct. 15, shuttles will transport the public from Pentagon South Parking to the Memorial site to view the Memorial.
The weekend's events are easily accessible from the Pentagon Metro station, and the public is highly encouraged to use the Metro as there will be numerous road closures in the area and parking will be extremely limited, officials said.
The Memorial will be closed to the public Oct. 16 while the grounds are restored following the weekend's activities
Officials said the memorial honors the millions of men and women who have served in the Air Force and its predecessor organizations, including the U.S. Signal Corps, the Army Air Corps and the Army Air Forces. It pays tribute to the dedication, sacrifice and contributions of those who pioneered the skies, those who shape the air, space and cyberspace victories of today, and those who will continue to do so in the future, officials added.
The memorial hosts a paved "Runway to Glory" at the site entrance, a larger-than-life bronze Honor Guard statue, two granite inscription walls located at either end of a central lawn, and a glass contemplation wall that reflects the missing-man formation, the final tribute given to fallen airmen. The memorial's surrounding spaces will be landscaped to create a memorial park and parade ground overlooking the nation's capital.
The dedication ceremony will include an aerial review consisting of aircraft from the 1930s through modern day, from the B-17 and B-24 of World War II fame to the B-2 Spirit and C-17 Globemaster III of the global war on terror, as well as a five-ship "Heritage Flight" featuring the P-51 Mustang, the F-86 Sabre, the F-4 Phantom, the F-15C Eagle and the F-22A Raptor. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will also perform a flyover and "bomb-burst" maneuver reflecting the design of the memorial's three spires.
Due to space limitations at the Memorial site, overflow seating will be available in Pentagon South Parking with live simulcast of the dedication.
The Air Force also will host an open house in Pentagon South Parking from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 14. In addition to the live simulcast of the dedication from 1:30 to 3 p.m., the open house will feature performances by the U.S. Air Force Drill Team and the U.S. Air Force Band's high-energy "Max Impact" ensemble, a "Heritage Parade of Uniforms," a concert by country singer Lee Ann Womack and a wide variety of interactive displays and exhibits showcasing America's airmen, Air Force equipment, technology and aircraft.
Static aircraft displays will include the Predator and Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles; UH-1, HH-60, MH-53 helicopters; the CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft; and an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter display model.
The weekend will conclude with a memorial service Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at the memorial site. Officials will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony punctuated by a missing-man formation flown by F-16s. Again, due to space limitations at the site, overflow seating will be available in Pentagon South Parking with live simulcast of the service.
Immediately following both the official dedication ceremony Oct. 14 and the memorial service Oct. 15, shuttles will transport the public from Pentagon South Parking to the Memorial site to view the Memorial.
The weekend's events are easily accessible from the Pentagon Metro station, and the public is highly encouraged to use the Metro as there will be numerous road closures in the area and parking will be extremely limited, officials said.
The Memorial will be closed to the public Oct. 16 while the grounds are restored following the weekend's activities
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Police-writes.com adds new listing in “Police Officer Websites.”
POLICEARTICLES.COM
Former Chief of Police Richard B. Weinblatt, M.P.A., Ed.S., is a certified police instructor and established criminal justice writer. Currently, he is a professor and program manager for the Criminal Justice Institute at Seminole Community College (Sanford, Florida) where he oversees the police academy. His practical experience as a law enforcement officer in several regions throughout the country combined with his academic accomplishments make his writings popular and insightful. Weinblatt is considered a police media expert on the following topics: Doppler Radar, Speed Enforcement, and Speed Traps; Drunk Driving and DUI Enforcement; Firearms; Impact Weapons Expandable Baton, OC Pepper Spray, and TASER; Police Community Relations; Police Hiring, Recruitment, and Retention; Police Leadership and Police Management; Police Media Relations; Police Stress, Police Suicides and Police Domestic Violence; Racial Profiling; Use of Force; and, Vehicle Pursuits and Police Chases.
Former Chief of Police Richard B. Weinblatt, M.P.A., Ed.S., is a certified police instructor and established criminal justice writer. Currently, he is a professor and program manager for the Criminal Justice Institute at Seminole Community College (Sanford, Florida) where he oversees the police academy. His practical experience as a law enforcement officer in several regions throughout the country combined with his academic accomplishments make his writings popular and insightful. Weinblatt is considered a police media expert on the following topics: Doppler Radar, Speed Enforcement, and Speed Traps; Drunk Driving and DUI Enforcement; Firearms; Impact Weapons Expandable Baton, OC Pepper Spray, and TASER; Police Community Relations; Police Hiring, Recruitment, and Retention; Police Leadership and Police Management; Police Media Relations; Police Stress, Police Suicides and Police Domestic Violence; Racial Profiling; Use of Force; and, Vehicle Pursuits and Police Chases.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Police-writers.com adds “Aftermath: Unseen 9/11 Photos by a New York City Cop.”
October 8, 2006 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors added John Botte, a retired New York City Police detective.
John Botte retired in 2003 from the NYPD, reaching a rank of detective second grade. He is considered a world-class photographer and is a sought-after adviser in the film and television industry. On the fifth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, John Botte unveiled his powerful, penetrating portraits of America’s unforgettable tragedy. Asked by the police commissioner to document the aftermath, Botte spent countless hours at Ground Zero in the moments, days, and weeks following the attacks, and was given privileged access to the behind-the-scenes rescue and recovery efforts of 9/11.
Aftermath is a work of deep personal resonance and great historical import. Botte writes, "Along with thousands of others who lost loved ones to 9/11, I relive the events of that day every day. It took the lives of many of my colleagues and friends, caused an early retirement from a career I loved, and gave me a chronic lung condition that nearly ended my life." But, he goes on to remind us, "Many of the true heroes of 9/11 are still among us." Through the searing immediacy of these images, Botte takes us on a journey down the ash-covered streets, atop smoking mountains of twisted metal, and across heartbreaking cityscapes of human endeavor. His vision is at once stark and horrifying, respectful and compassionate, suffused with unexpected poetry and a quiet heroism.
Aftermath is a work of unparalleled vision and integrity, and serves as a haunting reminder of the events of 9/11 in New York City. With more than one hundred and thirty hand-developed, black-and-white photos and selected captions by the photographer himself, the book memorializes the unforgettable images we all recall from those days—and captures countless scenes previously known only to those who worked the devastated area so tirelessly. The result is an extraordinary historical record that stands to become the definitive photographic retrospective of September 11.
Police-Writers.com hosts 143 police officers and their 424 books in six categories.
John Botte retired in 2003 from the NYPD, reaching a rank of detective second grade. He is considered a world-class photographer and is a sought-after adviser in the film and television industry. On the fifth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, John Botte unveiled his powerful, penetrating portraits of America’s unforgettable tragedy. Asked by the police commissioner to document the aftermath, Botte spent countless hours at Ground Zero in the moments, days, and weeks following the attacks, and was given privileged access to the behind-the-scenes rescue and recovery efforts of 9/11.
Aftermath is a work of deep personal resonance and great historical import. Botte writes, "Along with thousands of others who lost loved ones to 9/11, I relive the events of that day every day. It took the lives of many of my colleagues and friends, caused an early retirement from a career I loved, and gave me a chronic lung condition that nearly ended my life." But, he goes on to remind us, "Many of the true heroes of 9/11 are still among us." Through the searing immediacy of these images, Botte takes us on a journey down the ash-covered streets, atop smoking mountains of twisted metal, and across heartbreaking cityscapes of human endeavor. His vision is at once stark and horrifying, respectful and compassionate, suffused with unexpected poetry and a quiet heroism.
Aftermath is a work of unparalleled vision and integrity, and serves as a haunting reminder of the events of 9/11 in New York City. With more than one hundred and thirty hand-developed, black-and-white photos and selected captions by the photographer himself, the book memorializes the unforgettable images we all recall from those days—and captures countless scenes previously known only to those who worked the devastated area so tirelessly. The result is an extraordinary historical record that stands to become the definitive photographic retrospective of September 11.
Police-Writers.com hosts 143 police officers and their 424 books in six categories.
Police-Writers.com adds Custom Computer Solutions to list of Police Officer Websites
October 8, 2006 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to police officers turned authors includes a comprehensive listing of Police Officer Websites and Police Officer Blogs. Police-Writers.com has added Custom Computer Solutions to the website listings.
The software developer, Brett Ortolano, has been employed with a southeastern Michigan county Sheriff's Department for over thirteen years. Brett has served as a Deputy Sheriff assigned to road patrol with tours of duty in Traffic Services, the Detective Bureau, Narcotics, Special Response Team, and Information Services. In addition to currently serving as a Sergeant, canine handler and team supervisor, and Field Training Supervisor, Brett has been a Field Training Officer and Report Writing Instructor for the past eight years. Quick Forms is the culmination of three years of research and development spread over three different versions.
In addition to serving as a police officer, Brett is a freelance programmer with expertise in database design. Having over 15 years of programming experience, combined with an almost equal number of law enforcement experience, enables the design of software that is truly easy for officer's to use.
For fun, Brett enjoys flying and the training of his German Shepherd Dog, Drake. Drake is a full utility canine that can perform narcotics searches, building searches, tracking, evidence searches, area searches, and handler protection.
Brett’s company, Custom Computer Solutions is with a primarily focused on Law Enforcement Software. He is an active full-time law enforcement officer who uses all of the software for sale. The software has been designed for road police officers to be easy to use. Most of the data is fully searchable in a custom designed search engine that is also easy to use.
Quick Forms, is a complete police incident report writing package. The software can run in a stand-alone environment (such as a laptop in a police car) or in a networked environment. Information can be transferred from the laptop into the network via floppy disk or over a network connection.
Brett’s company also offer a canine management and incident reporting system, known as LEARS, the Law Enforcement C(a)nine Records System. LEARS tracks training, incidents, medical records, costs, and more.
Police-Writers.com hosts 142 police officers and their 424 books in six categories.
The software developer, Brett Ortolano, has been employed with a southeastern Michigan county Sheriff's Department for over thirteen years. Brett has served as a Deputy Sheriff assigned to road patrol with tours of duty in Traffic Services, the Detective Bureau, Narcotics, Special Response Team, and Information Services. In addition to currently serving as a Sergeant, canine handler and team supervisor, and Field Training Supervisor, Brett has been a Field Training Officer and Report Writing Instructor for the past eight years. Quick Forms is the culmination of three years of research and development spread over three different versions.
In addition to serving as a police officer, Brett is a freelance programmer with expertise in database design. Having over 15 years of programming experience, combined with an almost equal number of law enforcement experience, enables the design of software that is truly easy for officer's to use.
For fun, Brett enjoys flying and the training of his German Shepherd Dog, Drake. Drake is a full utility canine that can perform narcotics searches, building searches, tracking, evidence searches, area searches, and handler protection.
Brett’s company, Custom Computer Solutions is with a primarily focused on Law Enforcement Software. He is an active full-time law enforcement officer who uses all of the software for sale. The software has been designed for road police officers to be easy to use. Most of the data is fully searchable in a custom designed search engine that is also easy to use.
Quick Forms, is a complete police incident report writing package. The software can run in a stand-alone environment (such as a laptop in a police car) or in a networked environment. Information can be transferred from the laptop into the network via floppy disk or over a network connection.
Brett’s company also offer a canine management and incident reporting system, known as LEARS, the Law Enforcement C(a)nine Records System. LEARS tracks training, incidents, medical records, costs, and more.
Police-Writers.com hosts 142 police officers and their 424 books in six categories.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Weapons /Terrorism News- October 2, 2006
Inmate allegedly threatens U.S. attorney: Man faces life sentence for letter that reportedly contained white powder
“A person sentenced recently to 77 months in prison for stabbing another inmate at Pekin's federal prison [in Illinois] now faces additional charges that could keep him behind bars for the rest of his life. [The man]…sent an assistant U.S. attorney a letter in which he threatened to get her family and stated he had put anthrax in the letter, according to court records.” (Peoria Journal Star, 02Oct06, Andy Kravetz)
http://www.pjstar.com
/stories/100206/TRI_BB4CS852.065.shtml
PTC Therapeutics Announces $17.2 Million Award From the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency
“PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTC), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of orally administered, proprietary small-molecule drugs that target post-transcriptional control processes, today announced that it has received a $17.2 million award from the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for the discovery and development of broad-spectrum small-molecule antibacterials that may be applicable against biowarfare or bioterrorism agents.” (Yahoo! Finance, 02Oct06, PRNewswire)
http://biz.yahoo.com
/prnews/061002/nym058.html?.v=62
Anthrax Dispute Suggests Bioshield Woes
“By now, millions of anthrax vaccine shots developed through cutting-edge genetic engineering were supposed to be filling a new national stockpile of biodefense drugs. Instead, five years after anthrax attacks left five dead, sickened 17 and panicked the country, the nearly $1 billion contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to a tiny and struggling San Francisco Bay Area biotechnology company is plagued with misfortune and delays. Delivery has been put off until at least 2008--and maybe later--while the government and VaxGen Inc. trade barbs over who is at fault. The dispute has further tarnished Project Bioshield, a government program that has alienated many potential biodefense contractors.” (Washington Post; 01Oct06; Paul Elias, AP) http://www.washingtonpost.com
/wp-dyn/content/article/2006
/09/30/AR2006093001439_pf.html
Center provides vaccinations as practice for emergency situations
“It's time for flu shots again, and the Flint Hills Community Health Center [in Kansas] is taking the opportunity to not only offer the flu shot but to train their employees for a mass vaccination. The clinic is an exercise to train staff and volunteers to vaccinate large numbers of people in the community in response to a natural disease outbreak or bioterrorism emergency. ‘This exercise will allow us to see where we need to improve to enable us to better respond in an emergency. In addition to testing our process of immunizing a large number of people quickly, we will also be providing actual flu shots to participants, just in time for flu season’ said Lougene Marsh, executive director of the health center.”
(49abcnews.com, 01Oct06, Jana Corrie)
http://www.49abcnews.com
/news/2006/oct/01/center_
provides_vaccinations_practi
ce_emergency_si/
Alnylam secures $23 million for biodefense
“Alnylam Pharmaceuticals inc. has secured a $23 million federal contract to develop new biodefense treatments. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, company announced on Thursday that a division of the National Institutes of Health awarded the four-year contract toward the development of treatments to fight hemorrhagic fever viruses including the Ebola virus.”
(Boston Business Journal, 28Sep06)
http://boston.bizjournals.com
/boston/stories/2006/09/25/
daily39.html
RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] probe anthrax scare at oil and gas company
“RCMP were investigating an anthrax scare at an oil and gas company in northern Alberta yesterday. Television station CFRN reported that 12 workers subcontracted to Talisman Energy Inc. had been put under quarantine after an electrician opened up a box of screws and found white powder and a note reading: ‘Welcome to Anthrax.’” (Guelph Mercury, 02Oct06)
http://www.guelphmercury.com
/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pa
gename=mercury/Layout/
Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=
1159783987015&call_pageid=1
050067726078&col=1050421501457
Pentagon bill includes Pueblo depot
“A $436.6 billion funding measure for the Defense Department includes money for several Colorado projects, including continued work toward cleaning up chemical weapons at the Pueblo Army Depot. The Pueblo facility will receive $87 million to study possible ways to destroy the chemicals in place. They are too dangerous to move, said Laura Condeluci, spokeswoman for Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee. The funding bill, which passed Congress on Thursday, also includes $20 million nationwide for military-base buffer-zone projects, land purchased at the edges of bases to provide space between the military facilities and surrounding communities.”
(Denver Post, 30Sep06, Anne C. Mulkern)
http://www.denverpost.com
/portlet/article/html/fragment
s/print_article.jsp?article=4421696
Military is asked to prepare land givebacks
“U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie [of Hawaii] has asked the military to plan for the eventual return of Makua Valley and a portion of the old Navy air station at Kalaeloa… The two requests were part of the 2007 Defense Authorization bill that passed the U.S. House and Senate yesterday. Abercrombie also said the defense spending bill requires the military to identify and assess the risk caused by the dumping of unexploded and chemical weapons off the Leeward Coast in the 1940s. ‘The language requires the Department of Defense to identify, survey, analyze and report on at least two dump locations near Hawaii so we can understand the potential risks and what it will take to clean them up,’ he said.
Abercrombie's office said $2.4 million had been requested in a companion bill for the Army, the University of Hawaii and Hawaii businesses to conduct the study.” (Honolulu Star Bulletin, 30Sep06, Gregg K. Kakesako) http://starbulletin.com
/2006/09/30/news/stor
y04.html
Sea Shells; Deadly Harvest of Munitions is Washed Up on Scotland’s Beaches
“ROYAL Navy bomb disposal experts are being called out daily to detonate unexploded bombs, mines and shells washed up on Scotland's beaches. The Ministry of Defence estimates almost 2,000 potentially lethal explosive devices are washed ashore each year. Most of the ammunition comes from large undersea dumps around the coast and has now deteriorated to the stage where it is exploding spontaneously, scattering high explosives and chemicals across the seabed. Scotland's biggest munitions dump, a trench called Beaufort's Dyke off the southwest coast, has been described as 'a great witches' brew' of chemicals and munitions. The MoD records show it contains nearly 2 million tons of conventional munitions, 120,000 tons of mustard and phosgene gas, 25,000 tons of nerve gas, 330 tons of arsenic compound and 1,890 tons of waste gases.” (Red Orbit, 01Oct06, Vic Rodrick)
http://www.redorbit.com
/news/science/676870/sea_shells
__deadly_harvest_of_munitions_
is_washed_up/index.html?source=r_science
Congress Delivers Essential Chemical Security Legislation in Final Inning
“The House and Senate just approved the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill, HR. 5441, which contains language authorizing the Department to regulate security at chemical facilities.” (Yahoo! Finance, 02Oct06, PRNewswire)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews
/061002/dcm018.html?.v=68
FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] Approves Treatment for Nerve-Poisoning Agents for Use by Trained Emergency Medical Services Personnel
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Duodote (atropine and pralidoxime chloride injection) for use by trained emergency medical services personnel to treat civilians exposed to life-threatening organophosphorus-containing nerve agents, such as sarin, and insecticides. ~Duodote is manufactured by Meridian Medical Technologies, Inc., Columbia, Md. FDA previously approved atropine and pralidoxime chloride injection under the name Antidote Treatment--Nerve Agent Auto-Injector (ATNAA) for military use.”~ (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 29Sep06)
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/t
opics/NEWS/2006/NEW01473.html
University of Utah gets grant to fight ‘dirty bombs’
“The University of Utah will receive $665,000 to help find drugs to eliminate or reduce health effects of a radioactive or nuclear ‘dirty bomb’ attack. The U. [University of Utah] already has patents on several series of drugs shown to be effective against nuclear exposure, said Scott Miller, professor of radiology and nuclear engineering at the U. and principal investigator. He said…[the grant] would be used to take the drugs they've developed and ‘move them toward the FDA approval pathway.’”
(Deseret News, 02Oct06, Lois M. Collins)
http://deseretnews.com
/dn/view/0,1249,650195462,00.html
Mexican man sentenced to 3 years in Boston terror hoax
“A Mexican man who hoaxed U.S. officials in 2005 by inventing a plot by Chinese nationals to release a ‘dirty bomb’ in Boston was sentenced Friday to three years in federal prison. Jose Ernesto Beltran Quinonez, 34, pleaded guilty in May to one count of passing on false information about a terror attack to federal officials.” (San Diego Union Tribune, 29Sep06, AP) http://www.signonsandiego.com
/news/mexico/20060929-153
1-ca-terrorhoax.html
DOR BioPharma Awarded Two Grants Totaling $5.3 Million to Advance Ricin toxin and Botulinum Toxin Vaccine Programs
“DOR BioPharma, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded two additional grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) totaling approximately $5.3 million to support the development of its biodefense vaccine programs. One grant of approximately $4.8 million was awarded for the continued development of RiVax(TM), a recombinant vaccine against ricin toxin. The second grant of approximately $0.5 million has been awarded to continue additional research on the development of BT-VACC(TM), a multivalent mucosal vaccine against botulinum toxin.” (Genetic Engineering News, 29Sep06)
http://www.genengnews.com
/news/bnitem.aspx?name=6245136
Port security bill clears Congress, heads to president
“In its last major action before beginning its midterm election recess, Congress early Saturday morning approved a $3.4 billion maritime security bill that some lawmakers say will eventually lead to all cargo being scanned at foreign ports before being put on ships bound for the United States. The House approved the bill, 409-2, while the Senate passed it on a voice vote. ‘This legislation takes immediate action to heighten the security of our nation's seaports, which could be exploited by terrorists for delivering weapons of mass destruction to the United States,’ said Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minnesota…” (GovExec.com; 02Oct07; Chris Strohm, Congress Daily)
http://www.govexec.com/s
tory_page.cfm?articleid=3
5168&printerfriendlyVers=1&
“A person sentenced recently to 77 months in prison for stabbing another inmate at Pekin's federal prison [in Illinois] now faces additional charges that could keep him behind bars for the rest of his life. [The man]…sent an assistant U.S. attorney a letter in which he threatened to get her family and stated he had put anthrax in the letter, according to court records.” (Peoria Journal Star, 02Oct06, Andy Kravetz)
http://www.pjstar.com
/stories/100206/TRI_BB4CS852.065.shtml
PTC Therapeutics Announces $17.2 Million Award From the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency
“PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTC), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of orally administered, proprietary small-molecule drugs that target post-transcriptional control processes, today announced that it has received a $17.2 million award from the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for the discovery and development of broad-spectrum small-molecule antibacterials that may be applicable against biowarfare or bioterrorism agents.” (Yahoo! Finance, 02Oct06, PRNewswire)
http://biz.yahoo.com
/prnews/061002/nym058.html?.v=62
Anthrax Dispute Suggests Bioshield Woes
“By now, millions of anthrax vaccine shots developed through cutting-edge genetic engineering were supposed to be filling a new national stockpile of biodefense drugs. Instead, five years after anthrax attacks left five dead, sickened 17 and panicked the country, the nearly $1 billion contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to a tiny and struggling San Francisco Bay Area biotechnology company is plagued with misfortune and delays. Delivery has been put off until at least 2008--and maybe later--while the government and VaxGen Inc. trade barbs over who is at fault. The dispute has further tarnished Project Bioshield, a government program that has alienated many potential biodefense contractors.” (Washington Post; 01Oct06; Paul Elias, AP) http://www.washingtonpost.com
/wp-dyn/content/article/2006
/09/30/AR2006093001439_pf.html
Center provides vaccinations as practice for emergency situations
“It's time for flu shots again, and the Flint Hills Community Health Center [in Kansas] is taking the opportunity to not only offer the flu shot but to train their employees for a mass vaccination. The clinic is an exercise to train staff and volunteers to vaccinate large numbers of people in the community in response to a natural disease outbreak or bioterrorism emergency. ‘This exercise will allow us to see where we need to improve to enable us to better respond in an emergency. In addition to testing our process of immunizing a large number of people quickly, we will also be providing actual flu shots to participants, just in time for flu season’ said Lougene Marsh, executive director of the health center.”
(49abcnews.com, 01Oct06, Jana Corrie)
http://www.49abcnews.com
/news/2006/oct/01/center_
provides_vaccinations_practi
ce_emergency_si/
Alnylam secures $23 million for biodefense
“Alnylam Pharmaceuticals inc. has secured a $23 million federal contract to develop new biodefense treatments. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, company announced on Thursday that a division of the National Institutes of Health awarded the four-year contract toward the development of treatments to fight hemorrhagic fever viruses including the Ebola virus.”
(Boston Business Journal, 28Sep06)
http://boston.bizjournals.com
/boston/stories/2006/09/25/
daily39.html
RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] probe anthrax scare at oil and gas company
“RCMP were investigating an anthrax scare at an oil and gas company in northern Alberta yesterday. Television station CFRN reported that 12 workers subcontracted to Talisman Energy Inc. had been put under quarantine after an electrician opened up a box of screws and found white powder and a note reading: ‘Welcome to Anthrax.’” (Guelph Mercury, 02Oct06)
http://www.guelphmercury.com
/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pa
gename=mercury/Layout/
Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=
1159783987015&call_pageid=1
050067726078&col=1050421501457
Pentagon bill includes Pueblo depot
“A $436.6 billion funding measure for the Defense Department includes money for several Colorado projects, including continued work toward cleaning up chemical weapons at the Pueblo Army Depot. The Pueblo facility will receive $87 million to study possible ways to destroy the chemicals in place. They are too dangerous to move, said Laura Condeluci, spokeswoman for Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee. The funding bill, which passed Congress on Thursday, also includes $20 million nationwide for military-base buffer-zone projects, land purchased at the edges of bases to provide space between the military facilities and surrounding communities.”
(Denver Post, 30Sep06, Anne C. Mulkern)
http://www.denverpost.com
/portlet/article/html/fragment
s/print_article.jsp?article=4421696
Military is asked to prepare land givebacks
“U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie [of Hawaii] has asked the military to plan for the eventual return of Makua Valley and a portion of the old Navy air station at Kalaeloa… The two requests were part of the 2007 Defense Authorization bill that passed the U.S. House and Senate yesterday. Abercrombie also said the defense spending bill requires the military to identify and assess the risk caused by the dumping of unexploded and chemical weapons off the Leeward Coast in the 1940s. ‘The language requires the Department of Defense to identify, survey, analyze and report on at least two dump locations near Hawaii so we can understand the potential risks and what it will take to clean them up,’ he said.
Abercrombie's office said $2.4 million had been requested in a companion bill for the Army, the University of Hawaii and Hawaii businesses to conduct the study.” (Honolulu Star Bulletin, 30Sep06, Gregg K. Kakesako) http://starbulletin.com
/2006/09/30/news/stor
y04.html
Sea Shells; Deadly Harvest of Munitions is Washed Up on Scotland’s Beaches
“ROYAL Navy bomb disposal experts are being called out daily to detonate unexploded bombs, mines and shells washed up on Scotland's beaches. The Ministry of Defence estimates almost 2,000 potentially lethal explosive devices are washed ashore each year. Most of the ammunition comes from large undersea dumps around the coast and has now deteriorated to the stage where it is exploding spontaneously, scattering high explosives and chemicals across the seabed. Scotland's biggest munitions dump, a trench called Beaufort's Dyke off the southwest coast, has been described as 'a great witches' brew' of chemicals and munitions. The MoD records show it contains nearly 2 million tons of conventional munitions, 120,000 tons of mustard and phosgene gas, 25,000 tons of nerve gas, 330 tons of arsenic compound and 1,890 tons of waste gases.” (Red Orbit, 01Oct06, Vic Rodrick)
http://www.redorbit.com
/news/science/676870/sea_shells
__deadly_harvest_of_munitions_
is_washed_up/index.html?source=r_science
Congress Delivers Essential Chemical Security Legislation in Final Inning
“The House and Senate just approved the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill, HR. 5441, which contains language authorizing the Department to regulate security at chemical facilities.” (Yahoo! Finance, 02Oct06, PRNewswire)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews
/061002/dcm018.html?.v=68
FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] Approves Treatment for Nerve-Poisoning Agents for Use by Trained Emergency Medical Services Personnel
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Duodote (atropine and pralidoxime chloride injection) for use by trained emergency medical services personnel to treat civilians exposed to life-threatening organophosphorus-containing nerve agents, such as sarin, and insecticides. ~Duodote is manufactured by Meridian Medical Technologies, Inc., Columbia, Md. FDA previously approved atropine and pralidoxime chloride injection under the name Antidote Treatment--Nerve Agent Auto-Injector (ATNAA) for military use.”~ (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 29Sep06)
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/t
opics/NEWS/2006/NEW01473.html
University of Utah gets grant to fight ‘dirty bombs’
“The University of Utah will receive $665,000 to help find drugs to eliminate or reduce health effects of a radioactive or nuclear ‘dirty bomb’ attack. The U. [University of Utah] already has patents on several series of drugs shown to be effective against nuclear exposure, said Scott Miller, professor of radiology and nuclear engineering at the U. and principal investigator. He said…[the grant] would be used to take the drugs they've developed and ‘move them toward the FDA approval pathway.’”
(Deseret News, 02Oct06, Lois M. Collins)
http://deseretnews.com
/dn/view/0,1249,650195462,00.html
Mexican man sentenced to 3 years in Boston terror hoax
“A Mexican man who hoaxed U.S. officials in 2005 by inventing a plot by Chinese nationals to release a ‘dirty bomb’ in Boston was sentenced Friday to three years in federal prison. Jose Ernesto Beltran Quinonez, 34, pleaded guilty in May to one count of passing on false information about a terror attack to federal officials.” (San Diego Union Tribune, 29Sep06, AP) http://www.signonsandiego.com
/news/mexico/20060929-153
1-ca-terrorhoax.html
DOR BioPharma Awarded Two Grants Totaling $5.3 Million to Advance Ricin toxin and Botulinum Toxin Vaccine Programs
“DOR BioPharma, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded two additional grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) totaling approximately $5.3 million to support the development of its biodefense vaccine programs. One grant of approximately $4.8 million was awarded for the continued development of RiVax(TM), a recombinant vaccine against ricin toxin. The second grant of approximately $0.5 million has been awarded to continue additional research on the development of BT-VACC(TM), a multivalent mucosal vaccine against botulinum toxin.” (Genetic Engineering News, 29Sep06)
http://www.genengnews.com
/news/bnitem.aspx?name=6245136
Port security bill clears Congress, heads to president
“In its last major action before beginning its midterm election recess, Congress early Saturday morning approved a $3.4 billion maritime security bill that some lawmakers say will eventually lead to all cargo being scanned at foreign ports before being put on ships bound for the United States. The House approved the bill, 409-2, while the Senate passed it on a voice vote. ‘This legislation takes immediate action to heighten the security of our nation's seaports, which could be exploited by terrorists for delivering weapons of mass destruction to the United States,’ said Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minnesota…” (GovExec.com; 02Oct07; Chris Strohm, Congress Daily)
http://www.govexec.com/s
tory_page.cfm?articleid=3
5168&printerfriendlyVers=1&
Navy to Christen Aircraft Carrier George H.W. Bush
President George W. Bush will deliver the principal address at the christening ceremony of the Navy's newest aircraft carrier, named for his father, former President George H. W. Bush, at a 10 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Oct. 7 at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard, Newport News, Va.
The last of the Nimitz-class carriers is named in honor of World War II naval aviator and America's 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush. The former president was born in Milton, Mass., on June 12, 1924, and began a lifetime of service to America when he joined the Navy on his 18th birthday as a seaman. He became the youngest pilot in the Navy at the time, receiving his commission and naval aviator wings before his 19th birthday.
Bush flew the Avenger torpedo bomber in combat from the carrier USS San Jacinto. During an attack on enemy installations near Chichi Jima in September 1944, his plane was hit by enemy fire while making a bombing run. Although the plane was on fire and heavily damaged, he completed a strafing run on the target before bailing out of the doomed aircraft. Bush parachuted into the sea and was later rescued by the Navy submarine USS Finback. He was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals for his Navy service in the Pacific theater during World War II.
After his Navy service ended in September 1945, Bush served America in a number of public service roles that included two-terms as a U.S. congressman from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, chief of the U.S. Liaison Office to China and director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He then served two terms as vice president under former President Ronald Reagan before being elected himself as President of the United States in 1988. As commander-in-chief, Bush led the United States and a coalition of nearly 30 other nations during Operation Desert Storm, which ended Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and liberated the people of the small Persian Gulf nation.
Doro Bush Koch, daughter of former President George H.W. Bush, will serve as ship's sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by Koch breaking a bottle of American sparkling wine across the ship's bow to formally christen the ship, which is a time-honored Navy tradition. The former president and his wife, Barbara, are scheduled to attend the ceremony.
America's carriers serve a vital role in the defense of the American people. Deploying around the globe in support of U.S. interests and commitments, U.S. aircraft carriers are in place to immediately respond to emerging military and humanitarian crises and in various roles ranging from peacetime presence to full-scale war.
Capt. Kevin O'Flaherty, a native of Los Angeles, Calif., and a 1981 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, is the prospective commanding officer. In that capacity, he will be responsible for more than 5,000 crewmembers, to include the embarked air wing, when the ship is commissioned and fully operational.
Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, at 1,092 feet in length and 97,000 tons displacement, are the largest warships in the world. Traveling at speeds in excess of 30 knots and with flight decks encompassing 4.5 acres, they can easily support an air wing of about 75 aircraft.
The last of the Nimitz-class carriers is named in honor of World War II naval aviator and America's 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush. The former president was born in Milton, Mass., on June 12, 1924, and began a lifetime of service to America when he joined the Navy on his 18th birthday as a seaman. He became the youngest pilot in the Navy at the time, receiving his commission and naval aviator wings before his 19th birthday.
Bush flew the Avenger torpedo bomber in combat from the carrier USS San Jacinto. During an attack on enemy installations near Chichi Jima in September 1944, his plane was hit by enemy fire while making a bombing run. Although the plane was on fire and heavily damaged, he completed a strafing run on the target before bailing out of the doomed aircraft. Bush parachuted into the sea and was later rescued by the Navy submarine USS Finback. He was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals for his Navy service in the Pacific theater during World War II.
After his Navy service ended in September 1945, Bush served America in a number of public service roles that included two-terms as a U.S. congressman from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, chief of the U.S. Liaison Office to China and director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He then served two terms as vice president under former President Ronald Reagan before being elected himself as President of the United States in 1988. As commander-in-chief, Bush led the United States and a coalition of nearly 30 other nations during Operation Desert Storm, which ended Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and liberated the people of the small Persian Gulf nation.
Doro Bush Koch, daughter of former President George H.W. Bush, will serve as ship's sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by Koch breaking a bottle of American sparkling wine across the ship's bow to formally christen the ship, which is a time-honored Navy tradition. The former president and his wife, Barbara, are scheduled to attend the ceremony.
America's carriers serve a vital role in the defense of the American people. Deploying around the globe in support of U.S. interests and commitments, U.S. aircraft carriers are in place to immediately respond to emerging military and humanitarian crises and in various roles ranging from peacetime presence to full-scale war.
Capt. Kevin O'Flaherty, a native of Los Angeles, Calif., and a 1981 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, is the prospective commanding officer. In that capacity, he will be responsible for more than 5,000 crewmembers, to include the embarked air wing, when the ship is commissioned and fully operational.
Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, at 1,092 feet in length and 97,000 tons displacement, are the largest warships in the world. Traveling at speeds in excess of 30 knots and with flight decks encompassing 4.5 acres, they can easily support an air wing of about 75 aircraft.
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