Information for criminal justice practitioners, students and academics.

"Police Chief Pictures Cameras' Possibilities"

Lafayette Journal & Courier (IN) (06/09/06) P. 1A; Voravong, Sophia

 

Police officials in Lafayette, Ind., are trying to secure funding for the installation of digital "smart" surveillance cameras at crime-ridden areas and other public places to deter crime and catch criminals as well as help in homeland security efforts. The cameras, already used in Chicago, can detect a sound, zoom in, and alert dispatchers of unusual events. Though challenged on privacy grounds in numerous cities across the United States, courts have held use of such technology to be legal if employed solely in public places. "In today's world where most law enforcement agencies suffer with fewer and fewer resources, a cost-effective way to bridge that gap is with video technology," says Lafayette Deputy Police Chief John Dennis. "Video technology would act as our eye-in-the-sky."

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060609/NEWS03/606090313/1152

 

"Redlands PD Employs Latest Technology to Keep Community Safe"

San Bernardino County Sun (CA) (06/08/06); Bennett, Andrea

 

The police department of Redlands, Calif., relies on varies technologies to maintain an advantage over criminals. This includes interactive Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for mapping crime incidents real time, said Kurt Smith, director of community analysis and technology for the Redlands Police Department (RPD). "We can evaluate current and past crime, down to the incident level, and combine data and compare it with census data," he said. Each officer also carries a Taser stun gun and a digital recorder to tape communications, and some personnel use BlackBerrys. The department is currently the only one in the state to have launched a pilot program to test a parole GPS system. In collaboration with the state, parolees are monitored and mapped using GPS satellite technology. Redlands is also one of only three places in the nation to participate in COMPASS (Community Mapping Planning and Analysis for Safety Strategies), which is funded through federal grants. The project lets various police departments swap crime and incident information, in addition to allowing the public to access maps at citizencompass.org and via public access Channel 3. Furthermore, the department relies on a live video surveillance camera system to track activity across the city, hand-held tools called IPAQs for recording data from traffic stops and getting crime data, and the Go Notify system with which officers can send a recorded message to different parts of the region.

http://www.sbsun.com/search/ci_3913581

 

"Agencies Make COOP, Disaster Recovery Even Higher Priorities"

Government Computer News (06/07/06); Miller, Jason

 

Disaster recovery strategies and continuity of operations plans (COOP) should be part of all agency systems, according to federal and state IT officials. The Energy Department is creating a VoIP infrastructure over the next three years as part of a backup plan, says Adrian Gardner, deputy associate CIO in Energy's Office of Cybersecurity. The Agriculture Department has also gone ahead with its plan to revamp its data recovery and disaster plans in case of an emergency, says Kathleen Rundle, associate CIO for USDA's National Information Technology Center. "We need to have a COOP plan for 60 days instead of just 30 days with the pandemic," she says. "We have to figure out how to address essential functions like time and attendance if employees will be out that long." Gardner and Rundle participated in a panel discussion during the 26th annual Management of Change conference sponsored by the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council on how federal, state, and local governments are preparing for disasters differently than they did several years ago. Other agencies and public officials are taking note and making plans in the event of an emergency. Leonard Scott, captain of the Corpus Christi, Texas, police department is overseeing the development of a Wi-Fi network that will service as a backup to the voice network and run on battery or solar power. Leonard says it is important for the 275,000-resident city to have a COOP and disaster recovery plan in case of a natural disaster.

http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/40970-1.html

 

"Wi-Fi Touted for Public Safety"

Contra Costa Times (CA) (06/07/06); Nooristani, Nargis

 

The City Council of Pleasant Hill has included $400,000 for implementation of the second phase of a Wi-Fi system in its proposed budget. The technology will allow police officers to obtain suspect information when in their cruisers. Criminal databases, mug shots, and reports are among the types of information that the technology will provide access to. In addition, the system could eventually offer connection to live video feeds and provide free Web service throughout Pleasant Hill. Testing of the technology began on Saturday, and several nearby cities also intend to launch similar systems to provide free Internet service.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/contra_costa_county/martinez/14759735.htm

 

"More Sex Offenders Tracked by Satellite"

USA Today (06/07/06) P. 3A; Koch, Wendy

 

Wisconsin has joined the growing list of states, now numbering at least 24, using GPS technology to track released sex offenders, many for life. The technology is now capable of monitoring a parolee's position to within 30 feet and can alert officers when a trackee has entered an "exclusion zone" at a fraction of the cost it takes to maintain prison inmates or track offenders using other methods. Some states even require offenders to foot the bill for tracking. Analysis conducted by the Florida Department of Corrections in late 2004 showed a 3.8 recidivism rate among offenders tracked with GPS within two years, compared to 7.7 percent for those not tracked with the technology. Meanwhile, lawmakers in the U.S. Senate and House have each approved a measure that would provide federal funding for GPS tracking.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2006-06-06-gps-tracking_x.htm

 

"Bridgeport Police Lauded for Work"

Connecticut Post (06/09/06)

 

Bridgeport Police have arrested Emanuel Lovell Webb for four killings that occurred during the early part of the last decade. The arrest was made after DNA evidence connected Webb to killing Elizabeth Gandy. The match was made using the Combined DNA Identification System (CODIS). Matches were also obtained in the murder of three other women. Police theorize that Webb could be the killer in up to 10 unsolved murders. If true, Webb would rank as the most prolific serial killer ever convicted in Connecticut. CODIS manages DNA profiles collected from convicted criminals across the nation. Webb's DNA was entered into the FBI's national data bank after he was convicted of manslaughter in Georgia. http://www.connpost.com/editorials/ci_3917238

 

"Canyon County Will Get First Morgue With Crime Lab"

KTVB.com (06/11/06)

 

The Canyon County, Idaho, coroner says a recent decision to approve a new crime lab will save money and meet Department of Homeland Security guidelines. The guidelines are designed so that local officials can better respond to an attack or a natural disaster. Coroner Vicki Degeus-Morris says the crime lab will allow cases to be handled in a more timely manner.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvbn-may1906-crime_lab.1a6c117.html

 

"A Photo Finish for Crime?"

Newsday (06/05/06) P. A3; Parascandola, Rocco

 

Despite privacy concerns, the New York Police Department (NYPD) is using surveillance cameras to make up the difference. The department turned to surveillance cameras after it became clear that budget shortfalls would prevent the hiring of extra police officers. The cameras have proven effective in capturing criminals, according to Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne, who credits the cameras for the double-digit drop in crime in housing facilities. The NYPD plans to put in more than 500 cameras at more than 200 locations throughout the city. While effective, privacy hawks say the department's surveillance program crosses the line. "Anytime the police engage in videotaping of lawful activities, we worry about privacy violations and the potential for abuse," says Christopher Dunn, associate legal director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. Dunn complains that the initiative was approved without public feedback, and says "there must be clear rules" about the department's use of the videotapes.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nycame0605,0,133457.story

 

"Oak Ridge Laser Technique Helps Police Build Case"

Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) (06/06/06) P. E1; Cooper, Clint

 

Featured next month on Court TV will be technology developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory that can break down the elemental composition of solids, liquids, and gases using laser spectroscopy. The show will profile a murder case in Farmersville, Texas, in which the technology was used to match wood found at a suspect's home to partially burned wood found at the crime scene. "You can analyze whatever you're looking at down to the atomic level," says Tom Bodkin, a forensic anthropologist with the Hamilton County, Tenn., Medical Examiner's Office, of the technology. "There is no lying there. You're presenting hard-core scientific information in the courtroom." Research of the laser-based tool has been funded by the U.S. Department of Justice.

http://news.pajamasmedia.com/science/2006/06/06/9071509_On_the_cutting_e.shtml

 

"NIST Bullet Tests Make Frangibles More Tangible"

US Fed News (06/08/06)

 

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are measuring precisely the disintegration of "frangible" bullets when they strike a surface to better understand how the ammunition might affect body armor. Frangible bullets, often made from sintered (formed by heat and pressure) metal powders that will break into tiny fragments, are designed to disintegrate on impact with a hard surface. They are becoming increasingly popular in situations where ricochets or "splash-back" from bullets is not tolerable. These include firearms training facilities and crowded places such as airports, courtrooms and office buildings. Additionally, the lead-free nature of frangible bullets eliminates the risk of exposure to that hazardous substance. While frangible bullets have distinct advantages over conventional lead and copper-clad lead bullets, their characteristics are well known only for contact with hard surfaces. The behavior of such ammunition upon impact with softer materials - like those found in the soft body armors worn by many law enforcement officers and emergency responders - has raised concerns that some protective garments may be vulnerable to certain types of frangible bullets. NIST researchers are using a Kolsky bar apparatus - a NIST-built, air-powered device that can measure a metal's response to the stress and strain of high-speed impacts - to document precisely what it takes for a frangible bullet to fail (or in this case, succeed, because the sintered metal's breakdown is the desired outcome). Data derived from the NIST experiments will be used to better understand what happens when frangible bullets and body armor materials interact, and then serve as the foundation for additional bullet impact studies. Once that knowledge is in hand, the Department of Justice will reassess the current body armor performance standard to determine if special accommodations are necessary for frangible bullets. NIST's Office of Law Enforcement Standards and DoJ's National Institute of Justice are sponsoring the frangible bullet study. http://www.azom.com/details.asp?newsID=5674

 

"Simulator Gets Deputies Ready for Reality"

Albuquerque Journal (06/06/06) P. A1; Wilham, T.J.

 

The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico has purchased an advanced computer simulator that allows trainers to design various training scenarios for officers. The department paid $125,000 for the simulator, which is equipped with a large screen and video projector for displaying scenarios. In addition, the purchase cost covers a handgun, mace, taser, and rifle for use with the technology. The range of scenarios that the simulator can depict ranges from car stops to suicide bombers. The simulation technology aims to make scenarios more realistic for deputies by shooting rubber balls when they come under fire. Other advanced features include determining whether a taser used by a deputy is effective against a suspect based on the distance. The unit replaces a six-year-old simulator and will be accessible to any interested law enforcement agency. The technology can also provide helpful tips for correcting flaws in how officers shoot their real guns by providing three camera viewpoints of the shooter during actual firing range practice. http://www.abqjournal.com

 

"Wiretap Rules Are Same for Web Calls"

Washington Post (06/10/06) P. D1; Hart, Kim

 

Internet-based phone services are legally obligated to allow wiretapping by law enforcement officials, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled 2-1 on Friday, upholding an FCC ruling that Web-based phone service providers must follow the same rules as traditional phone companies. However, the court also ruled that private networks such as those at universities and peer-to-peer systems such as instant messaging networks are exempt because they are beyond the law's reach. Making broadband service wiretap-compatible could make such services more expensive, while analysts say more regulation of Web-based phone service is also possible as the FCC may decide that Internet phone companies must pay into the universal telephone service fund. Judge David B. Sentelle, writing for the majority, said the FCC "offered a reasonable interpretation" of the law, while Judge Harry T. Edwards in dissent wrote that the law "does not give the FCC unlimited authority to regulate every telecommunications service that might conceivably be used to assist law enforcement." The court's decision may still be appealed. University of Colorado professor Philip J. Weiser says the ruling will force network providers to reengineer their networks, but those costs probably won't be passed down to users. He says, "Any provider of broadband networks now needs to make accounts wire-tappable. That's not the way they're engineered and it's certainly not the cheapest way."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/09/AR2006060900864.html

 

"ICOP In-Car Video Selected by Wooster Police Department"

Auto Channel (05/31/06)

 

ICOP Digital, Inc., a provider of digital in-car video systems for law enforcement, reports that the Wooster Police Department in Ohio has selected the ICOP Model 20/20 for fleet deployment. Wooster's Chief of Police Steve Thornton says, "The ICOP Model 20/20 is an excellent tool for our officers to use on a daily basis. The ease of operation, the clarity of the events displayed and the safety features of the in-dash mounted system made it an easy choice to purchase. I am also impressed with the ability to view events from my desktop computer after they have been downloaded onto the server. This will be a great training tool for the future and makes it easier for prosecutors and defense attorneys to view events prior to trial." Dave Owen, Chief Executive Officer of ICOP, says, "Chief Thornton's mention of how the ICOP Model 20/20 assists prosecutors and defense attorneys is a vitally important point. High quality video wins cases. Video evidence of an event can prove invaluable in either impeaching or exonerating an alleged offender, and is playing a significant role in accelerating due process in our court systems." http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/05/31/009154.html

 

"Ark. Crime Lab Makes Improvements With Added Funds"

Associated Press (06/04/06)

 

Changes in Arkansas' crime lab have reduced the state's case backlog. Only a couple of years ago prosecutors, police and defense attorneys had to wait six to nine months to get autopsy reports; today the turnaround is three months. Attorneys and police say lab work comes back much faster than before, thanks to state-allocated funds to the crime lab. Last year, the Arkansas Legislature increased fees to file circuit cases from $100 to $125, and gave the surplus to the crime lab. Those funds were used to increase manpower and work in areas such as toxicology and DNA testing. "By dealing with the toxicology backlog, you're benefiting the medical examiner's office. They're reaping the results of that," says state lab director J.R. Howard, adding that he plans to hire a fifth pathologist soon.

http://www.ap.org

 

"Alarming Gaffes Stir Fury"

Detroit Free Press (05/30/06); McGraw, Bill

 

Since Detroit revamped its 911 system in September 2005, the response time of fire fighters to fires has hit some road bumps. The new system has had trouble relaying information to the Fire Department's computers, which has been the usual conduit for dispatching fire trucks, and as a result snafus have ensnared Detroit's 911-operators and fire fighters in a bit of a blame game. In March 2006, fire fighters rushed to a report of fire at "14th and West Grand Boulevard" only to discover the actual fire was three miles away at "14th and West Grand Avenue." Two additional homes caught fire during the time squandered by the mix-up. Dispatchers from 911 verbally must relay information by radio or telephone to specific fire houses rather than send it via computer to multiple nearby fire houses as a printout like before, and Detroit Fire Fighters Association President Dan McNamara says this "managerial and technical failure" needs to be fixed before more incidents happen. Fire fighters involved in the March mix-up and a subsequent one say the 911 operators gave them the wrong street names. In addition, the Detroit Fire Department has faced budget cuts that axed 59 employees and five trucks in 2006.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060530/NEWS05/605300342

 

"Counterdrug Training in the Field"

Law Enforcement Technology (05/06) Vol. 33, No. 5, P. 106; Peterson, Carlene Ed.D..

 

The busy lives of many law enforcement officers have made it difficult for some to travel to a school setting for training. In addition, training opportunities are limited for many law enforcement officers because many agencies lack the funds to support additional training, and officers do not have the money to pay for such training themselves. However, the Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training (MCTFT) Program--which has been providing unique, tuition-free, state-of-the-art training since 1993 covering all aspects of counterdrug law enforcement and training support for community anti-drug coalitions--has been the solution to these problems for many law enforcement officers and the agencies they work for. In 2002, MCTFT added online courses on several topics, including drug identification, criminal street gangs, and airport narcotics investigations. Each course is interactive, student-centered, and non-credit with a measuring criteria in the form of a final test. The design of each course has major learning outcomes and objectives in the introduction; training modules including text, graphics, audio, and video; interactive learning modules; resources; glossary; and an evaluation survey. Every course also includes a discussion forum that allows students to share information with their peers regarding issues in their own jurisdictions. MCTFT has also partnered with D.A.R.E. America to help the anti-drug organization develop two online courses to support its new training program. Both the elementary and middle school courses include major learning outcomes and objectives in the introduction, training modules with text, graphics, audio, and video; interactive learning modules called SkillBuilders; resources; a discussion board; a final test, certificate; and an evaluation survey. MCTFT has also made its flash interactive course activities available to D.A.R.E. officers and youth on D.A.R.E.'s Web site. http://www.officer.com/magazines/let/