Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary

NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, October 19, 2006

"BlackBerries May Join Cops on Patrol"
Chicago Sun-Times (10/16/06); Spielman, Fran

The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is currently pilot-testing 17 BlackBerry wireless hand-held devices. The units have been distributed among bike and Segway patrols, narcotics, and Area One gun teams. At least 100 more are anticipated to be ordered by the end of October to be given to additional teams like those targeting organized crime. The aim is to save time for police officers on the street. "Officers on foot or conducting missions have access to a huge, rich database of information on wanted people, wanted vehicles, gang offenders, crime patterns, and previous police stops," says Jonathon Lewin, CPD's commander of the information technology section. "It'll result in more crimes being solved and smarter policing." With each unit costing about $200, the cost for getting a BlackBerry to all 13,500 CPD officers would be about $2.7 million. Officers who use bikes or walk on patrol are now able to access the same services that a squad car would provide, such as checking license plates and the names of potential suspects, says Police Supt. Phil Cline. A vendor called Info-Cop developed the software and information for CPD, with officers getting about two hours of training.
http://www.suntimes.com
/news/metro/98162,CST-
NWS-blackberry16.article

"Fighting Terrorism by Sharing Data"
Wall Street Journal (10/16/06) P. A6; Block, Robert

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced changes to the way it works with local law enforcement authorities to fight terrorism. The changes, prompted by widespread complaints from local officials, will include improved threat intelligence; improved coordination between police and federal officials who collect and analyze terror information; and increasing the pace of security clearances for local police. The moves are based on months of conversations between Homeland Security officials and local police chiefs. The DHS plans to hire a firm from the private sector to speed up the security-clearance process for police officers who work with the DHS. In addition, police liaison officers will be added to a new federal operation center, while the DHS will send intelligence officials to state and local operation centers.
http://online.wsj.com
/article/SB11609725
0013993687.html

"Scanners for Liquid Bombs in Works"
USA Today (10/18/06) P. A1; Frank, Thomas

A new breed of three-dimensional X-ray machines capable of detecting liquid explosives represents the future of screening carry-on baggage at U.S. airports. The only question for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is whether it should begin purchasing the machines now at a cost of up to $200,000 apiece or wait a couple of years and purchase a significantly enhanced version of the machines at $400,000 apiece. The TSA originally intended to wait and purchase the enhanced version but TSA chief Kip Hawley says it may make sense from a security standpoint to begin purchasing the currently available 3-D machines. The devices, known as multi-view X-ray machines, scan bags from multiple angles, creating 3-D images of the bag's contents. The X-ray machines currently used at airports create images that make it more difficult to differentiate weapons from common items. The 3-D machines have "an extraordinary ability to find" liquids, says Hawley, and a government report indicates that the machines could "significantly increase" security screeners' ability to detect weapons. Furthermore, industry experts say that the 3-D machines should reduce the need for manual baggage searches, thereby speeding up airport security lines.
http://http://www.usatoday.com
/news/washington/2006-10-17-
tsa-xray_x.htm

"Cops Scoot Into Future with New Technology"
Boston Herald (10/15/06) P. 3; Tolson, Shaun

A 240-pound electric vehicle called a mix between a tricycle and a Segway was unveiled at the 113th International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in Boston over the weekend. The T3 from T3 Motion features an elevated platform, zero-degree turning radius, and a maximum speed of 25 mph, all for a daily operating cost of just 10 cents. "We don't see it replacing anything," said T3 Motion President Neil Brooker. "We see it somewhere between a department's mountain bike/foot patrol and motorcycle/car patrol."
http://news.bostonherald.com
/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=162360

"Tablet PCs Promise to Heighten CPS Efficiency"
Waco Tribune-Herald (TX) (10/14/06); Culp, Cindy V.

Joyce James, assistant commissioner of Texas' Child Protective Services (CPS), says the child welfare agency is using tablet PCs to improve services. The computers allow personnel to access reports, download photos from digital cameras, and slash documentation time, according to CPS investigator Chris Clements. Roughly as large as a legal pad, the units feature a touch screen, a stylus, and wireless Internet connectivity. Users can use the stylus to make handwritten entries or they can dictate information via voice recognition software. Both methods allow notes to be translated into type that can be subsequently placed inside CPS' database. The typed information can also be emailed or saved independently. CPS has spent about $16 million for some 3,000 tablets across Texas, said CPS' Marissa Gonzales. That amount includes a two-year lease for each PC, accessories, wireless services, training, and warranty support.
http://www.wacotrib.com
/news/content/news/stori
es/2006/10/14/10142006waccpstablets.html

"Facial Recognition Latest Tool for State Law Enforcement"
Arizona Republic (10/12/06); Hermann, William

Law enforcement can now use the facial recognition component of the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC) to complete an entire search of the database in just 15 seconds. The upgraded capabilities of the facial recognition technology enables law enforcement officers to compare photographs of suspects to mug shots of people taken into police custody. In addition, searches compare submitted images to photos taken for all driver's licenses issued in the state and for Arizona identification cards. Gov. Janet Napolitano wants to install cameras at the state's ports of entry that could send images of people to ACTIC. She noted that talks with federal officials about the aforementioned application of the technology are ongoing. http://www.azcentral.com
/news/articles/1012brk-faces1012ON.html

"County Gets $56,000 Homeland Security Grant"
Bay City Tribune (10/15/06); Wells, Sarah

The Department of Homeland Security has awarded more than $56,000 in grants to law enforcement agencies in Matagorda County, Texas. The money will help pay for special radio equipment aimed at preventing terrorist attacks. Local governments in Texas are working on two projects to help prevent terrorist attacks: electronic fingerprint system LiveScan, and information-sharing project the Texas Data Exchange.
http://www.baycitytribune.com
/story.lasso?ewcd=a181a22dabbd8c07

"PSU Training Soldiers Online"
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (10/15/06); Junker, Leann

Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, offers an online Less-Lethal Weapons Certificate program for law enforcement, according to Ted A. Mellors, director of the campus' Center for Community and Public Safety (CCPS). Courses are offered on such weapons as batons, Tasers, stun guns, and pepper spray, and focuses on their appropriate use according to situation. A certificate is also offered for military personnel, says Mellors, and "the courses match up probably about 98 percent," adding that differences exist in such minor areas as terminology and tactical data. The certificate involves additional modules in such areas as theory, kinetics, riot control, and decision making. Mellors says the civilian law enforcement program has been less popular than the one for armed forces due to a lack of promotion. "The reason is, it's our mission to really be proactive and aggressive and try to get third-party funding for civilian law enforcement," he explains. Enrollment to the certificate program is ongoing, and one continuing education unit is granted for every 10 hours of class time.
http://pittsburghlive.com
/x/tribunereview/news%20fayette/print_474762.html

"Morris Unveils Mobile Command Center"
Daily Record (N.J.) (10/12/06)

Morris County, N.J., has unveiled a new $654,000 mobile command center referred to as "the most sophisticated vehicle in the state" by county Department of Law and Public Safety director Thomas Zellman. The vehicle lets users access state and federal radio frequencies in addition to all county police, fire, and emergency radio frequencies and the county computer system. It comes equipped with a conference room, a rooftop camera, and its own generators, though it can also be plugged into other available power sources, several of which are being built just for the vehicle. The mobile unit can be hooked up a local police station to enable it to communicate should it lose its radio system.
http://www.dailyrecord.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20061012/COMMUNITIES/
610120337/1203/NEWS01

"Sheriff Calls Rhea Lockup Outdated"
Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) (10/12/06); Hightower, Cliff

Rhea County, Tenn., Sheriff Mike Neal wants to update the county's 87-bed county jail, which is now 50 years old since construction, and outdated. Today the jail "uses a key system of locks with technology based in the 1800s," Neal says. Neal recently told the Rhea County Commission that the jail regularly holds 145 prisoners, including 13 state prisoners; that it is overcrowded; and that it could lose its Tennessee Corrections Institute certification if inspected. Neal asked the County Commission to put together a working group to explore how to improve the jail.
http://www.timesfreepress.com

"New National Center Focuses On Cracking Cold Cases"
Associated Press (10/11/06); Collins, Dave

A newly-developed National Cold Case Center at the University of New Haven may help crime investigators solve cold cases. "There's so many cold cases," says forensic scientist Henry Lee. "One major mission of this center is to train more investigators to solve cold cases. We need those investigators to take the initiative." An estimated one out of every three homicides in America remains unsolved, along with 50 percent of sexual assaults and 19 percent of burglaries. In addition to working on unsolved cases, the center will offer free training to law enforcement officials on investigative methods and how to use new technology. Lee, a member of the University of New Haven faculty, will teach several of the classes at the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science starting this January. The center will focus on homicides, rapes, robberies, and burglaries. The number of cold cases is frustrating for law enforcement officials, but even worse for families of the victims, according to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), who was in attendance for the announcement of the center. DeLauro helped secure the $500,000 grant from the National Institute of Justice to create the center.
http://www.courant.com
/news/local/nh/hc-12012931
.apds.m0507.bc-ct--coldo
ct12,0,6865118.story

"Stewart Prison Open For Business"
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (GA) (10/12/06); Franklin, Harry

The Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin,Ga., boasts some of the highest quality computer and camera systems in any state prison. It has more than 300 employees who have been undergoing specialized training since the center opened last week. The detention center was built and is run by the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), which also builds private prisons and jails in the United States. CCA now operates 65 U.S. detention centers after turning the company around from a downturn that occurred three years ago. A private company is able to detain inmates cheaper than the government can because they can negotiate construction costs, build on cheap land with cheap labor, and purchase supplies with national contracts, according to CCA President and CEO John Ferguson. CCA runs nearly half of the U.S. private prison detention centers.
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com
/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/local/15736457.htm

"Top Team, Lasers to Aid Traffic Cops"
Chicago Tribune (10/11/06) P. C1; Noel, Josh

To catch speeding motorists, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) has introduced hand-held LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) laser guns. Chicago police say the laser guns are more accurate compared to radar, and that each of the city's 25 police districts will have one. Cmdr. Neal Sullivan of CPD's Traffic Division says the department intends to buy 50 more of the guns in addition to the 15 it presently has. Training is being provided to officers from shift in each district so that at any point in time, at least one LIDAR gun could be in use in each district. A test program in the Northwest Side that began in early September has resulted in the issuing of nearly 500 speeding tickets, said police. Members of CPD's newly created Targeted Traffic Team (T3) will also get the LIDAR guns; the unit will be dispatched to different locations in reaction to citizen complaints, accident statistics, and observations from police officials. T3, which comprises 25 officers and three sergeants, has written upwards of 1,300 tickets since its inception on September 22.
http://www.chicagotribune.com
/news/local/chicago/chi-061011
0045oct11,1,6068326.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed

"Alabama Switching to Flat, Digital License Plates"
Associated Press (10/10/06); Rawls, Phillip

Alabama is issuing flat aluminum tags made by prisoners at Holman prison that use reflective material. County tag offices will begin using the new tags to replace their inventories of old tags as they are depleted. The state has used the same methods to manufacture tags for over five decades, but the new process provides more flexibility. The old method required a complete production run of one type of tag before a change could be made. However, the new manufacturing process enables design of a number of different plate types at the same time and provides costs savings because tags will be made from aluminum. 3M is providing the reflective materials for the tags, and the cost of manufacturing the new tags should be roughly equal with the old method. The new tags will also be more visible to police officers patrolling the state's roadways.
http://www.al.com/
newsflash/regional

"Electronic Ticketing Speeds Up Process"
Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) (10/10/06); Hargett, Carrie

The police department of Dalton, Georgia, is slashing the time needed by officers to issue traffic tickets by incorporating electronic ticketing into patrol cars. My mid-October, 60 patrol cars will have been outfitted with special printers, said Officer Chris McDonald, the department's public information officer. He says the technology will help officers spend less time at traffic stops. Under the new system, officers will input a car tag number and a driver's license number into a printer, which instantly provides information to the appropriate place on the ticket. A ticket is subsequently printed for the violator. In addition, the police department's computer serve sends violation updates every 15 minutes to the court's server, allowing court employees to download data within minutes, according to City Court Administrator David Hamil. In the past, officers would submit tickets at the close of their shift and tickers would be delivered to the courts the following day, says McDonald. The new printers each cost $649 and were paid for through a drug confiscation fund. Information technology officers had tested the equipment for roughly a month, says McDonald.
http://www.tfponline.com
/absolutenm/templates/bre
aking.aspx?articleid=5713&zoneid=41

"Indian River County Sheriff Brings Back Online Inmate Search"
Vero Beach Press Journal (FL) (10/10/06) P. B1; Neal, Adam L.

Indian River County Sheriff Roy Raymond has brought an inmate search program previously available at the Sheriff's Office Web site back online. The program was the most used program at the site, and Raymond said probation officers and others accessed the program every day. Local defense attorney Andrew Metcalf scolded Raymond for shutting down the program, which he believes provides a needed public service. Raymond decided to end the program on Friday because several citizens lobbied for its removal after police dropped their charges or they were found not guilty in court. The citizens had their arrest information listed on the site. Raymond thought that the program was mostly used for the purpose of spreading gossip about arrested people before a number of attorneys and other users complained about its shutdown. The resumed version of the program will offer more disclaimers and first-time offenders can have their arrest information removed from the site.
http://www.tcpalm.com
/tcp/press_journal/

"Integrated GIS--Another Level of Benefits for Local Government"
GeoWorld (09/06) Vol. 19, No. 9, P. 22; Elliott, Bart

Integrated, enterprise-level GIS solutions offer a number of potential ways to create value for local governments, including improving addressing, assessment, asset management, and public safety. Integrated GIS offers the potential to improve citizen-relation management with offerings such as Web mapping and other applications. In the past, local governments have not moved quickly to adopt integrated GIS, in part because GIS software was not originally developed to be part of a shared or enterprise system, and enterprise architectures for application-sharing had their own drawbacks because enterprise application-integration tools had not yet become as widely available as they are now. Some of the local governments that have revamped their early GIS implementations are Portland, Ore.; Mecklenburg County, N.C.; Philadelphia; and Honolulu. Portland has become internationally recognized for its GIS Hub enterprise GIS capabilities, which offer much more to users throughout the city government than the older departmental GIS system. Mecklenberg County's policy department, meanwhile, has created an ArcISM intranet and Internet site that includes a Crime Information System making location-based information available for users. Key elements necessary to get integrated GIS underway include: Enterprise GIS data sharing, enterprise computing architectures and tools, integration capabilities, business-case analyses, user and management support, and strong leadership.
http://www.geoplace.com
/Uploads/FeatureArticle/0609
_INTEGRATEDGIS.asp