Law Enforcement News Summary

NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, October 5, 2006

"Lost in Musty Files, Police Turning to Web for Cold Case Help"
Associated Press (09/30/06); Barrouquere, Brett

The Kentucky State Police recently posted online information about close to 130 unsolved murders in the state's last 50 years in hopes of attracting people with additional information. Kentucky's gambit is not uncommon, as law enforcement in Alaska and Texas have done the same. Baltimore County Police Department's William Toohey says the Internet is a great tool to reach people who might know something about a case, but since the incident in question have left the state. "If you're going to do law enforcement these days, you've got to use the Internet," says Toohey. The Kentucky State Police did receive significant information in one case after they posted it online. A sister-in-law located in Wisconsin was performing an Internet search for her husband's brother, who disappeared in 1993, when she and then her husband recognized the artist's sketch of the unidentified man in a Kentucky found-body case. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com
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"Police Chief Weighs a Stun Gun Tryout"
Washington Post (09/28/06) P. T3; Hernandez, Nelson

The Howard County, Md., Police Department intends to evaluate the possibility of using electric stun guns to disable unruly suspects. At present, a county law bans their use, so the police department would first need to convince the Howard County Council to lift the ban. Upwards of 7,000 of the country's 18,000 police agencies use stun guns, according to Amnesty International. The weapons are viewed as a nonlethal way to subdue suspects, but they have been associated with in-custody deaths, and critics also claim that police officers could misuse the weapons. There are several other types of nonlethal weapons being used across the country, including pepper balls, beanbag shotguns, and pepper spray. However, unruly suspects, especially those on drugs, are sometimes capable of withstanding the effects of these weapons. This is rarely the case with stun guns, which typically cause people to collapse after two or three seconds as their neuromuscular system is shut down. Stun gun victims usually regain their muscle movements in 15 minutes, providing police with plenty of time to handcuff the suspect. Doug Ward, deputy director of Johns Hopkins University's Division of Public Safety Leadership, explains that stun guns sometimes have unintended, fatal results, especially if the suspect has health issues or falls down and becomes injured.
http://www.washingtonpost.com
/wp-dyn/print/community/loud
oun/index.html

"Iris Scanning Now Used to Track Sexual Offenders"
Sheriff (10/06) Vol. 58, No. 5, P. 24; O'Reilly, Kevin

In July, the Mecklenburg County (N.C.) Sheriff's Department became the first in the country to install BI2 Technologies' Sex Offender Registry and Identification System (SORIS), which registers and positively identifies convicted sexual predators using iris recognition biometric technology. The system uses a special high-resolution camera to capture a digital photograph of each of the sex offender's eyes and create a unique iris code for each individual enrolled in the system. Once a convicted sex offender is registered in the national SORIS system, their location and identity is verified within seconds from any participating agency simply by looking in the camera. SORIS is portable and can be used on a wireless network, which means law enforcement agencies who use it have the ability to go to the homes of suspected offenders and identify them immediately, said Mecklenburg County Sheriff Jim Pendergraph. Iris recognition has a number of advantages over other types of biometric systems. The human iris is absolutely unique--even between identical twins or a person's right and left eyes--and its physical characteristics do not change with age. In addition, fingerprints, facial identification, retina scan, and voice recognition do not provide the level of accuracy, speed, or cost-effectiveness found with iris recognition technology.
http://www.sheriffs.org

"Surveying the Scene"
Government Technology (09/06) Vol. 19, No. 9, P. 58; McKay, Jim

The Smart Station survey device by Leica Geosystems enables police officers in Sparks, Nev., to chart a motor vehicle accident scene within 30 minutes or less, compared to the previous tape-measure and hand-diagramming method that took three hours. The Sparks police department purchased the machine for $41,000, and they are still training police officers to use it. "We get our roadways open a lot faster," says Sparks Traffic Officer Shane Minick. The SmartStation records all accident data at the scene with a global positioning system (GPS) called a GPS rover, and then overlays those points onto a city map of the scene, creating a more accurate and much faster map of the accident wreckage. Before in Sparks, the plotting of the points was done by hand, and it was overlaid onto aerial photos for a composite of the accident.
http://www.govtech.net
/magazine/story.php?id=100901

"NIST Experiments Test Frangibles Against Vests"
Police (09/06) Vol. 30, No. 9, P. 19

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is analyzing the trajectories of bullet fragments that occur when frangible bullets impact sturdy material. Concerns have increased about the damage potential of frangible bullets because of the relative softness of body armor used by first-responders and law enforcement officers. The research being conducted by NIST relies on a device developed by the association to determine the affect of "frangible bullets" when striking metal. The Kolsky bar device focuses on the metal's reaction to the impact. Frangible bullets are made to break apart when striking a hard material, which raises concerns about injuries caused by ricochets. The institute will use the data obtained from its research to serve as the foundation for additional studies. The Department of Justice will examine the conclusions of the various studies to assess the existing body-armor performance standard. http://www.policemag.com

"FDA Approves Treatment for Nerve-Poisoning Agents for Use by Trained Emergency Medical Services Personnel"
Medical News Today (10/02/06)

The FDA has approved Duodote by Meridian Medical Technologies for use by emergency medical service providers to treat people affected by nerve gas attacks, which can include exposure to sarin, certain insecticides, and any organophosphorus life-threatening nerve agents. Duodote combines atrophine and pralidoxime chloride in an injection formulation. This combination was first approved in 2002 under acronym ATNAA for military use only. "Today's approval facilitates the stockpiling of the product so that it can be used to treat civilians in an emergency," says FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research deputy director Dr. Douglas Throckmorton. He adds that "Duodote may be administered only by well-trained emergency medical personnel."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
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"Just Hit Record: TiVo Goes on Patrol"
Washington Technology (10/02/06) Vol. 21, No. 19, P. 21; Beizer, Doug

The Rockville (Maryland) Police Department (RPD) is deploying new in-car video equipment in its squad cars that starts recording in 60-second segments as soon as it is turned on, says the department's Cpl. Kenneth Matney. The system consists of a control panel, a forward-facing camera, and a low-light infrared camera, and continuously records and re-records in 60-second intervals until the entire system is activated. At that point, recording takes place on the hard drive, but the most recent 60-second segment is stored. This provides police officers with a better chance of retaining crucial evidence. RPD opted to migrate to ICOP Digital's 20/20 digital system because of the technology's advantages over standard tape, according to Matney. "It helps us out, it provides us evidence in court, and it has beaten several false complaints on officers," he notes. The new digital system has a 20G hard drive that can hold eight hours of higher quality footage or 16 hours of extended-play footage, and can also be placed into a docking system to download footage to a server. Laura Owen, ICOP's president and chief operating officer, says the best arrangement for a police department is to have a separate server for storing and overseeing video files, but this is not mandatory. The 20/20 model is compatible with additional devices like the NOPTIC thermal imaging camera by Autoliv and license plate recognition technology from PIPS Technology; by December, new software will also allow the sharing of files among agencies via Web protocols, according to Owen.
http://www.washingtontechnology.com

"Camera Lets Law Enforcement Stand Back for a Closer Look"
Beaumont Enterprise (09/28/06); Myers, Ryan

Beaumont, Texas, police are in the process of obtaining a VideoProbe XL PRO device that will enable them to inspect inside containers without opening them, which will minimize hazardous exposure to police officers. The VideoProbe XL PRO by General Electronics Inspection Technologies is a camera mounted within the thin end of a flexible tube. Beaumont Police Department Sgt. Tim Ocnaschek says it will help police officers reduce their exposure to container contents. He says the department may use it for narcotics operations as well as for any suspicious container inspections. The $33,465 instrument also can detect and record sound. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provided $27,800 in grant funding for it.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com


"Alabama Police Department Runs 100 Percent E-85 Fleet"
Police (09/06) Vol. 30, No. 9, P. 17; Knight, Cheryl

The Hoover Police Department (HPD) uses E-85 to fuel its entire fleet of Chevrolet Tahoe Police cars, which ranks the department as the national leader among law enforcement agencies using the fuel. The Hoover Public Safety Facility houses refueling equipment for the vehicles, which average 24,000 gallons of fuel consumption each month. The HPD distributed E-85 fueling cards to its officers that provide important information, such as how many miles the vehicles travel before stopping for more fuel. The information is used when conducting analysis of the vehicles' value to the Alabama-based police department. Dave Lindon, fleet management director for the City of Hoover, said the 2005 Tahoe is an excellent vehicle for police applications. He reports that using E-85 to power the vehicles has provided environmental benefits, plus lessened dependence on imported oil. Lindon adds that officers have praised the E-85 Tahoes. http://www.policemag.com

"Looking Toward the "Agency of the Future""
Law Enforcement Technology (09/06) P. 52; Ruderman, Jan

Jan Ruderman, a senior director for Panasonic Solutions Co.'s Public Sector operations, said that technology vendors are collaborating with law enforcement officials in designing future tools. Ruderman adds that law enforcement have always used the latest technological developments to enhance their ability to apprehend suspects and discourage law breaking. Today's police officers can access more content than ever before via mobile data terminals and pagers. High-speed data transmission and solutions using wireless technology provide officers with immediate access to data. Having mobile access to data has emerged as a cornerstone for law enforcement agencies interested in fully utilizing the latest technology. Officers that are still without mobile technology believe that not having wireless capabilities keeps them isolated from the public by confining them to their vehicles most of the time to carry out tasks, like making reports. Surveillance technologies, such as video recording devices placed in high-crime areas, can effectively enable officers to patrol more territory than ever before without having to be at each location. However, adoption of high-tech tools face potential obstacles as the result of budgetary concerns, departmental policies, and other obstacles. http://www.officer.com/magazines/let/

"Next Generation 911 Systems"
Police and Security News (09/06) Vol. 22, No. 5, P. 47; Scott, Mike

Upgrading E911 systems has now become a big priority for public safety departments. Courtney McCarron at the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) agrees with public safety agencies that E911 systems as money savers are more effective than ever. "These new systems can handle so much more data and the investment can be worth it in the future," says McCarron. McCarron says now is a good time to purchase new 911 systems because of the rapidly changing technology and the high cost of 911 technology. 911 systems are always changing, which poses a challenge to customers. Intrado CTO Stephen Meer says communication centers should not have to keep adding equipment to their center. Lt. Don Huckabee admires E911 systems that are user-friendly and fully integrated. Huckabee says he looks for vendors that offer free upgrades. Intrado is developing a software program that directs 911 calls to the right area. Public safety vendors such as Meer and Paul Guest at Positron Public Safety Systems want to offer a more efficient flow of communication and better operability. "We need to make sure that, as many refinements are being made to the new E911 systems, there are no sacrifices to the actual product," says Guest. "I think there is a pent up demand for VoIP as people move toward increasing the intelligence they get from their systems." Many systems now offer public safety agencies the ability to communicate through a wired or wireless system across several networks.

http://www.policeandsecuritynews.com

"Greenfield Police Stepping Up Crime Fighting With Technology"
Californian (09/27/06) P. 1A; Vijayan, Sunita

The Greenfield, Calif., police department continues to invest in new technology. A month after purchasing a remote-controlled inspection robot, the police department is rolling out Taser Cams that are designed to record sound and video whenever electronic stun guns are deployed. The small video camera attaches to the bottom of a Taser, and uses rechargeable batteries that last up to 90 minutes. Greenfield purchased eight of the Taser Cams, which hit the market two months ago, using a $3,200 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The unit also produces a flash to warn police officers when the lens is obstructed. "My expectation is that the Taser Cams will vindicate the policies and training we have, and it will also be physical proof of what happened" when stun guns were in use, says Greenfield Police Chief Joe Grebmeier. Greenfield's investment comes at a time when nearby police departments and the local sheriff's office have had suspects die after receiving electrical jolts from Tasers. Meanwhile, the $5,000 MMP-8 robot will be used to stake out dangerous areas that police officers are unable to reach.
http://www.californianonline.com

"Police, Banks Not in Sync on Identity Crime?"
American Banker (09/27/06); Wolfe, Daniel

Banking and financial-services officials who have put enormous amounts of resources into combating online fraud are complaining about the difficulty of getting law enforcement agencies to pursue cases, with Fair Isaac Corp.'s Ted Crooks saying, "The relative ineffectiveness of law enforcement in dealing with fraud has become a critical issue." The problem stems both from different methods--investigators can be uncomfortable working with information from highly automated banking systems--and the fact that law enforcement often sees cases involving only tens of thousands of dollars, as opposed to millions of dollars, as much lower priority than banking officials consider them to be.
http://americanbanker.com
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E4FB1ZKX&from=technology

"Scan System to Mend Gap in Crime Files: Sheriff Fingerprinting for Petty Offenses"
Columbia Daily Tribune (MO) (09/27/06); Luecke, Jacob

Boone County, Mo., has invested in a new digital fingerprint scanner, and the Sheriff's Department plans to use the technology in the county courthouse to ensure that people who are charged with minor offenses will be fingerprinted. In the past, officers often wrote court summons at the scene for suspects instead of bringing them in for fingerprinting, which meant that people's criminal records were not always accurate. Once the county has a fingerprint, it can forward the fingerprint and new crimes to the state criminal database. By installing the digital fingerprint system at the courthouse, the county now can fingerprint suspects whenever they show up for court hearings. The county used a grant from the Department of Justice to obtain the digital technology, which would have cost $50,000. The Columbia Police Department also hopes to take advantage of the new digital fingerprint scanner. "I'm hoping to be up and operating with all the agencies involved by November or December, somewhere in that range," says Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey. http://www.columbiatribune.com

"Los Angeles Counterterrorism Center Goes Live"
Law Enforcement Technology (09/06) Vol. 33, No. 9, P. 99

California's Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Center (LAJRIC) is now up and running, a joint center for officers from the FBI, Homeland Security, Los Angeles Police Department, and Los Angeles County Terrorist Early Warning Group. LAJRIC has over 200 desktop PCs and a Memex data-crunching system for cross-pollinating data, tips, and leads among all these agencies. LAJRIC will also help them coordinate with local California law enforcement, and provide an unclassified data environment to local law enforcement.
http://www.officer.com/magazines/let/