Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary

NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, December 7, 2006

"Cops Add Web Tools as a Way to Connect"
Sacramento Bee (CA) (12/03/06) P. B1; Lillis, Ryan

The Sacramento Police Department has developed a blog that is believed to be the first of its kind in the nation. The blog expands how the department uses the Internet, for example by responding to queries from citizens, launching podcasts to attract new hires, and making online crime reports more accessible. The blog was initially released in August, and now boasts almost 100 user accounts. Users can post questions through a feature called "Ask Officer Michelle," which is handled by Officer Michelle Lazark. One person, for example, recently posted a question about how to handle a witnessed crime. SPD Police Chief Albert Najera is now mulling the creation of an internal blog to help him communicate with the police force's 1,200 employees. "Anything you can do to make a police officer seem less threatening and more like a real person is very positive," Wayne Barte with the Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization. "And it gives people a vehicle for finding out information that they flat out don't know."
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/86718.html

"Eye on Crime"
Indianapolis Star (12/01/06) P. 1; Ryckaert, Vic

The city of Indianapolis will use 27 monitoring cameras at high crime areas to discourage drug dealing and other criminal activities. The first camera was scheduled to begin operating late last week, while the rest of the cameras will go into service during the next three months. Fourteen or more cameras will be placed in the city's metropolitan areas and close to important infrastructure. Placement of the cameras, which is largely being paid for through a $1 million federal grant, was determined by crime figures. Installation of individual cameras will require an investment of roughly $14,000. Police agencies in a number of cities, such as Boston and Dallas, have used cameras to monitor areas and deter crime. Cameras installed in some areas of Chicago have contributed to a 30 percent drop in criminal activity.
http://www.indystar.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006612010455

"New Radio System Links Macomb Law Enforcers"
Detroit News (12/01/06) P. 4B; Ramirez, Charles E.

The Macomb County Sheriff's Office recently launched a public safety radio network that connects local police and fire departments to other law enforcement and emergency agencies in the state. The new system replaces communication technology that the Sheriff's Office relied on for roughly three decades. Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel projects that the system will be used by nearly all police, fire, and emergency agencies in the country within the next 24 months. The new system allows dispatchers to respond more quickly to more than one call. http://www.detnews.com
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"Cops' Use of Cell Phones Scrutinized"
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (12/01/06) P. A1; Ratcliffe, Heather

The St. Louis police department in June 2006 issued a rule preventing police officers from using earpiece cell phones on patrol. Some special units and police commanders still will have official cell phones, but officers are expected to communicate via police radio, says St. Louis Sgt. Sam Dotson. Alton Police Chief Chris Sullivan does not believe cell phones are a problem for his police force, and likens cell phone abuse to any other device overuse to be handled through normal channels. The St. Louis County Police currently are re-examining their cell phone policy in light of the city's move. Some police instructors argue that cell phones distract officers from their surroundings. Others contend cell phones can help an officer communicate during an emergency, or when police lines are busy, broken, or jammed.
http://www.stltoday.com
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"Little Proof That Cameras Are Effective"
Chicago Tribune (12/03/06) P. C2; Schachter, Jonathan M.

Chicago has been placing more surveillance cameras in high-crime and "sensitive" locations, typically with significant support from the public and amid much publicity. But Jonathan Schachter, a lecturer in public policy and administration at Northwestern University, says municipal data indicates that the city's overall crime rate has remained even. This implies that crime may have moved to areas without cameras. But city officials such as Monique Bond with the police department say cameras have helped slash crime at the sites where cameras have been installed. In Baltimore, however, video cameras have not helped solve any violent crimes there, says the state's attorney's office. Moreover, 40 percent of the more than 500 camera-based cases involving non-violent crimes submitted to prosecutors have been shelved. Schachter asserts that more investments should be made in appointing more police officers rather than in camera systems. He also believes it is important to invest in specialized crime-fighting units and make citizens more involved in crime prevention.
http://www.chicagotribune.com
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"Computertask Force Is a High Priority"
Evansville Courier & Press (IN) (12/04/06); Nesbitt, Jimmy

Vanderburgh County is all set to have a new task force that will investigate computer crimes such as child pornography, credit card fraud, and identity theft. Investigators will focus on crimes committed against children. The task force will consist of the Sheriff's Department, the prosecutor's office, and the Evansville Police Department. The joint effort will be established as soon as Eric Williams takes over as sheriff of Vanderburgh County. The proposal is not official yet, but Williams says he would like to start by the middle of next year. The number of computer crimes have gone up in the last five years, according to the Sheriff's Department. Detective Matt Hill at the Sheriff's Department says it can take up to six months to investigate a crime. The Evansville Police Department has three computer crimes investigators, but Hill says the task force needs at least five. Williams says state and federal authorities may possibly take part in the task force. "When you start talking about Internet-related crimes and computer-related crimes, jurisdictional boundaries become very, very faint at best," says Williams.
http://www.courierpress.com
/news/2006/dec/04/comput
ertask-force-high-priority

"Police Get Communications Vehicle"
Lebanon Daily News (PA) (11/29/06); Sholly, Chris

The Hershey Police Department has acquired a mobile-communications vehicle that can be used for conducting security operations. The vehicle, which will also be available for use by other local law enforcement agencies, is equipped with cell phones, Direct TV, a mapping system, and Internet-enabled SmartBoard Screen. The department used multiple grants to pay the $400,000 cost of purchasing the vehicle. The unit's technology enables it to serve during emergency operations, such as when major storms strike the area.
http://www.ldnews.com
/fastsearchresults/ci_4740054

"Police Cars Getting Digital Cameras"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (11/30/06); Bleed, Jake

The Little Rock Police Department is getting a new fleet of police cruisers featuring new technologies. The vehicles will be equipped with digital cameras as well as computer equipment that stores digital files rather than VHS footage. The equipment will replace the department's existing system that comprises up to 1,000 videocassettes at any given time. The new digital cameras will have superior recording and sound capabilities and will also be easier to manage. Furthermore, they will eliminate the need to purchase, handle, and store videocassettes. Footage from the new cameras will be instantly transmitted via a wireless link from cruisers' computers to a server in the police garage. Officers will also be able to transfer footage via email. The upgrades are part of a two-year improvement effort of the department that is being funded by $1.2 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Justice.
http://www.ardemgaz.com

"Palm Reading Joins Ranks of the Crime-Fighting Tools"
Chicago Tribune (11/30/06) P. 6; Yang, Tony C.

The Chicago Police Department has deployed electronic palm readers to process arrests by recording the entire palm. The Live Scan fingerprint scanners are high-tech gadgets that work like copy machines and allow state and federal authorities to share information, says Marikay Hegarty at the Chicago Police Department. The Illinois Criminal Justice Authority provided an $829,000 grant for the department to purchase 37 Motorola palm reading units. The new tools are faster than the old method of ink fingerprinting. Law enforcement officials can quickly find out if someone has a criminal record. The palm readers will replace the department's old fingerprinting system within the next two weeks.
http://www.chicagotribune.com
/news/local/nearwest/chi-061
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"Mayor Backs Prompt Study of Taser Use"
Houston Chronicle (11/30/06) P. B1; Stiles, Matt; Glenn, Mike

Houston, Texas, Mayor Bill White has told the Houston City Council he wants an immediate, independent statistical study on how Tasers are being used on suspects of various ethnicities, and on whether Tasers are reducing injuries to police officers and reducing fatalities to suspects. Houston's police have been using Tasers for two years now, and the mayor's request comes after an incident in which police officers used Tasers to subdue Houston Texan football player Fred Weary. According to Houston Police Department statistics for 2005, Tasers were used 64 percent of the time on African-Americans and 23 percent of the time on Hispanics, though African-Americans represent 23 percent of Houston's population, and Hispanics 43 percent. The Houston police department says Tasers have been well studied in the department, have reduced injuries, and have saved lives. In terms of Fred Weary, Weary denies he was combative, and a judge already has dismissed resisting arrest charges against him. Houston City Controller Annise Parker is beginning a separate review on Taser use in Houston.
http://www.chron.com
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"Fingerprint Machine Only New for U. Kentucky-Area Police"
University Wire (11/30/06)

The Lexington, Ky., police department received its first electronic fingerprinting device called Livescan in October 2006 and expects a second one for its forensics department before the year is over. Lexington police Sgt. James Decker expects training will be completed and the machines ready for use by January 2007. Livescan costs $24,000 for one machine and all accessories. The Lexington county jail has used a Livescan machine for the last 10 years. Electronic fingerprinting means not only faster processing of suspects and inmates, but the machine also automatically sends fingerprints to the FBI and other government agencies.
http://www.uwiretoday.com

"Safety Vision, L.P. Expands PatrolRecorder Line of In-car Video"
Business Wire (11/22/06)

Safety Vision, a global provider of mobile digital video solutions, is expanding the PatrolRecorder line by introducing the PatrolRecorder CF and the PatrolRecorder RHD. Both mobile recorders provide law enforcement personnel with high quality mobile video recording in a digital format. The PatrolRecoder CF is a solid state mobile digital recorder with no moving parts and can store up to 13 hours of data. The PatrolRecorder RHD is able to store several shifts' worth of data with its removable 2.5" mobile-rated hard drive. Both units power up in less than four seconds and provide pre-event recording time of up to 60 seconds. A standard feature includes integrated GPS positioning, which tracks vital information such as location and speed for each recorded event. Data is retrievable by removing the compact flash card or hard drive, or using wireless technology. To assist police departments in managing and archiving collected data, a software application that integrates with database technology was developed for these units. Video files and corresponding metadata are stored in a database allowing efficient information retrieval as needed.
http://home.businesswire.com/
portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndm
ViewId=news_view&news
Id=20061122005555&newsLang=en

"Bridging the Gap Between First Responder and Citizen Caller"
Law Enforcement Technology (11/06) Vol. 33, No. 11, P. 76; Lorello, Tim

On a daily basis, first responders such as police officers and emergency medical personnel respond to incidents where they need to receive information as quickly as possible in order to make a difference. Over the past several decades, the flow of crucial data to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) has been streamlined to the point of near-perfection. However, the process of transmitting this data from the PSAP to first responders in the field has not gone as smoothly. New types of communications methods are evolving that could eventually make the exchange of this data automatic. One potential solution is the Next Generation 9-1-1 public safety infrastructure, which uses Internet Protocol interfaces that can support both data and voice. The FCC is examining the possibility of using text messaging and other types of data to accomplish the same goal, and the public safety industry has defined interfaces that support a range of data and voice services.
http://www.officer.com/magazines/let/

"Cities Find New Uses For Crime Fighting Tool"
American City & County (11/06) Vol. 121, No. 12, P. 20; Brock, Ed

Cities of all sizes have begun correlating daily crime report data using Computerized Statistics (CompStat) programs in order to ensure criminal hotspots receive adequate attention from law enforcement officers. According to detective Jeff Godown, CompStat director for the Los Angeles Police Department, about 60 percent of U.S. cities utilize some variation of the program, which gives precinct commanders the power to direct law enforcement strategy and make the best of their often limited resources. "It allows you to put the cops where the crimes are occurring," said Godown. "There's a litany of different entities that we're starting to CompStat." The programs are also being implemented by local governments for other public services and can be used to file reports, track worker performance, gather 311 data, and generally improve efficiency and service. California's Long Beach Police Department has seen crime continually decrease in the three years it has used CompStat, and local officials are now considering using such a system in a citywide performance management initiative currently in the works. The programs can save money by reducing overtime and absenteeism in major cities such as Baltimore, which expects to save $350 million in the first five years of its Citistat public works program after an initial investment of just $20,000.
http://americancityandcounty.com
/publicsafety/government_cities_find_new/

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