NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary

Thursday, January 25, 2007

"Old Crimes Still Within Reach of Cold Case Unit"
Contra Costa Times (CA) (01/22/07) P. F4; Alfonso, Alejandro

The Alameda County Sheriff's Cold Case Unit seeks to identify murderers and rapists in cases that have gone unsolved for years. Sgt. Scott Dudek notes that older cases present more daunting challenges for investigators, but adds that sometimes a long passage of time can work to their advantage. For example, people who originally were not helpful in the investigation may offer important information years later. In addition, investigators now have access to new crime-solving techniques, such as DNA analysis. The Justice Department provided the grant that was needed to launch the unit, which employs two detectives and a technician, in June 2005. The Cold Case Unit is currently handling 53 cases, with 18 under active investigation.
http://www.contracostatimes.com
/mld/cctimes/news/16517197.htm

"Upgrade of HPD Radios May Wait 5 Years"
Houston Chronicle (01/21/07) P. B1; Ruiz, Rosanna

The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks illustrate the important role that integrated communications between law enforcement and emergency responders can have at a critical time. The Department of Homeland Security has expressed concerns that Houston's communication system does not offer effective information sharing. Nevertheless, city officials say that it could take five years before the communications technology is upgraded. Mayor Bill White insists that the current radio system is good enough to provide the city with an effective response in the event of a disaster. Harris County currently uses 800 MHz frequencies, while Houston relies on 400 MHz. City officials project that developing an integrated communications system will cost roughly $150 million.
http://www.chron.com/disp
/story.mpl/headline/metro/4485884.html

"Crime Camera Bid Pending"
New Orleans Times-Picayune (01/20/07) P. 1; Maggi, Laura

New Orleans is experiencing skyrocketing crime, and in response New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has asked for federal assistance in purchasing and installing 500 new video cameras around the city. Nagin seeks about $6 million in federal assistance for this camera project, and his office will be installing 200 additional cameras with city funds throughout New Orleans piece by piece throughout the year. To date the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has only been able to support Nagin's effort with funds to support cameras at public housing facilities. In fact, New Orleans Police Department's headquarters has yet to reopen due to Hurricane Katrina damage and flooding. U.S. authorities hope repairs will be finished by May 2007.
http://www.nola.com/news
/t-p/metro/index.ssf?/base
/news-19/116927763167460.xml&coll=1

"Device to Detect Drugs, Explosives Moves Closer to Market"
Associated Press (01/17/07)

Police departments may soon have access to a handheld tool that can identify airborne substances ranging from drugs to bombs, according to David Salva, president of United States Semiconductor Corp (U.S. Semi). The company has licensed the technology and will be making it commercially available. But distributing the palm-sized tool to police officers and others could cost up to $5 million, Salva estimated, and might require nine months to 18 months or maybe a little longer. Salva's efforts are being aided by a $100,000 grant from NASA, and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) recently announced a $1.05 million grant. The device involves "Quantum Fingerprint" technology that has been in development over the past 10 years at the Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute (NSEI) at the University of Missouri-Columbia. A computer chip covered with a layer of diamond film draws molecules from the air when a current is applied, according to Mark Prelas, NSEI's director of research. Different types of molecules carry their own individual energy or quantum "fingerprint" that is compared to samples in a database. Prelas estimated that Quantum Fingerprint technology is approximately 1,000 times more sensitive than that existing models. Salva said each handheld unit would likely sell for about $400 to $500 and would be linked wirelessly to a central computer.
http://www.kansas.com
/mld/kansas/news/state/16477091.htm

"Plan Will Allow 911 and 311 Lines to Accept Digital Images"
New York Times (01/18/07) P. B6; Rivera, Ray

Residents of New York City who call emergency 911 call centers also would be able to send digital videos and photos under a proposal announced Jan. 17 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The mayor, who touted the plan as a "revolutionary innovation in crime fighting," said that the same technology will be extended to the city's 311 service line, which allows residents to report quality-of-life problems. "If you see a crime in progress or a dangerous building condition, you'll be able to transmit images to 911, or online to nyc.gov," said Bloomberg. Bloomberg spokesman John Feinblatt noted that although the plan represents a new concept for law enforcement, the technology for the plan already exists, meaning it will not be expensive to implement. "It's just time to bring 911 and 311 into cyberspace," Feinblatt said. Law enforcement and anti-terrorism experts applauded the mayor's plan, explaining that it will increase the flow of information and possibly lead to crimes being resolved faster. "Imagine someone caught in a hostage situation transmitting pictures or video," said anti-terrorism consultant Jerome Hauer.
http://www.nytimes.com
/2007/01/18/nyregion/18cameras.html

"Dozens of New Police Cameras to Watch Over Stockton"
The Record (01/17/07); Siders, David

The Stockton, Calif., Police Department is undertaking a major surveillance project that will see the installation of as many as 44 surveillance cameras in and around the city. With approval from the city council, the county police department will expand its surveillance program, mounting more cameras with pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities at intersections and in parks. Mayor Ed Chavez's Strong Neighborhoods Initiative will underwrite the surveillance program's $1.6 million expansion. Retired police officers will monitor the cameras from a room in downtown's Stewart/Eberhardt Building at prescribed times. Any crimes caught on tape can be used in court to prosecute perpetrators.
http://www.recordnet.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=
/20070117/A_NEWS/701170342

"New County Emergency System Ends Dead Spots"
Florida Times-Union (01/17/07) P. P1; Turner, Kevin

Nassau County emergency officials are lauding the arrival of a new $7.2 million emergency radio system. According to Fire-Rescue Chief Chuck Cooper, the old system had poor reception and suffered from signal pollution that made it impossible for deputies and emergency personnel to stay connected in rural areas. The new system ensures connectivity in the densest locations, increasing the safety of firefighters and deputies. "This is a major improvement, without a doubt", Cooper says. "This will add safety and probably save someone's life. You can put a price on a radio system, but you can't put a price on someone's father, mother, son or daughter." The system is modeled after the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International's "Project 25" digital standard and is located in new, prefabricated portable buildings in Yulee. Project managers expect to have the system up and running around Jan. 22.
http://www.jacksonville.com
/tu-online/stories/011707/n
en_7332745.shtml

"Police Recruits in Taser Study"
Hartford Courant (01/19/07) P. B3; Munoz, Hilda

Twelve aspiring police officers attending the New Britain Police Academy are participating in a new Taser study. Researchers monitored the vital signs of the trainees when they were shocked with the device. Tasers send a 50,000-volt of electricity through a human. Two suspects died after being struck by Tasers operated by New Britain police. However, autopsies did not cite the device as the cause of death.
http://www.courant.com/ne
ws/local/nb/hc-nebstun0119
.artjan19,0,3404601.story

"Scottsdale Asks State to Operate Cameras"
Arizona Republic (01/17/07); Ferraresi, Michael; Coomes, Jessica

The City Council in Scottsdale, Ariz., asked the state to take over a highway photo radar enforcement project the city was testing on Loop 101. The study continued to monitor traffic patterns after the cameras were turned off and showed that without the cameras there was an almost 850 percent spike in speeding. With the cameras on the average speed of drivers was reduced to 64 mph, a decrease of nearly 10 mph, while accidents were reduced by 23 percent to 70 percent, depending on variables, compared to a similar stretch of highway. There were also fewer injuries from rear-end collisions and sideswipes that could potentially save $10 million a year in reduced medical and insurance bills. The state collected over $2.3 million in tickets issued from the photo-enforcement study, with the city of Scottsdale collecting over $782,000 after expenses. If the state decides not to turn the system back on, the city will ask permission to take control of the operation. Critics of the system say there needs to be a way for it to detect the difference between a regular speeder and an on-duty officer in pursuit of a suspect or en route to an emergency, and some believe that the city should not be able to make a profit off of such a system.
http://www.azcentral.com
/arizonarepublic/news/art
icles/0117photo0117.html

"Safety Chief Backs High-Tech Crime Fight"
Des Moines Register (IA) (01/17/07); Petroski, William

Iowa's newly appointed Public Safety Commissioner, Eugene Meyer, pledged Jan. 16 to use advanced technology to fight crime. He spoke before the Iowa House Public Safety Committee during a familiarization session. Steve Bogle, director of the state's Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), told lawmakers his agency seeks to broaden its cybercrimes unit, which has helped prevent the victimization of more than 40 children from online sexual predators. Bogle added that law enforcement leaders are expanding a database of DNA samples to help solve crimes. He further said the agency wants to create a "cold case" division to focused on solving older crimes. Col. Robert Garrison, chief of the Iowa State Patrol, noted that the department's new Dodge Charger patrol cars were more difficult to equip with police gear compared to the old Ford Crown Victoria vehicles. But now that the problems have been resolved, the cars are serving successfully as police cruisers, he said.
http://desmoinesregister.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070117/NEWS10/701170372/-1/NEWS04

"Police Panel to Decide If Cameras Fight Crime"
San Francisco Chronicle (01/17/07) P. B4; Bulwa, Demian

San Francisco police have mounted 33 cameras in 14 locations in the city and routinely monitor video footage from them only twice per month, according to police records. However, Deputy Police Chief Morris Tabak says cameras help deter crime by placing a watchful eye in criminal areas. San Francisco's camera rules-of-engagement are unique in that city law requires police to have reason to believe a crime has occurred before they can watch video footage. In most places, police can watch live video feeds. To date footage from these cameras has been used only once to identify a suspect in one-and-a-half years of being on the streets. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is proposing to spend over $275,000 for 25 more cameras, and his office is studying their effectiveness with an academic partner in order to release a report soon. Some are criticizing the new cameras as a band-aid solution that lacks a real crime-prevention component, such as addiction treatment funding, better street lighting, or programs for at-risk youth.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin
/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/0
1/17/BAGM8NJTE51.DTL

"Dallas Police Developing Intelligence Hub: Center to Analyze Info with Quick Access to Many Databases"

Dallas Morning News (01/16/07); Eiserer, Tanya

Dallas is in the process of creating an intelligence command center that will allow officers to search through all 28 of Dallas' police databases, ranging from narcotics and homicide to traffic tickets, in one easy to use system. The Metro Operations Support and Analytical Intelligence Center, also know as the Fusion Center, will unify police information for the entire city and will help police identify the biggest threats and most dangerous criminals. This type of information unification is part of a new type of policing called "intelligence-led policing" that was first developed in Great Britain and has been used with great success. Similar systems are in use in New York, Los Angeles, and New Jersey, where last summer the system identified four gang members from different cities on a routine traffic stop, that normally might have gone unnoticed, helping analysis determine that the Nine Tre gang was more wide spread and sophisticated then previously thought. This information helped lead to the arrest of 90 gang members, including the entire leadership of the gang.
http://www.dallasnews.com
/sharedcontent/dws/dn/late
stnews/stories/011607dnme
tpolicefusion.3231783.html

"No Easy Fix for State Lab Backlog"
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (01/21/07); Forster, Stacy

The crime lab for testing DNA samples in Madison, Wis., has a backlog of about 1,775 cases, and officials are working to find solutions to reduce the backlog while maintaining the integrity of the lab. Newly-elected Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, who has backed off his campaign promise to quickly eliminate the backlog, says it would take 20 months to clear the backlog if any new evidence wasn't submitted. Many states limit the number of DNA samples tested for each case, but this can allow the defense to say that the samples that were not submitted might be exonerating. Gov. Jim Doyle has committed to adding 15 new analysts to the lab, bring the total to 44, but he says that will not solve the problem and results will never be as fast as they are on TV.
http://www.jsonline.com
/story/index.aspx?id=555198

"GPS Units Track Back to Crack Thefts"
Newsday (01/19/07); Bain, Brandon

Police in Babylon, N.Y., recently were able to recover a stolen GPS (global positioning system) device that was mistaken for a cell phone. The device was being used inside the offenders' home in Lindenhurst, N.Y., enabling police to use Babylon's own GPS system to identify the location, say law enforcement officials. A total of 14 GPS devices were stolen from vehicles in the Department of Public Works' storage yard on Sunrise Highway. In January 2006, the city equipped 300 vehicles, including snowplows, dump trucks, and street sweepers, with GPS devices. Law enforcement agencies across the country are reporting an increase in thefts of GPS devices from vehicles over the past two years. Police officials say the other 13 devices might have been discarded in the Great South Bay.
http://www.newsday.com
/news/local/longisland/n
y-ligps195058087jan19,0
,5176340.story?coll=ny-linews-headlines

"City Hall Pushed to Buy $1.5 Million System to Track Gunshots"
Boston Globe (01/06/07); Smalley, Suzanne

Boston City Hall is being pressured by Boston city councilors, law enforcement officials, and community leaders to find the $1.5 million to install a gunshot detection system called ShotSpotter. The system, produced by ShotSpotter Incorporated of Santa Clara, Calif., uses a network of audio sensors, about the size of a coffee can, to triangulate the position of a gunshot, and is believed to be intended to cover parts of Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury, and the South End. The system is so sophisticated that it can determine the location of a shot from as far as 1.5 miles away within seconds, can isolate gunshots from other sounds, and even distinguish between shots fired from different types of weapons. Last year Boston had 74 homicides, 54 from gunshot wounds, almost identical to 2005 which had a 10-year high of 75 homicides, with 51 from gunshots. The number of shootings in 2006 increased from 2005 to 377 shootings, an rise of more than 10 percent. Similar gunshot detection-systems are being used in Chicago, Ill., Minneapolis, Minn., Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Oakland, Calif., Gary, Ind., Charleston, S.C., and Rochester, N.Y. Last October in D.C. the system led police to a suspect only minutes after the shooting and Minneapolis has several success stories including an officer-involved shooting, the recovery of a discarded gun, the arrest of a convicted felon with a gun, and an arrest for a shooting that was never reported to the police.
http://www.boston.com
/news/local/articles/2007
/01/06/city_hall_pushed_
to_buy_15m_system_to_track_gunshots/

"Expanded Program to Get DNA Could Cast a Wide Net"
Arizona Republic (01/19/07); House, Billy; Wagner, Dennis

The Justice Department may require another year before its plan to include the DNA samples of illegal immigrants in the federal DNA collection program can be implemented. Details of the initiative must still be presented to agencies affected by the changes. The final rule could be much more expansive than currently planned and provide law enforcement with an important tool. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio expressed support for the plan because it can provide suspect information not currently known. However, critics expressed concern about the expanded DNA collection that would also allow officers to collect samples from material witnesses to a crime.
http://www.arizonarepublic.com

"Terrorism Hoaxes Still Plaguing Law Agencies"
USA Today (01/19/07) P. 3A; Hall, Mimi

U.S. homeland security and law enforcement agencies' ability to prevent another terrorist attack is being jeopardized by numerous terrorism-related hoaxes that occur on a near-daily basis. These hoaxes force agencies to divert crucial resources, money, and manpower when responding to the hoaxes, distracting agencies from pursuing real terrorism leads. These false tips and hoaxes include the infamous October 2006 "dirty bomb" threat against seven NFL stadiums, which "caused a massive mobilization of every resource you can think of" and resulted in an untold dollar-amount-loss in terms of manpower and resources, said one law enforcement official. Many officials believed that the football stadium threat was an absurd hoax, but law enforcement takes no chances when these threats arise, and has no choice but to respond. "We're on the front lines of keeping this country safe, and when you're distracted by these false threats, it goes right to the heart of our ability to protect the country," says Dan Dzwilewski, chief of the San Diego FBI office. Law enforcement officials are calling for more stringent penalties for the perpetrators of these hoaxes.
http://www.usatoday.com/news
/nation/2007-01-18-hoaxes_x.htm