Law Enforcement Technology

NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, May 17, 2007

"New York Plan for DNA Data in Most Crimes"
New York Times (05/14/07); McGeehan, Patrick

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer wants to broaden the state's database of DNA samples to include individuals found guilty of a majority of crimes, while making it simpler for inmates to utilize DNA to attempt to prove their innocence. Presently, the state obtains DNA from people convicted of around 50 percent of all crimes, usually the most serious. Spitzer's idea would mandate DNA to be taken from individuals deemed guilty of any misdemeanor, including minor drug violations, harassment, or unsanctioned utilization of a credit card, according to a draft of his proposal. It would not include acts regarded as violations, such as disorderly conduct. In widening its database to include all misdemeanors and felonies, New York would be fairly unique, although a group of states obtain DNA from certain defendants when arrested, even prior to conviction. In addition, Spitzer wants required sampling of all inmates in New York, and of those people on parole, on probation, or who are registered sex offenders. That change would add around 50,000 samples to the database, at a price of around $1.75 million. Police authorities and prosecutors nationally have lauded DNA collection as one of the best law-enforcement tools. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/14/nyregion/14dna.html

"HPD Wants Cameras to Monitor Crime"
Houston Chronicle (05/15/07); Stiles, Matt; Glenn, Mike

The Houston Police Department wants to install red-light cameras to catch drivers breaking the law at 50 intersections around Houston, Texas. The department already is installing over a dozen pedestrian-surveillance cameras in Houston, with four located downtown, as crime-deterrence and quick-response tools. Houston Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Martha Montalvo says the four downtown cameras should help modify and corral behavior by "giving the public an expectation that the police are there." Signs will be posted announcing the presence of the downtown cameras to the public. The police are facing some criticism for these cameras from citizens and groups concerned about their civil liberty and privacy rights. Thirteen other hidden cameras to be installed around Houston will be positioned to deter illegal dumping in empty city lots. Houston Police Department CFO Joseph Fenninger says the police department may expand this camera project further if successful. Police departments in Chicago and Baltimore have already installed cameras, some with flashing lights affixed as a warning, and both cities claim to have witnessed a resulting drop in crime.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4804059.html

"New Computer Program Stops Sex Offenders at School Doors"
Ocala Star-Banner (FL) (05/14/07); Callahan, Joe

Jeanine Mills, principal of Oakcrest Elementary School in Ocala, Fla., thinks new computer sign-in software for school visitors is the most effective security gadget Marion County Public Schools has at its disposal. In only a few weeks, the Raptor Identification System has found a pair of child-sex offenders as they signed up as visitors at two elementary schools. The individuals, though, were not under court supervision and had legitimate purposes to be at the schools. The Web-based, sign-on software system, which is manufactured by V-Soft and sold by Raptor Technologies, was implemented at the schools last month. When a driver's license is run through the system, it investigates each state sexual-violator database. After the identification is scanned, it will compare the pictures to all of the individuals on nationwide sex offender lists. In certain cases, the system will hit on incorrect matches and then the school worker must decide whether the warning is real. School Superintendent Jim Yancey stated that for April, the system cost each school around $2.50 a day.
http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070514/
NEWS/70514005/1368/googlesitemapnews

"'Arm' Can Reach Into Cupboards"
Boston Globe (05/14/07); Baard, Michael

A new "snake-arm" created by engineers in Britain to assist the military may also be used in the home in the near future. Made by OC Robotics of Bristol, the snake-arm can be equipped with cameras and tools, and utilizes its wires and actuators to grasp objects in confined areas, making it suitable for constructing and checking airplane parts, notes OC Robotics CEO Rob Buckingham. Currently, the firm is working with the United States and British military to incorporate the snake-arm into bomb-disposal robots. An iRobot PackBot outfitted with a snake-arm, for example, would be able to look underneath a vehicle for explosive gadgets. Buckingham also expects to talk this week with other scientists and investors in Cambridge, Mass., to look into ways the invention can be utilized in the home. A snake-arm robot, for instance, might be able to access cupboards and obtain an item inside, without knocking anything else over.
http://www.boston.com/business/personaltech/articles/2007/05/14/
arm_can_reach_into_cupboards/

"Captured on Video But Not by Police"
Chicago Tribune (05/14/07) P. 1; Ahmed, Azam

Despite the obvious security feature of cameras to capture thieves in action, many incidences of crime in Chicago that have been captured on camera have yet to result in arrests. "Even though you have a very clear-cut, positive depiction of someone on video, it doesn't mean it's easy for you to know where the offender could be apprehended," says the city's police department representative Monique Bond. In the case of the "Cubs bandit," infamous for wearing a Cubs hat during committing crimes, clear images of his face have been taken in robbing three banks, yet the suspect has not yet been held. In the case of randomized crimes, suspects who have no links to their target tend to elude authorities. Despite blatant crime footage, limited area circulation of videos that capture the crime, in addition to suspects altering their appearance pre or post the crime, thwart attempts at tracking perpetrators.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/north/chi-0705130435may14,
1,6451182.story?coll=chi-newslocalnorth-hed

"New Jail Brings Technology to Visitation"
Walton Sun (05/05/07); Magliano, David

Florida's Walton County jail will offer visitation via a video conferencing system. The jail has created a room filled with 28 stations, whereby guests and inmates can have contact via monitors and speak through a telephone connection. The new system fosters a more "controlled environment," said Walton County citizen services director Ken Little. Inmates are kept close to their cells during visitation hours, minimizing the possibility for outside materials reaching them, Little added. Isolating prisoners from guests also enhances a safer experience for visitors and for the staff needed during visitation. http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/05/05/2584479.htm

"Local Police Consider Starting DNA Labs"
State (SC) (05/13/07); Tate, Ishmael

Many South Carolina law enforcement agencies are considering the creation of their own agency DNA labs, because the state-wide DNA lab has a backlog of around 700 cases and may face an increased workload. Richland County has its own DNA lab and can process DNA profiles in 24 hours. Greenville County is planning to build one now, and other counties are considering it. The State Law Enforcement Division in Columbia (SLED) handles about 20,000 DNA cases per year. SLED in fact may see more cases soon because the South Carolina legislature is considering a bill to require all people arrested for felony crimes to submit evidence to SLED. This would add 75,000 DNA cases to their docket each year, and the bill adds only nine new laboratory positions. Currently only people who are convicted of felonies in South Carolina must submit DNA evidence to SLED for processing. South Carolina prosecutors also say television shows are raising expectations among juries that the state will present DNA evidence. Lacking it may hurt the state's case. Richland County's lab cost $350,000 to build and $100,000 to operate annually, not including staff costs. http://www.thestate.com/154/story/62607.html

"Police Use Cell-Tracking Technology to Find Transplant Patient in Time for Surgery"
San Diego Union-Tribune (05/10/07)

Pennsylvania State Police used global-positioning technology to track down a 10-year-old boy and get him to a hospital in time for a life-saving heart transplant. The police were called after hospital officials couldn't reach the family to be told a heart was available. The trooper working the desk sent out patrols to search for the family and eventually called communications company Sprint to track May's cell phone, then sent officers to a concert at Slippery Rock University, where they notified the parents.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/tech/20070510-0658-gps-transplant.html

"BombBots Save Lives"
Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register (WVA)) (05/15/07); DeGenova, Annie

The Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization annual Mock Prison Riot showcased the latest innovations in law enforcement technology. Among the products displayed was Innovative Response Technologies' BomBot 2. Already being used by U.S. troops in Iraq, the remotely operated vehicle is versatile and can be used for bomb detection, search and rescue, disposal, and even hostage negotiation. "It can also deploy gas and set up surveillance," says West Virginia High Technology Consortium mechanical engineer Matthew Uhle. The show is unique because it allows officers to handle the latest technology and offer input on how to improve it.
http://www.theintelligencer.net/community/articles.asp?articleID=19367

"Haverstraw Wants Police to Monitor Surveillance Cameras Via Web"
Westchester Journal-News (05/10/07) P. 1A; Matsuda, Akiko

The surveillance cameras situated in Haverstraw, N.Y., might be remotely watched in the near future from the town's police headquarters. Town Board member Jay Hood Jr. stated recently that he believes he has uncovered an affordable way to remotely watch the cameras. He explained that a high-speed online connection, such as FiOS from Verizon, would provide a fiber to the camera locations and send the cameras' feed to police headquarters. The cameras could be operated by a joystick via the Internet from the headquarters. Hood thinks the price of new equipment and a rapid online link would be around $30,000, while the monthly price to retain the online connection would be around $200. Haverstraw Mayor Francis Wassmer claimed the village would begin looking into Hood's idea. Town and village authorities note that the cameras record the day-to-day occurrences on the streets and that the recordings have been utilized for police investigations.
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070510/NEWS03/705100420/1019

"In the Age of Technology, Police Get Valuable Leads Online"
Business Wire (05/11/07)

LeadsOnline (www.leadsonline.com), used by more than 670 law enforcement agencies, makes it possible for detectives to search for criminals who may have disposed of stolen goods in pawn and secondhand stores across the country. Detectives may find a Rolex from Portland in a store in Las Vegas, or a gun from Seattle in a store in Boise. Although most pawn customers are pledging their own property, real-time access to electronic records in a criminal investigation speeds up the process that used to be handled through a time-consuming collection of paper slips and store visits. Police say the instant access to information gives citizens a better chance of having their stolen property recovered. In Tacoma, Washington, Detective Chris Taylor says "It's accessible 24 hours a day, and the more agencies that are online, the better chance citizens have of getting their stolen property back. It helps every department clear cases faster, and the retailers find it helpful to them in complying with their own reporting requirement." U.S. Marshals deputies and Corpus Christi Police investigators used LeadsOnline to identify two men who brutally murdered a man in his doorway and stole several items from his home. By searching transaction records within a radius of the crime scene, a description of the victim's jewelry and the name of the person who sold the items were right there online, bringing the case to a speedy close. The system is accessible only by authorized law enforcement investigators. Agencies that are not yet users can access the system through the www.leadsonline.com website and receive a 30 day trial.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=
news_view&newsId=20070511005593&newsLang=en

"Local Police to Get Upgrades"
Danville Register Bee (VA) (05/08/07); Taylor, Kyle

The police department of Danville, Va., is using Homeland Security, earmark, and other grants to obtain new technologies, such as an imaging system. Officers say the system will feature pictures of crimes scenes, suspects, and written reports that officers can access as needed. Danville currently has 11 wireless hotspots, but that number is anticipated to rise to 47, according to Lt. J.T. Henderson; those hotspots offer wireless connectivity to officers in squad cars within about a quarter of a mile of a tower. The city's squad cars also feature digital video cameras and Panasonic CF29 notebook PCs. The quality of the video footage is better compared to VHS tapes, says Henderson. The digital footage can also be used as evidence, and can be transferred to computer or DVDs at headquarters. Training for the imaging system will be provided.
http://www.registerbee.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=DRB/MGArticle/
DRB_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351110749&path=


"Greene to Test Reverse 911 System"
Kinston Free Press (05/09/07); Marshall, Katie

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management will be testing telephone emergency notification systems in nine counties statewide. One of them is Greene County, where three state prisons are located, and residents have voiced concern over knowing the whereabouts of escaped convicts. The county's existing phone tree system is ineffective when residents are not at home, according to county officials. The new system will be a reverse 911 automated phone system that will cost the county just 18 cents per phone call and $125 per month to Emarq for updated land line numbers. The system alerts residents via pagers, PDAs, text messaging, email, telephone, cell phone, and through posted messages on a Web site; the county is not charged for email, text messages or PDA notifications. MyStateUSA would house the phone database on Greene County's secure servers and offer connection information that could be placed on any county or public Web site. Officials say the system can be used for inmate escapes as well as emergency evacuations and other emergencies. Calls can also be limited according to region, officials say. Individuals who lack land line service will be allowed to sign up for emergency and weather alerts via a public subscription service. Another feature of the system is that local personnel can pre-load information as a template, including geographic data. http://www.kinston.com/articles/_38214___article.html/_.html

"Birmingham Police Get $1 Million Gunfire Detector"
Birmingham Business Journal (05/01/07); DeButts, Jimmy

Birmingham, Ala., Police Chief Annetta W. Nunn believes a new gunfire detector will help improve the quality of life in the city for residents. The city has acquired a ShotSpotter Gunshot Location System using a $1 million grant that it has received from the U.S. Department of Justice. A telephone-based sensory system, ShotSpotter will be able to detect when a gun has been fired over an area covering more than six miles, and pick up information for forensic and intelligence analysis that will allow local police to determine the type of weapon used, the direction of the shots, and the location of drive-by shooters on the move. The information will be provided in real time, and will include an audio file. "We must work to ensure that law enforcement has the most technologically advanced tools available to combat violent crime," says Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), who secured the funds for the city. Law enforcement agencies using ShotSpotter report a 50 percent increase in arrests involving gunfire, and a 30 percent decline in the rate of violent crime.
http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/
2007/04/30/daily7.html?surround=lfn

"Can Text Messaging Improve School Safety?"
CIO Today (04/20/07); Lane, Frederick

Virginia Tech's recent tragedy provoked questions regarding the competency of emergency notification measures on university campuses nationwide. Universities are seeking more efficient means of notifying students in times of a crisis, because methods such as email can be delayed reaching students and can even be rejected by a full inbox. Virginia Tech not only used email messages to alert students, but also announcements on its Web site and alerts through the dormitory phone system--all of which were ineffective in warning students. E2campus Director of Communications Bryan Crum says text message alerts can reach users within 4 seconds to 8 seconds, can be grouped by particular categories (i.e. faculty, students, administration staff), and up to 18,000 messages can be sent from authorized personnel's handheld devices per minute. "It's great for brief, non-emergency messages, too, like 'the shuttle is out of service' or 'Seinfeld on campus tonight,'" Crum added.
http://www.cio-today.com/story.xhtml?
story_id=110008AFXMEI&nl=5

"Solving True Crimes"
American City & County (04/07) Vol. 122, No. 4, P. 26; Mamroth, Doug

To upgrade the way police, prosecutors, courts, and additional criminal justice groups communicate with one another, the Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative has created an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema and datamodel that enables agencies to swap electronic data kept in various formats. To send and get data coded with XML, though, the groups must make complex interfaces function with their current systems. Some are instead deciding to employ "adapter" software that can quickly code information with XML tags and translate various formats for essentially any system. Adapters lessen custom programming and change information so it can be studied and taken apart in computer-assisted dispatch, records and court case management, and violator monitoring systems. Numerous law enforcement and judicial agencies, such as the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Colorado Department of Corrections, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, are employing adapter software to share data rapidly about criminal events, repeat violators, and criminal backgrounds. New York City's public safety portal connects 17 agencies throughout a half-dozen counties, all of which can share data about arrests, convictions, and releases. Though prior to the portal being established, the agencies utilized several programs to swap information with one another, there was a discrepancy between the time the events took place and the time the data was exchanged. http://americancityandcounty.com/technology/government_solving_true_crimes/

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