2007 Biometric Consortium Conference and Biometrics Technology Expo

Dates: September 11-13, 2007

Location: Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Conference Registration
Fees:
Government/Non-Profit - $495
Industry/Consultant/Other - $595
Student - $295
Exhibit Hall Only - Free

Conference Internet Web Site
www.nist.gov/bc2007/

Expo Internet Web Site
www.biometricstechexpo.com

Anticipated Attendees
We anticipate 800-1000 attendees at the Conference with 100 speakers, representatives from over 60 federal, State and Local agencies, and 25 universities. Attendees will include government executives and program managers, biometric technology vendors, system integrators, commercial technology users, researchers, and policy makers.

2007 Program
As the leading Biometric conference, BC2007 will address the important role that biometrics plays in the identification and verification of individuals for government and commercial applications worldwide.

Scheduled Keynote Speaker:
“Dr. John H. Marburger, III, Science Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy“
Scheduled Sessions:
Advanced Biometric Systems and Technologies
Biometric Standards
Biometric Technology in the Department of Justice
Biometrics in Financial Applications
Challenges and Opportunities to Implementing Biometrics in Transportation
Department of Defense
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Justice
Executive Office of the President of the US, National Science & Technology Council, Subcommittee on Biometrics & Identity Management
International Biometric Industry Association
Introduction to Biometrics
Nanotechnology and Biometrics
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Research Symposium (CITeR/IEEE)
Security of Biometrics
Status of Biometrics and Other Special Topics

2007 Biometric Consortium Conference Sponsors:
National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)
National Security Agency (NSA)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
DoD Biometrics Task Force
National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
General Services Administration - Office of Technology Strategy
Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, U.S. Department of Transportation
Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association

REAL COP WORK

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Police-writers.com added three police officers who offered distinct, different and real perspectives on police work. Jim Daly gives an inside view of jails and county sheriffs; Richard Reed on a detective’s hunt for a serial killer; and, Bill Walsh on the life of a mounted police officer.

Jim Daly is a retired lieutenant from the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office (Oklahoma). After his retirement from the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office he worked as a police officer for the Arcadia Police Department from 2001 through 2004. During his career, he worked as a jailer, deputy sheriff, CLEET instructor, American Red Cross Instructor, and biohazards instructor. Jim Daly is the author of two books: Lockdown Madness and Behind Steel Doors.

According to the book description of Behind Steel Doors, “in this book the reader will be allowed to visit the dark side of jail and what goes on inside one. It is about hard-core prisoners who have nothing to lose, the games they play, and how they assault fellow prisoners or brave jailers. It includes responding to emergency calls, and how all the madness builds up behind the big steel doors of jail for prisoners and jailers alike. This book will definitely show some statistics reported and incidents that have occurred.”

According to the book description of Jim Daly’s book Lockdown Madness, “step inside the walls of one of the largest correctional facilities in the United States and the madness experienced by not only the inmates but also the men and women who are charged with guarding them. This book details the career of a former Marine and U.S. Army National Guardsman who devoted his entire career to protecting society from murderers and rapists, drunks and drug addicts. The stories told in this book are true, and the author makes no apologies for the language and the violence that occurred inside the living, breathing demon known as a jail. Come inside, if you dare!”

Richard Reed served as an Intelligence Analyst and Korean Language interpreter in the U.S. Army, and has worked in the court systems or law enforcement since 1975. He worked in the Criminal Investigation Division of the Evansville Police Department (Indiana) from 1987 until he was promoted to Sergeant in 2003. While assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division of the Evansville Police Department he was the lead investigator on the Joseph Brown case. He is currently the commander of the Internal Affairs Division, and is finishing a Master’s Degree in Public Service Administration.

Richard Reed is the co-author of Blood Trail. According to one reader/reviewer, Blood Trail is “a page turner from the beginning! Both true crime fans and non true crime fans will be completely amazed by the unfolding of this true tale of horrific murder in America's Heartland. Blood Trail opens with the August, 2000 brutal murder of Ginger Gasaway in Indiana, a death that shocked the nation when her cold, calculated killer took investigators to three different counties to recover her dismembered body parts.”

From 1976 to 1995, Sergeant Bill Walsh of the Fort Wayne Police Department (Indiana) and his equine partner, Boo, patrolled the streets of Fort Wayne, Indiana. These two formed a special bond between themselves and the community. Bill Walsh’s book, Mounted Cops are Ten Feet Tall, is a narrative about how and why he started and developed the Mounted Patrol. It explores the “partners” daily lives and the sometimes unusual adventures they encountered.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 597 police officers (representing 256 police departments) and their 1249 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Three Illinois Cops

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officers from departments within the State of Illinois: William “Bill” Redding, Joseph J. Truncale and Sargei “Sarge” Hoteko.

William “Bill” Redding spent time as a police officer in Evanston, Illinois where the excitement of “the pursuit” filled his career. He reached the pinnacle of his profession as the chief of police for the Belvidere Police Department (Illinois). While a police officer, he obtained a master’s degree, and worked in every division of law enforcement.

William Redding is the author of Holy Orders. According to the book description, “The United States criminal justice system is in conflict with that of the Vatican. This novel discloses the power of the Catholic Church over the government and the media in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. You may be surprised which system prevails in the end and which system is the most effective.”

Joseph J. Truncale is a retired police officer from the Glenview Police Department (Illinois). His special interest and expertise is in the police defensive tactics, police weapons, officer survival, martial art and citizen self-defense fields. He has designed numerous officer survival courses and has taught police and security officers from around the world at international conferences.

Joseph Truncale is a lifetime student of the martial arts, earning black belts in numerous systems, including Karate (Rokudan), Jujitsu (Kudan), and Judo (Godan). He has also had extensive training in many other combat systems such as Krav Maga, Haganah, Target Focus Training, Knife Combat, Stick fighting, Gracie Jujitsu, Small Circle Jujitsu, boxing and numerous other fighting arts. Joseph Truncale was one of the founding directors of ASLET and is on the advisory board of ILEETA (International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association).

Joseph Truncale is certified as an International Instructor in the Monadnock Defensive Tactics system, the PR-24 Police Baton, the Expandable Straight Baton. He is also the Chief Instructor in the Mini-Baton, Weapon Retention, Knife Handling and Knife Defense. He has been on the advisory board of the Monadnock Police Training Council for many years.

Joseph Truncale is the author of Season of the Warrior: A Poetic Tribute to Warriors. According to the book description, “This is a book for anyone who desires to understand the warrior's heart and soul. Those who practice, or has an interest in, Judo, Karate, Jujitsu, Aikido, Kenjutsu, Aikijujitsu, Police tactics, military or any other warrior combat systems, will find words of praise honoring Warriors with poetry. Those who are not involved in the Warrior Arts but who wish to understand the inner soul of The Warrior will also be enlightened by the poems and essays in this volume. Finally, this is the only book on poetry that focuses completely on honoring Warriors and the vital role they play in the history of human kind.”

Sargei “Sarge” Hoteko served 27 years in various law enforcement capacities. After his military service in the United States Army he joined the Lake Forest Police Department (Illinois). Then, in 1975, he joined the United States Customs Service. Ultimately, he retired as Chief Inspector for Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Sarge Hoteko is the author of two books: On The Fringe Of History: A riveting behind-the-scenes look at the war on drugs and terrorism from a "fed" who fought the fight and Hoteko's Laws: A Manager's Guide to Success, Survival and Sanity in the Federal Government.

On The Fringe Of History is Chief Inspector Sarge Hoteko's personal memoir, including his experiences as a narcotic interdiction and antiterrorism instructor in 16 countries around the globe. Hoteko reveals the shocking, rampant and systematic corruption within many of those governments, especially; Pakistan, Mexico, Bolivia and Nigeria--the most corrupt nation on earth. On The Fringe of History follows one American's fascinating career around the world and captures the sheer patriotic joy he experienced while serving his country.

Hoteko's Laws: A Manager's Guide to Success, Survival and Sanity in the Federal Government are “Chief Inspector Sarge Hoteko's golden rules on managing in the federal government. He states only 10 percent of those in management make any useful contribution. The remaining 90 percent are along for the free ride - all at taxpayer expense. You'll meet the people he labels: The sandbaggers, the clowns, the wackos, the yes men and the stargazers.

Discover the other myriad impeding factors that face the 10 percenters. Observe how prying reporters, pompous politicians, devious lawyers, power hungry unions and volatile EEO issues can impact a manager's ability to get the job done. Learn the shocking truth behind some talented people who sadly self-destructed. Examine his compelling case that the 10 percenters are better managers than their private industry counterparts.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 590 police officers (representing 250 police departments) and their 1234 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

True Crime and Careers

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Three police officers who have written books were added to the website: Jaye Slade Fletcher, George Vuilleumier and Charles P. O’Reilly.

Jaye Slade Fletcher was a career police officer with the Chicago Police Department. She was the first women to work patrol in the Chicago Police Department’s history. During her career she received over 30 department citation for courage and outstanding public service; including an award of special recognition for her pioneering efforts on behalf of women in law enforcement. Jaye Slade Fletcher is the author three books: Deadly Thrills; Perfect Gentlemen; and, Create your own Tile Art: Stamps and Stencils.

Deadly Thrills is “an account of a series of savage sex murders and mutilations that rocked Chicago during the early 1980s describes the shocking murders and the young man, Robin Gecht, and his male followers who were tried and convicted for the monstrous crimes.” Perfect Gentlemen “chronicles the life and crimes of twenty-eight-year-old Michael Lee Lockhart, a handsome and charming serial killer who idolized Ted Bundy and who launched a horrifying nine-month spree of rape, torture, murder, and mutilation across five states and two continents.”

George Vuilleumier holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia Pacific University, and he has spent his entire adult life in the field of law enforcement. At the age of 18, George Vuilleumier joined the United States Coast Guard. Upon discharge he joined the Massachusetts State Police where his assignments included vice officer and narcotics investigator. He left the Massachusetts State Police to join the U.S. Treasury where he served as an Internal Affairs Agent, uncover operative and ultimately the Chief of the Treasury’s Southwest Region. Upon mandatory retirement he joined the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department where he served as a reserve lieutenant.

George Vuilleumier has produced a number of law enforcement training films and has appeared on the Law Enforcement Television Network. He has also written extensively for The Chief of Police magazine. His book, It’s a Cop’s Life, is his autobiography.

Charles P. O’Reilly was a police officer for the Elmhurst Police Department (Illinois) for over 20 years. His book, I Couldn’t Say No, is a memoir of his life and career. ccording to the book description, “For people that know early on what they want to be in life, whether doctor, lawyer, engineer or accountant, their career pursuit is easy. But for the vast majority, the undecided, they must choose their slot in life differently. They do this through the experience of rejecting a host of jobs that for one reason or another just do not fit. Nobody learned this hard lesson better than the author. In I Couldn't Say No, the writer shows his often painful experiences going from apprentice field engineer to expediter, from a series of sales jobs, to milkman and from bartender to store manager trainee. Through a federal jury assignment and a stroke of luck his destiny changed. At age thirty-one with six years of marriage and a family of four, he finally found what he was looking for when he took a police officer's exam in Elmhurst, Illinois and passed. Originally it was to be temporary until he could land a Border Patrol job...instead it was a happy twenty-year career.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 587 police officers (representing 247 police departments) and their 1229 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Don't play Russian Roulette with your body armor. . .or your life

By Steve Russ
RUSS Innovations, Inc.

When a bullet strikes body armor, it is caught in a web of very strong fibers. These fibers absorb and disperse the impact energy that is transmitted to the vest from the bullet, causing the bullet to deform, or "mushroom." Additional energy is absorbed by each successive layer of material in the vest, until the bullet has been stopped.

A major problem in law enforcement and corrections/military communities is the deterioration of body armor’s ballistic-resistant capabilities due to improper care and maintenance. In most cases, this problem is not caused by the manufactures of body armor, but is, in fact, caused by the men and women who wear this life saving device, or by their respective department heads/commanders who allow negligent — and potentially life-threatening — care and storage to continue.

The five most common ways to improperly care for your body armor could be fatal mistakes:

1. Using a wire hanger with the ends bent up.
2. Using a wood hanger, which is stronger than, but just as destructive as a wire hanger.
3. Using a clamping slacks hanger — when it clamps down on the ballistic panels, it crushes the ballistic fibers of the vest and allows no air to circulate inside the vest panels.
4. Tossing the body armor into the bottom of a locker — this not only creates permanent folds and creases, but also prevents ventilation and prohibits the body armor from completely drying.
5. Tossing the body armor in the trunk of your vehicle — very destructive because of the high temperatures and humidity in this enclosed area.

Manufacturers suggest that when not in use, body armor should be laid flat, dried on one side and flipped over and dried on the other. This was the only method that prevented damage to the body armor and allowed the ballistic fibers to completely dry. But a new device makes this task easier than ever.

The Flak Vest Hanger™ is ideal because the user can hang the body armor, which saves space and allows it to dry twice as fast as lying flat. The Flak Vest Hanger™ is fully adjustable for all sizes and fits both male and female armor. It addresses each and every improper method that causes damage, and is backed by a twenty-five year warranty.

Body armor manufacturers provide the user with instructions on how to care for their body armor. However, very few end-users or administrators take the time to read this important information. Upon interviewing thousands of officers and administrators around the country, I have found that less then 10 percent have read the care and use instructions.

The percentage is even lower when it comes to people’s understanding of the warranty, in terms of what it means for the body armor’s durability and effectiveness. Several high-ranking officials in federal, state and local governments have even gone as far as to say they didn’t care how the body armor was maintained since their agency could not be sued.

In other words, it wasn’t "their problem" if the men and women who wore it won’t take care if it. In my opinion, this says very little for their knowledge on the warranties of the body armor and it says even less for these department heads on the value that they place on the lives of the men and women who serve under them.

Today, most men and women and their department heads who wear body armor believe that their body armor will stop a projectile, as long as it was designed to stop a specifically rated caliber. This is a life-threatening misconception shared by those whose very lives depend on it. Improper care and maintenance may have caused deterioration to the ballistic fibers and, as a result, decreased the ballistic threat level that it once met. Just because it was designed to stop a certain round when it was made, doesn’t guarantee that it will continue to do so if it is not properly treated and maintained.

At one time, several manufactures of body armor provided a ten-year warranty with newly purchased vests. Today, only a couple manufacturers provide more than a five-year warranty. This is not because the ballistic material only lasts five years — in fact, it can — but because, once the body armor is out of the control of the manufactures, it is solely up to the police officers and their department to ensure the proper care and maintenance of the unit, and this can’t be vouched for.

One of the most frequently asked questions the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) receives is "how long does body armor last?" Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer. Every piece of armor will eventually need to be replaced. Body armor is not a one-time buy.

For example, if a department changes its service weapons or ammunition, the armor worn by its officers must be shown to protect against the new weapons systems. If an agency determines that the ammunition threats that they face have increased, upgrading to a higher level of protection may be appropriate. An individual’s body weight may change over time, and armor that no longer fits or is uncomfortable is likely not to be worn.

Since no two pieces of armor are exposed to identical wear or care, each must be evaluated individually. Age alone does not cause body armor’s ballistic resistance to deteriorate. The care and maintenance of a garment, or the lack thereof, have been shown to have a greater impact on the length of service life. Armor that is 10 years old and has never been issued may be perfectly acceptable for use, provided that the rated level of protection is still appropriate for the typical threats faced. Conversely, 2- or 3-year-old armor that has been worn regularly and cared for improperly may not be serviceable.

Both the DuPont testing and a 1986 study by NIJ22 (Ballistic Tests of Used Body Armor) found that age alone does not degrade the ballistic properties of armor. Armor manufactured in 1975 that remained in inventory without issue exhibited ballistic-resistant properties identical to those at the time of manufacture.

No two people are built alike and no two people sweat or perspire the same amount. This is also true for how they take care of their body armor. Body armor manufacturers know this and their limited warranty is the only method that they have to somewhat insure to any degree that the ballistic materials used in the construction will perform as designed. Remember, anything won’t last if you don’t take care of it and body armor is no different.

Body armor that is improperly maintained and stored via "homemade methods" places one's life at unnecessary risk. I have always asked the question, "Would you go into a gun fight if you knew that your weapon may not work or the ammo was bad?" Each and every time I ask this question I get the same answer: "No."

I then ask, "Then why would you wear body armor that may no longer provide you with the safety level needed to perform your job if you do not have to?" Yet day after day, our loved ones wear poorly cared for body armor into battle, mistakenly thinking it will save their lives.

In short, don’t play Russian Roulette with your life by not caring for your body armor. Protect the device that protects your life so that you can come home to those who love you.

You can obtain more information on body armor by reviewing the Selection and Application Guide to Personal Body Armor NIJ Guide 100-01 (Update to NIJ Guide 100-98).

About the Author:
The author of this article Steve Russ is a retired Police Officer from the State of Michigan and has studied the deterioration of body armor for the last twenty-five years. Officer Russ provides expert testimony in several fields of law enforcement and has been working toward educating the men and women who wear body armor of these risks. RUSS Innovations, Inc.

U.K. TACTICAL SNIPER COURSE

The International Tactical Officers Training Association (ITOTA) is “an international law enforcement organization designed to offer high-quality professional training and information sharing. The ITOTA recognizes the need to expand and share tactical knowledge by focusing on the wealth of experience that exists in the global tactical community. The ITOTA will be hosting a tactical snipers course at Camp Atterbury which is an Army training post located next to Edinburg, Indiana. This course of instruction is for snipers working in rural and urban environments. The course is open to law enforcement, military, corrections and government contractors.

Course description
Date: September 24-28, 2007
Location: Camp Atterbury, Indiana
Tuition: $495.00 (non ITOTA member)
Member price: $395.00

The lead instructor for this course is a recently retired, British Army, Master Sniper with over 22 years of real world experience. Prior to discharging from the military he served as the Sergeant Major charged with oversight and training the recon/sniper platoons at the Battalion level.

The Sgt. Major has a vast amount of experience that was gained through out the world in places such as; Ukraine, USA, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo, Malaysia, Germany, Falklands, Afghanistan, East and South Africa.

Instruction will be given on the following:
Weapon and bullet vs. the environments.
Urban and rural alternative position firing.
Emergency response hides and shooting positions.
Emergency tripod.
Glass and vehicle shooting.
Observation techniques such as: field sketching, color coding and various surveillance techniques.
How to acquire several "guns on to target" with speed and accuracy.
Coordinated shoots from a containment situation; from the firing line or from the control room.
Stealth movement and techniques.
Camouflage techniques.
Shooting from Rural and Urban hides.

Live and non-live fire training scenarios will be conducted.

For more information on the course or to register CALL: 812.878.SWAT or email us at www.itota.net.


Course topics and content:
What is a sniper.
Sniper mind set.
Sniper roles and equipment.
Urban camouflage.
Rural camouflage.
Judging distance.
Urban/rural hides.
Insertion techniques.
Internal/external/terminal ballistics.
Theory of shooting and sighting techniques.
Alternative firing positions rural and urban.
Emergency tripod.
Observation techniques.
Field sketching.
Coordinated shooting.
Color codes and containment positions.
Shot placement.
Long distance shooting techniques.

Gear/equipment list
Rifle with scope or patrol rifle* 1000 rounds of duty ammo
Spotting Scope
Water re-hydration system
Small daysack/backpack
Water proof clothing
Camouflage clothing urban/rural
Rain gear
Head cover/ hat
Small folding knife
Pens/pencils/paper

*(Must be pre-zeroed to 100 yards.)

Rontal Announces Extension of SimGuard’s Crowd Behavior Prediction Module

Lod, Israel, June 20, 2007. Rontal Applications, Ltd.(www.rontal.co.il), a developer and provider of innovative incident management and business continuity systems, today announced an extension of SimGuard's crowd behavior prediction module. SimGuard is Rontal's revolutionary incident management and business continuity system, which merges the real and virtual worlds for maximum security and control.

The new extension further enhances SimGuard's Crowd-behavior Scenarios Database (CDB) and improves the system's ability to predict crowd behavior during evacuation for planning and training purposes, as well as command and control in real time emergency situations. The system displays animated virtual crowd in a virtual evacuation, for better decision-making.

The extended module enhances the ability to locate, in advance, potential bottlenecks during evacuation, when every second counts and blocked escape ways or doors can result in a catastrophe, due to human panic or disorder. The extended module calculates possible damages to pre-planned evacuation routes, due to the impact of hazardous factors, such as a bomb, fire, smoke, gas leak, etc.

The organization's chief security officer (CSO) or SimGuard's operator can run any combination of crowd volume, availability of routes and parameters characterizing the nature of the specific scenario (such as average ages, people with disabilities, possible level of panic, etc.). Storing these scenarios into SimGuard's Crowd-behavior Scenarios Database enables the CSO and the operator to get the most accurate prediction of crowd behavior at any time, while the parameters are updated automatically by the real-time sensors, such as access control, for accurate definition of the number of people at the site.

"Planning and controlling mass evacuation in an emergency situation is of utmost importance," said Roni Zehavi, Co-founder and CEO of Rontal. "A safe and orderly evacuation can save lots of lives, and anticipating crowd behavior and bottlenecks is the key to successful evacuation management."

SimGuard superimposes real-time incidents over a 3D geospatial presentation of the client’s facilities and campuses, including the integration of advanced analytical algorithms such as crowd behavior, blast effect and fire propagation. Essentially, SimGuard is an interactive decision support tool for key personnel at all levels – from operators to executives.

In the first phase, SimGuard builds a virtual site of the real facility, assesses the vulnerability of each part of the site, and creates "what if" scenarios for future incidents. In the second phase, SimGuard gathers information from various sensors and displays it on a situational awareness display. Concurrently, a virtual-world screen fuses all the information and shows a multilayered display of pipes, electricity cables, phone cables, specific routes, etc., allowing the operator to make a virtual tour of any floor. During an incident, SimGuard retrieves the relevant incident management scenario, enabling optimal command and control, handling the event in real-time. The interaction between the real and virtual worlds allows maximum control and optimal emergency step-by-step guidance.

About Rontal Applications
Founded in 2003, Rontal Applications, Ltd. develops and provides innovative solutions for incident management and business continuity. The company's executives have extensive experience in security and emergency management methods and techniques, as well as in advanced information technology. Headquartered in Lod, Israel, Rontal is a private company owned by the founders and private investors. For more information about Rontal, visit www.rontal.co.il .

Law Enforcement Technology

NLECTC Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology News Summary
Thursday, June 21, 2007

"Could Robot Be Cops' Best Friend?"
San Bernardino County Sun (CA) (06/18/07); Wall, Stephen

A new remote-operated device known as Guardian 5 could allow police to perform the job an officer normally would who pulls over a car for a violation. The robot raises to the height of a car window, asks the driver for his license, uses a mechanical arm to accept the license, and transmits a video image of it to the officer in the patrol vehicle. Guardian 5, which was created by Redlands, Calif., auto technician Fernando Ramirez, is meant to protect police in high-danger situations. Ramirez thought up Guardian 5 in 2006 following a pair of incidents involving state Highway Patrol officers on area freeways. One officer was shot and hurt in November 2005 after he pulled over a speeding vehicle on the 15 Freeway in Ontario, while the other officer was killed in February 2006 when a drunk motorist hit his motorcycle and a truck he had pulled over on the 15 in Hesperia. Guardian 5, which is made of aluminum, sits in a black carrier in the front of a police car, and can expand itself to as high as 52 inches. Once it is deployed, Ramirez stated that the device can be returned to its carrier in under 30 seconds. Innovative Response Technology robotics program manager Carey Butler believes Guardian 5 would cost between $30,000 and $50,000 apiece, although "the marketplace will want to see it much less expensive, probably in the $15,000 to $25,000 range." http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_6166706

"Crime Solvers Tap Into Texting"
Boston Globe (06/15/07); Smalley, Suzanne

Police in Boston were set to announce on June 15 a new text-messaging system for anonymous tips, in order to increase the public's chances of communicating with police. The initiative, which is being promoted as the initial one in the country to combine text messaging with an anonymous tip line, is meant to make use of texting's privacy and its popularity among numerous youths, who may be less likely to call the police. Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis noted that Los Angeles and New York have started testing text messaging to emergency dispatchers, but stressed that no other department has introduced a comprehensive plan to produce crime tips via anonymous text messaging. Members of numerous Boston radio stations were set to convene with police authorities on June 15 to talk over contributing air time for radio commercials manufactured by Boston advertising agency Hill Holliday touting the plan. In addition, the MBTA has contributed advertising space in four or five stations and around 250 buses, while area businesses have contributed multiple ad spaces on streets and inside bus shelters. The program depends greatly on technology from VeriSign. To text authorities, an individual can dial CRIME (27463) on his cell phone keypad and text the word tip. The tipster gets an instant return message telling him that the tip is anonymous and recommending that he contact 911 if an emergency has occurred.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/
06/15/crime_solvers_tap_into_texting/

"Criminal Investigations Advance With New Technology"
Associated Press (06/14/07); Gross, Andale

Cell phones are proving an essential tool in helping investigators solve crimes, as the body of an 18-year old kidnapping victim was found in Kansas City, Mo., after law enforcement tracked her cell phone signals. "The Kelsey Smith case may not have looked like a case that could be solved by technology, but in many ways it was," says head prosecutor Eric Zahnd. In another case, a woman claiming that she had been abducted was tracked by her cell phone when authorities discovered her story was a fabrication. Phone companies do not release records to police or allow for tapping into calls without permission from the court, yet tracking technology via surveillance videos, email, and Web sites (such as MySpace) facilitate the process for criminal investigations. As FBI special agent Jeff Lanza says, "Without technology, a lot of cases would reach a dead end very fast."
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MO_SLAIN_TEEN_
TECHNOLOGY_MOOL-?SITE=MOPAR&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

"Metro Police Seek Funds for DNA Analysis"
Tennessean (06/15/07) P. 1B; Bottorff, Christian

New advances in DNA technology are helping homicide detectives in Nashville, Tenn., solve cold cases. Metro police first launched a homicide unit in 2005 to review old cases. Of the 258 unsolved cases, 33 have been reopened, 19 have been vacated, and four are in the prosecution phase. Heartened by the number of unsolved cases that have been solved with the aid of new DNA technology, homicide detectives are seeking a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to open more cases. Funding from the grants will also help cover overtime and travel expenses for detectives and could boost production by 25 percent. "It will increase the possibilities," says Metro Sgt. Pat Postiglione. "The funding would allow detectives the luxury to be able to look at more cases than they would normally be looking at without the grant."
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070615/NEWS03/706150409/1001/NEWS

"Can a 'Virtual Fence' Help Seal U.S. Border?"
Wall Street Journal (06/15/07) P. B1; Lunsford, J. Lynn.; Block, Robert

A 28-mile electronic fence dubbed SBInet will soon be tested by the U.S. government in an effort to better protect the country's borders. The fence is composed of nine 98-foot-tall towers spaced out along a section of the border just south of Tucson, Ariz., featuring long-range video cameras, radar, and motion sensors. The Department of Homeland Security says the virtual fence will cost around $8 billion through 2013, and may incorporate biometrics and air assets. The equipment can focus on people from up to five miles away and on vehicles as far away as 15 miles. The data from the towers will be transmitted to a command center as well as to several Customs and Border Patrol vehicles outfitted with special gear. Federal agents would be alerted to attempts of drug smugglers and others trying to cross into the country. Some agents worry that drug cartels would buy or develop technology to thwart the virtual fence, while others say only law enforcement agents can be truly effective deterrents. Boeing won an initial contract of $70 million in 2006 to start developing the system, which, if successful, will lead to the installation of hundreds more of the camera towers along the country's borders with Mexico and Canada. According to officials, an alarm will sound if a person get too close to a tower, and agents can remotely use a "hailer horn" to broadcast warnings at a volume as high as a jetliner taking off. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118187410529636352.html

"Homeland Security Grant to Buy High-Tech Radar on Lake"
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (06/17/07)

The Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority will use a $242,000 homeland security grant to install a radar-based surveillance system that will allow law enforcement authorities to monitor naval traffic on Lake Erie. A secure Internet connection will allow local, state, and federal agencies to access the radar system, which can be used for detecting boats that are behaving suspiciously or speeding. The system, which has a range of four miles from land, will also prove useful during search and rescue missions and in reconstructing boating accidents. Joseph Weindorf, the Erie County (Pa.) public safety director, says the system will address law enforcement's ability to scrutinize what takes place on the water, currently a major weakness. Similar systems have been installed in the San Francisco, Chesapeake, and Delaware bays.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07168/794973-85.stm

"Wireless Shotgun Round Extends TASER Reach"
United Press International (06/14/07)

A new shotgun-fired TASER provides more range for police officers to subdue suspects. Unlike current TASER devices, which are made with a wire that places officers in direct contact with targets, the XREP round is wireless, allowing officers to deliver electrical jolts from a distance. The XREP round is also made to be used with a standard 12-gauge shotgun. Following its July release, field tests of the XREP are scheduled to take place this fall. http://www.washtimes.com/upi/20070614-022330-9706

"Police to Put Cameras on Tasers"
Middletown Journal (Ohio) (06/13/07); Schwartzberg, Eric

Funds granted to Fairfield Township, Ohio, will allow for police officers to record potential suspects' every move from a Taser. "The mere fact that you can digitally record the action obviously serves you well when you go to court, both for the criminal case and if there's any liability that someone wants to assess on the township at a later time," said Police Chief Richard St. John. The federal grant will equip every office with a Taser, while the Taser Cam would be able to record up to 90 minutes of video from an internal memory chip. The Taser Cam costs $400, yet it is less expensive than equipping each police car with a camera. The grant from the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance would give $18,798 to the township.
http://www.middletownjournal.com/search/content/oh/story/
news/local/2007/06/13/hjn061307fftwpmeet.html

"JFK Pipeline Warrants Police Patrol: U.S. Reps"
Flushing Times Ledger (06/14/07); Koplowitz, Howard

U.S. Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) are calling for boosted law enforcement to protect John F. Kennedy International in light of recent revelations of an alleged plot to blow up fuel tanks at the airport. "I am calling for increased federal resources from the Department of Homeland Security to compliment the ongoing security efforts of the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey at JFK," Meeks said at a recent news conference. The lawmakers advocate greater cooperation between federal, state, and local officials in regards to security as well as boosted police patrols and camera surveillance at the targeted area.
http://www.timesledger.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=
18474994&BRD=2676&PAG=461&dept_id=542415&rfi=6

"Dollars and Sensors"
Newsday (06/14/07); Eisenberg, Carol

New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is calling on federal legislators to fully fund the Homeland Security Department's pilot program, Securing the Cities, to guard against a nuclear or radiological attack. The program would establish a ring of radiological detectors on bridges, highways, and tunnels leading into New York City, within an approximately 50-mile range. Police officials from several states have united to lobby Congress for the $40 million needed to finance the project, which was developed in response to the 2005 London terror strikes. The London plot originated 180 miles north of London, in Leeds, illustrating the "regional aspect of the terrorist threat," said Kelly, and inspiring a more regional approach to security in the United States. In addition to the proposed Securing the Cities program, New York has joined forces with Baltimore, Buffalo, and other jurisdictions along the East Coast to identify threats before they reach the city.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-ushome145255011
jun14,0,1578744.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-print

"Wayne County Sheriff Launches Operation 'Safe Child' in Wayne County"
US States News (06/15/07)

Wayne County, N.Y., Sheriff Richard Pisciotti reports the implementation of "Operation Safe Child" through the Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office is the first law enforcement agency in Wayne County to participate in the program, which involves digitally fingerprinting and photographing children. The Sheriff recently received a grant from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services to purchase the necessary equipment that consists of the latest digital fingerprinting technology and high resolution photography capabilities. Sheriff Pisciotti states national statistics show that approximately 35 percent of parents do not know certain pertinent information about their children, including their height, weight, and eye color. Many parents also do not possess recent photographs of their children. Utilizing "Operation Safe Child," law enforcement personnel can take a digital photograph of a child along with digital prints of the child's index fingers. A small wallet size Identification card can be created for parents/guardians bearing the child's photograph, prints and other biographical information including name; date of birth; eye color; height; weight and any other descriptive information. With written permission of a parent or guardian, the information can be kept in a special data base at the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services in Albany. This database can greatly assist law enforcement with the investigation of a missing child. Stored information regarding a missing child can be sent electronically to other law enforcement agencies in minutes, which can greatly enhance the possibility of bringing a missing child home safely. http://w3.nexis.com/sources/scripts/info.pl?296938

"New Machine Speeds Airport Screening for Amputees"
USA Today (06/12/07); Howard, Kate

Nashville International, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Tampa International, and San Jose International are set to launch piloting of the CastScope portable X-ray machine, designed to more efficiently screen passengers with casts, braces, and prosthetic limbs for weapons or explosives. The technology will allow screening to be conducted in a matter of seconds rather than the 10 to 15 minutes it can take when these travelers are patted down and scanned with a metal detector wand if they set off a metal detector. Screening using the technology will be optional for passengers at the selected airports.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/
2007-06-12-airport-prosthetic-screening_N.htm

"New Technology Would Lengthen Long Arm of Law"
Grand Junction Sentinel (CO) (06/11/07); Hamilton, Amy

The Grand Junction (Colo.) Police Department and the Mesa County (Colo.) Sheriff's Department want to invest in a technology called COPLINK, a database sharing system that is designed to help law enforcement cross-reference information and communicate with other agencies across the state. The system is also designed to help law enforcement make connections in cases and identify and track suspects more quickly, according to Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey. Combining information in law enforcement databases for the city and county--which are currently stored on two separate systems--could have other benefits as well, including saving law enforcement hundreds of hours in investigative time. The system will be installed on the departments' existing computers at a cost of about $400,000, said Deputy Chief Troy Smith of the Grand Junction Police Department. He added that the system could be online locally as soon as the first part of 2008.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/
2007/06/11/6_11_1a_Coplink.html

"A Drive to Destroy Data"
NJ.com (06/10/07); Coryell, Lisa

A public security breach involving sensitive police information obtained from auctioned Ewing Township computers and posted online has revealed the need for statewide standards on destroying government data. Though the contractor hired to clean the hard drives of the soon-to-be-auctioned Ewing Township computers believed he had thoroughly erased the hard drives, a computer expert was able to extract confidential police information. In response, New Jersey townships are modifying their methods of protecting data stored in hard drives of computers slated for local charities, the recycling heap, or public auctions. Moreover, the state of New Jersey is reconsidering its policy of auctioning old PCs with intact hard drives. The state currently wipes hard drives clean "to state standards," but is investigating whether supplemental safeguards are needed, says Mark Perkiss of the state Treasury Department. In technology circles, experts debate whether "scrubbing" programs that overwrite files with binary strings are enough; some contend that data can be left intact due to tracking errors or bad sectors on the disk. Indeed, some experts choose to physically destroy hard drives with drills or sledgehammers.
http://www.nj.com/news/times/index.ssf?/base/news-3/11814483064430.xml&coll=5

"XML Joins the Force"
Government Computer News (06/04/07); Walsh, Trudy

Law enforcement must be able to successfully manage data to protect citizens, asserts Mike Phillips, project manager of a data integration project in Florida called FLEX (Florida Law Enforcement Exchange). To this end, Florida needed to link information from some 400 agencies statewide including city, county, and university police departments, sheriffs offices, and district attorney offices. All these agencies have individual budgets, dispatch systems, and record management systems, and to access such data, the state's law enforcement community needed to focus on metadata, or the information about data. The state's law enforcement department created eight metadata planners, one for each of Florida's seven regions and one for the state's Department of Corrections. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) opted to work with the National Information Exchange Model (NEIM), an interagency framework for sharing data through Extensible Markup Language (XML), an open standard for exchanging information across various computer systems or platforms. NEIM is structured on the Global Justice XML Data Model designed by the U.S. Justice Department for use by law enforcement as a data standard. According to Phillips, Florida is the first state to rely on a relational form of NEIM. FDLE selected Sypherlink's NIE Gateway because of its artificial intelligence features, he says. Phillips says the use of Sypherlink has allowed Florida to form a statewide data dictionary as well as a central data warehouse that permit FDLE to undertake predictive analysis and sophisticated analytics, and FLEX is enabling all the state's approximately 400 law enforcement to access such tools. http://www.gcn.com/print/26_13/44399-1.html

"We Can See Clearly Now"
Government Computer News (06/04/07) Vol. 26, No. 13,; Marshall, Patrick

Though face recognition technology experienced a series of failures in the early 2000s, those setbacks prompted a focused research effort, the results of which are now evident. Scores from the 2006 Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) were 10 times better than the scores from the previous FRVT test in 2002. In addition, the face recognition software was found to be more accurate than humans by the 2006 FRVT. Whereas face recognition algorithms were originally based on single, still images of faces, researchers today use 3D images, allowing algorithms to gather data on how features look under various lighting conditions and viewing angles, thereby generating more precise measurements. Microfeature analysis, the identification of patterns in skin texture, is another valuable development, thanks to new, higher-resolution cameras. Skin texture patterns are so unique that even identical twins differ, making microfeature analysis a "secondary signature" of the face, along with the geometric signature, says Joseph Atick of L-1 Identity Solutions. Patrick Flynn, one of the FRVT 2006 investigators and a professor at the University of Notre Dame, notes that FRVT only assessed the technology's performance in controlled, cooperative identification situations, throwing doubt on whether it can function as well in uncontrolled conditions with uncooperative subjects. At a minimum, Flynn anticipates a growing adoption of face recognition technology in controlled surveillance situations, such as verifying employees at the elevator. http://www.gcn.com/print/26_13/44396-1.html

Coalition Trains Afghan Police in Special Weapons, Tactics

By Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Cohen, USN
Special to American Forces Press Service

June 18, 2007 – The battle against the Taliban is an ongoing fight throughout Afghanistan. One of the groups leading the charge against the terrorists and insurgents is the Afghan National Police. A new capability is being added to make the Afghan police an even stronger force. The Afghan National Civil Order Police will be an elite group of police officers filling a variety of roles.

Superintendent James Rainville, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is assigned as a mentor with Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan and is in a lead role helping to develop the Afghan's police capabilities.

"These police officers have already finished basic training; some have been on the police force for a couple of years or more," Rainville said. "They recently completed a 60-day course in advanced police training and tactics focused on team building, unit cohesiveness and upgrading skills and abilities before becoming a fully operational unit."

The police officers undergoing Afghan National Civil Order Police training learn to work in small tactical teams, requiring dedicated professionals, said Rainville.

"These (police officers) are the cream of the crop," he said. "The police officers coming through this program are about 90 percent literate, which is very high for Afghanistan. They are eager to learn, and they are catching on very fast."

Coalition military and civilian mentors are instructing the 300 officers going through training here.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Warren Bockhol, an embedded trainer from Task Force Phoenix VI assigned to the Afghan National Army's 201st Corps, is working with the students to hone their skills.

"These guys are motivated and want to learn," Bockhol said. "They want to be here, and it shows."

The skills they learn, including techniques used by special weapons and tactics teams, will help keep them in the fight and establish dominance over their enemy.

"We are teaching them SWAT techniques. Some of these are very similar to infantry skills we use in the field," Bockhol said. "Cordon-and-search (operations) are things we do in an urban environment; these are things they will need to do, as well." Cordon-and-search operations involve clearing buildings and methodically making sure each room is secured and safe.

"We're teaching them how to go room by room, making sure it is safe to proceed," Bockhol said. "We are still in the 'walking' phase of instruction. They are learning the theory and application. By the time they finish this training, they will be effective operators."

Not every police officer will be in the SWAT unit.

"This is as much a selection process as it is training," Rainville said.

Those who do not make the cut for SWAT still will be part of Afghan National Civil Order Police, but will be used in other roles such as crowd and riot control.

"We are looking for people who can shoot accurately, think on their feet, take and follow orders," said Scott Hill, an Afghan National Civil Order Police training mentor with DynCorp. "We need them to be responsive and take in the situation and understand how it is developing."

Hill, a 13-year veteran of a U.S. sheriff's department, said it is not about shooting or hurting people.

"When a SWAT team enters a building, they are going in there to rescue people," Hill said. "The last thing they want to do is go in there, start shooting and kill the wrong person. Discipline is a key part to working in a SWAT unit, as is teamwork and communication."

Sgt. Abdul Shokoor has been an Afghan police officer for the past three years. He is motivated and is a standout among his peers, Bockhol said. Talking to him reveals a dedicated officer who wants to serve with the best Afghanistan has to offer.

"I want to serve my country and make Afghanistan safe for the people," Shokoor said. "Being part of ANCOP has given me the chance to learn new skills and serve with the best. The instructors are excellent and are willing to share their experience with us. They really make this training worthwhile."

Rainville said he is glad to see the progress in the overall training program.

"When these units go into the field, they will be on par with any police unit in the West," he said. "They will have the best training and the best equipment in Afghanistan and will be capable to carry out the tough missions with success."

These police officers will be assigned to Kabul, with future classes being stationed in other provinces throughout Afghanistan, officials said.

(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Cohen is assigned to Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan Public Affairs.)

Three Chicago Police Officers

Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three Chicago Police Department authors: Jerry Ardolino, Edward Burke and Terry Hillard.

Jerry Ardolino graduated the Chicago Police Department Academy in 1973. He attended Chicago City College on a U.S. Department of Justice grant studying Behavioral Science and Law and graduated the nationally recognized combined Police Science/Criminology Program of the Chicago Police Department Training Division and Northwestern University. He served approximately five years on the Chicago Police Department. While on the job, he became a firearms and ammunition dealer; as well as a leather goods manufacturer.

He is the author of Extreme Cop: Chicago PD. According to his book description, Extreme Cop, “is the true story of Jerry Ardolino, the wildest, most violent cop in the history of the Chicago Police Department and that would mean: in the history of the world. Jerry Ardolino is the book’s author and it is the first true, full-length on-going story about the Chicago Police written by an insider. It has never been done before. Jerry Ardolino was a star-carrying member of that horde of hard-edged cops; the largest and deadliest “gang” in Chicago or anyplace else. The gang in midnight-blue leather police jackets who had the tools and the talent that enabled them to become known throughout the world, as the most violent, corrupt, out-of-control and; toughest police force ever to stalk the streets.”

Edward Burke, attorney and long-time Chicago alderman, is co-author of End of Watch, a history of Chicago police officers killed in the line of duty. In 1968, at the age of 25, Edward Burke took leave from the Chicago Police Department to replace his deceased father as the Democratic Committeeman in the 14th District. In 1969, Edward Burke was elected to the 14th Ward Alderman’s Seat in Chicago.

According to the Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge 7, “ End of Watch: Chicago Police Killed in the Line of Duty 1853-2006 by Edward M. Burke and Thomas J. O’Gorman examines the remarkable sacrifice of 526 sworn officers of the Chicago Police Department. Throughout the book’s 300+ pages and more than 600 photographs, there are detailed narratives of each officer and the circumstances involved in their deaths. The book traces the heroic history of Chicago’s finest with accounts of each episode drawn from municipal records, police files, contemporaneous newspapers, court documents and ground breaking research.”

Terry Hillard enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1963, served 13 months in Vietnam and received four medals and a Presidential Unit Citation. In 1968, he entered the Chicago Police Department Training Academy and served as a police officer in several districts as well as a specialist in the Gang Crimes Unit. In 1975, he was seriously wounded after being shot twice while apprehending a suspect who had shot four suburban police officers. Terry Hillard’s law enforcement career with the Chicago Police Department reached zenith when he was Superintendent. He retired in 2003. He is the co-author of his biography, Chicago Police: An Inside View - the Story of Superintendent Terry G. Hillard.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 584 police officers (representing 246 police departments) and their 1225 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Predatory criminals, their motives and you

Jailed for the rape of seventy-five women, an inmate revealed in an interview that if his victims had simply put a pair of old construction boots at the front door, he would have passed by and never considered them as targets.

Police-Writers.com, a website listing nearly 600 state and local police officers who have written books, announced that Michael R. King’s newest book, Predators, is available online now; and, will be in book stores next week.

Michael King, a 25 year veteran of law enforcement, co-authored this look at the predatory mindset of criminals. Predators explores “their motives, various plans of attack, and way of thinking--and then teaches simple lifestyle techniques that will help reduce the risk of becoming victimized. Criminal behavior specialists Greg Cooper and Mike King provide expert analysis based on real-life cases, in addition to moving insights from victims and criminals themselves.

According to the authors, “Most of us only half-listen to the public service announcements about safety in the home. We lock our doors at night, but do little else to change habits that may make us the next victims of the dangerous individuals who are always on the watch for their next opportunity.”

The authors make the point “that the people who commit these crimes aren't much different from the predators of the wild, preying on the weak and unsuspecting. What makes these individuals more dangerous than their instinctive wildlife counterparts, however, is that they consciously choose to inflict their will on the more vulnerable members of their own species. To protect our loved ones and ourselves requires that we truly educate ourselves about the predators who live in our society and then take appropriate action.”

Mike King began his law enforcement career in 1979 with the Pleasant View Police Department and several months later he moved to the Ogden Police Department where he served in Patrol, Motors and the Tactical Squad/SWAT Team. At the time of his retirement, he was an Intelligence Supervisor for the Utah Criminal Intelligence Center and oversees intelligence gathering and dissemination for northern Utah. Prior to working for DPS, Mike King was the Director of the Utah criminal Tracking and Analysis Project and retired as a Lieutenant from the Utah Attorney General's Office. He continues to serve as a Reserve Police Officer and provides analytical support and consultation to the Ogden Police Department.

Michael King teaches Criminal Investigative Analysis for the Utah Peace Officers Standards and Training academy and as an adjunct professor in Criminal Justice at Weber State University and the Salt Lake Community College. Mike has a Master of Criminal Justice degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and Communications.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 576 police officers (representing 242 police departments) and their 1216 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Defense Department Supports Afghan Poppy Eradication

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

June 14, 2007 – A top priority for U.S. government officials working in Afghanistan is eradicating poppy plants and creating alternative livelihoods for farmers, a Defense Department counternarcotics official said today. Richard Douglas, deputy assistant secretary of defense for counternarcotics, counterproliferation and global threats, spoke to military analysts in a teleconference from Kabul, Afghanistan. He said the Defense Department is working with U.S. Central Command, the U.S. State Department, and the British government to combat the narcotics problem in Afghanistan.

"It's Afghanistan's future and their fight, but we do what we can to support the combatant commander as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration in carrying out the effort here," Douglas said. "It's a very important effort. As you are well aware, there are some huge challenges here, but we're doing what we can to help (Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, commander of Central Command) and his folks here get their arms around it and make a contribution."

The State Department is leading a reassessment of the approach to poppy eradication, Douglas said, including a focus on creating viable alternative crops for farmers. The partner agencies also are looking at attacking the money that comes from the narcotics trade in Afghanistan and funds drug traffickers and the Taliban, he said.

"I think it's pretty clear at this point that the Taliban and other armed insurgents have awakened to the value to them of this source of income, and part of our challenge here is to help the combatant commander help other actors over here, both from the United States and from other countries, get a better handle on where this money's going, because as we've learned in our own hemisphere, an important way to hurt the drug trafficker and to hurt the terrorists that work hand in glove with them is to go after the money," Douglas said.

This is Douglas' fourth trip to Afghanistan since taking office in January 2006. He said there are challenges on the ground, but he sees progress in the fight against drugs in Afghanistan.

"It's not an easy problem to solve, but I do believe that the State Department and the British government appreciate the nature of the challenge," he said. "I think they've been taking a serious approach not only to the strategy but also reassessing the best way to go about this."

Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.

Collaborations for Faith-Based Initiatives

Join an Online Discussion

On June 27, 2007, at 2 p.m. (eastern time), the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) will present a Web Forum discussion with Rev. Theresa Mercer and Elaine Witman on best practices for collaborating on faith-based initiatives. In addition to their individual experience, Rev. Mercer and Ms. Witman co-directed the Baltimore chapter of the OVC-funded Spirituality and Victim Services Initiative from 2003 through 2006.

Rev. Mercer has 19 years of experience in program and community development working with faith-based, grassroots, and professional organizations throughout the country. She recently worked on the Maryland Faith Partnership Initiative as a project specialist for the Cabinet Council on Criminal and Juvenile Justice through the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention.

Ms. Witman is Director of Partnership and Program Development at the Sidran Institute, a nonprofit organization that educates people about traumatic stress and advocates for those who suffer from it. She has more than 20 years of experience in organizational development and capacity building; program design and implementation; community organizing; training, technical assistance, and community education; and systems integration.

Visit the OVC Web Forum now to submit questions for Rev. Mercer and Ms. Witman and return on June 27 at 2 p.m. (Eastern Time) for the live discussion. Learn how to participate beforehand so you are ready for the discussion.

Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.

Police Writers Wanted for TRUE BLUE II

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, announced that one of the listed authors, Lieutenant Randy Sutton, has begun work on his latest book by collecting stories written by, and about, police officers.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lieutenant Randy Sutton, who published TRUE BLUE, Police Stories by Those Who Have Lived Them (2003) has announced that he is collecting stories by active duty and former police officers for a second edition of the acclaimed book. More than $30,000 was donated to the NY Police and Fire Widows and Children’s Fund as a result of royalties from sales of the books which are still available in hard cover and paperback in bookstores and at AMAZON.COM; as is his latest book, A Cop’s Life. Lieutenant Randy Sutton is going to donate partial proceeds from the second edition to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund in Washington D.C. and the book will be used as a fund raising tool by the organization.

“The written word is the most powerful tool we possess” Sutton said in his announcement, “and through our words, we create unity amongst ourselves and build bridges of understanding to the people that we serve.”

According to Sutton, stories can be anywhere between two to ten pages in length and the subjects can be amusing, sad, serious or whimsical. “Police work brings out all of our emotions” says Sutton, “and the stories in the book will simply reflect that. I’m looking for cops who have something to say, regardless of their writing experience.” Lieutenant Randy Sutton is especially interested in stories about fallen officers for the section entitled “Officer Down.” “There can be no better tribute to the police officers who gave their lives than to have their stories memorialized forever in this book.” Sutton said.

To submit a story, you can contact Sutton at www.truebluestories.com or send a hard copy to him at 2250 E. Tropicana Ave. PMB 19-735 Las Vegas NV 89119. Please include your contact information.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 576 police officers (representing 242 police departments) and their 1216 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.