2018

Technology September 10, 2018

Automated License Plate Recognition Technology Evolves

Rebecca Waters         Rapid changes in technology can make it difficult to stay ahead of the game. The above statement is particularly true when it comes to Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems which combine cameras, data processors and character recognition software, all of which are constantly evolving. Even law enforcement’s use of the technology continues to evolve. Once used only to recover stolen vehicles and track expired vehicle registrations, ALPR is now used to solve a countless number of offenses….

The Wheels of Justice September 10, 2018

The Wheels of Justice September October 2018

Sergeant James Post A CONDENSED HISTORY OF POLICE CAR ENGINES PART TWO This is the second part of our retrospective covering police car engines starting in 1932 when Henry Ford’s first V-8 appeared. We’ve covered other significant engines, too, such as the big- and small-blocks from Ford® and GM and, of course, the Gen I and II HEMI®s from Chrysler. Along the way, we also discussed some of the significant police cars which were powered by these engines. Part two…

mobile phones

Legal Update September 10, 2018

Legal Update September October 2018

Larry E. Holtz, Esq. Supreme Court Protects Cell Phone Location Information             Does an individual have a constitutional right of privacy in his (or her) cell phone location information? Recently, in Carpenter v. United States (US 6-22-18), the United States Supreme Court said, “Yes!” The Case: Police arrested four men suspected of robbing a series of RadioShack® and (ironically enough) T-Mobile® stores in Detroit. One of the men confessed that, over the previous four months, the group had robbed nine…

Can of baked beans

Busted September 10, 2018

BUSTED! – Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity September October 2018

James L. McClinton, Ph.D. So, where does a thief work after he gets “canned”?… The sheriff of Bay County, Florida, was on his way to lunch with his chief deputy and a major when they heard an emergency call broadcast: An armed robbery suspect was at a food store in Youngstown. The trio was closest, so they quickly responded. The suspect exited the store holding a hammer as if it was a gun, but retreated back into the store with…

Law Enforcement Leadership

Law Enforcement Leadership September 10, 2018

Law Enforcement Leadership September October 2018

Michael Carpenter The New Commander – Problems and Solutions    “Congratulations, Lieutenant. You are hereby promoted and assigned to the 7th District as the commander of that unit. Good luck!” These can be exciting words at the promotion ceremony, but both the agency and the new commander might be surprised at what he/she may be facing after receiving those new stripes or bars. The phrase “good luck!” can have a very positive meaning when the preconceived ideas of becoming a…

Jeep with driver

....and nothing but the truth September 10, 2018

…AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH September/October 2018

Ramesh Nyberg Policing is anything but simple these days. Policing in the 21st century has taken on some pretty complex and interesting tasks. We’ve gone from the cheery “constable” who used to walk down the sidewalk, twirling a baton, to a high-tech entity carrying things like TASER®s, body-worn cameras and weapons with laser sights. Our “control and regulation” is way beyond the simple scope of poking our head into the doors of shopkeepers and asking how their day is going….

News August 27, 2018

New Report Reviews Response to the Pulse Nightclub Attack

In December 2017, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) released Rescue, Response, and Resilience: A Critical Incident Review of the Orlando Public Safety Response to the Attack on the Pulse Nightclub. This report is an independent critical incident review of the Orlando, Florida, Police Department’s response to identify best practices and lessons learned to improve the department’s planning, training, policies, procedures, and practices regarding critical events of this nature and magnitude. The review and resulting report provides important lessons for…

News August 13, 2018

Mass Violence and Terrorism Toolkit and Training Available

Incidents of mass violence and terrorism – bombings, mass riots and shootings, hijackings, bioterrorism attacks, and other human-caused disasters – present unique challenges to the communities in which they occur. These incidents require a coordinated, cross-sector approach among federal, state, local, and tribal governments; private entities; and nonprofit organizations to drive an effective response. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has developed the “Helping Victims of Mass Violence & Terrorism: Planning, Response, Recovery, and Resources Toolkit” to help communities…

News August 7, 2018

Department of Justice Announces the First Grants under the STOP School Violence Act

On June 7, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the U.S. Department of Justice’s first grants under the Student, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) at the 24th Annual Joint Conference of the Montana Association of Chiefs of Police and the 88th Annual Montana Police Protective Association. The STOP School Violence Act of 2018 appropriated funds for both the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)…

News July 30, 2018

School Security Assessment App Now Available in Desktop Version

A new desktop-friendly, fillable PDF version of “School Safe,” the Justice Technology Information Center’s Security and Safety Assessment App for Schools, is now available. Just like the iOS and Android versions, the new desktop version takes you step-by-step through your buildings and grounds to identify and address trouble spots. This free tool can be used to conduct a physical assessment of a school campus (inside and out) by answering a series of simple questions. Access to this information and/or app…