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Technology September 18, 2019

Fighting Crime with ALPRs

Bill Siuru, Ph.D., PE Technology available to fight crime and guard against terrorism and other dangers brings challenges to the expectation of privacy and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Data collected by Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems can enhance law enforcement’s ability to investigate crimes and enforce the law.  However, at times, it also raises concerns that the information collected may be inaccurate; placed into databases shared without restrictions; retained longer than necessary; or used and abused in…

Mans face

Technology September 18, 2019

Is Facial Recognition Technology Ready for Prime Time?

Bill Siuru, Ph.D., PE Facial recognition is considered to be the most natural of all biometric measurements by virtue of individuals being recognized not by scanning their fingerprints or eyes, but by looking at their face. Facial recognition could become the future investigative and surveillance tool of choice by law enforcement because it is much more accurate than the human eye in recognizing faces. It is also easy to implement; verification and/or identification of faces can be very fast; and,…

car tire with bottle of beer on the road nearby

Legal Update September 18, 2019

Legal Update September October 2019

Larry E. Holtz, Esq. High Court Permits Warrantless Blood Draws from Unconscious Drunk Drivers Is a warrant required for a blood test when an officer has probable cause to believe a motorist has been driving while under the influence of alcohol, but the motorist is unconscious and cannot be given a breath test? Recently, in Mitchell v. Wisconsin (U.S. 2019), the United States Supreme Court said, “No.”In such cases, “the exigent circumstances rule almost always permits a blood test without…

Busted September 13, 2019

BUSTED! – Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity September/October 2019

James L. McClinton, Ph.D Not quite Ocean’s Eleven material… Video captured three masked men as they tried to steal an ATM from a convenience store in Silver Spring, Maryland. They used their pickup to smash through the front windows of the store, exited the vehicle, and entered the store with a hand truck. The leader of the pack then punched one of his colleagues in the arm for failing to do his part. In the meantime, the getaway driver got…

....and nothing but the truth September 13, 2019

…AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH September/October 2019

Ramesh Nyberg Recently, I had this dream – a bad dream. Officers were getting shot with regularity. In fact, some were being hunted, ambushed and killed without even an interaction with anyone. In my nightmare, law enforcement was synonymous with racism, brutality and corruption, so much so that police became the object of cynical late night jokes. Comedians would get an easy laugh talking about some poor “person of color” being the target of a drooling, bigoted policeman.             This…

gun

News September 13, 2019

NRA Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award

NRA’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award was established in 1993 and recognizes an exceptional act or service by a law enforcement officer and is administered by the NRA Law Enforcement Division. Nominations are accepted from anyone having knowledge of the nominee’s actions. This includes, but is not limited to, the nominee’s agency head, other law enforcement officials, elected officials, fellow officers, community leaders, interested citizens, and NRA members. For eligibility information, award categories, and complete information, click here…

Above and Beyond September 13, 2019

Above and Beyond

Noted cartoonist Don Lomax has teamed up with Police and Security News to produce “Above and Beyond…” – real depictions of heroic acts by law enforcement professionals. Just as our soldiers deserve recognition for their bravery overseas, so do the men and women of law enforcement here on the home front. Do you (or someone you know) deserve special recognition for answering the call of duty while ignoring your own personal safety? Police and Security News wants to know! Nominations…

News August 1, 2019

Public Safety Communications: Ten Keys to Improving Emergency Alerts, Warnings, and Notifications

Emergency Alert, Warning and Notification (AWN) systems protect lives and property by identifying information about an impending threat, communicating that information to those who need it, and facilitating timely protective actions.  To enhance this critical information sharing across all AWN systems, SAFECOM and the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, developed the Ten Keys to Improving Emergency Alerts, Warnings, and Notifications. Download a copy of this report…

News July 29, 2019

Nationwide Survey Shows Scope of Law Enforcement Contact with Mentally Ill Individuals

Nearly all law enforcement officers have had an interaction with an individual who is mentally ill or experiencing a mental health crisis and 60% of officers say mentally ill individuals make up at least 11% of their contacts. The statistics come from a recently released report from Lexipol, the nation’s leading source of mission-critical training and state-specific policy solutions for law enforcement agencies. People experiencing a mental crisis have a higher chance of an interaction with law enforcement officers. Some…

News July 26, 2019

Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault Crimes

Investigating and responding to sexual assault crimes is a priority for law enforcement and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has tools to help agencies as they continue to evaluate and examine their responses to sexual assault crimes. These tools are designed to help law enforcement agencies enhance their support of survivors of sexual assault crimes and agencies’ ability to hold offenders accountable. One aspect of supporting survivors is ensuring that the law enforcement agency they report to…