Technology

Video Analytics

Bill Siuru, Ph.D, PE Video analytics, also called video content analysis, is needed today as the availability of digital recording devices explodes exponentially. Surveillance cameras monitoring a middle school detect a suspicious person lurking on the school grounds. This triggers an alert sent directly to the local police, even before the person tries to enter the school building and the alarm system is activated. Thus, the police can be dispatched to investigate a few minutes sooner, perhaps fast enough to…


How Law Enforcement Is Using Genealogy Testing Services to Solve Cold Cases

Dr. Chuck Russo and Katherine C. Russo Recent news headlines highlight the creative and effective ways law enforcement agencies are using commercial Direct To Consumer (DTC) genealogy tests to close decades old cold cases. By using DTC genealogy testing services, police have been able to identify suspects linked to the murders of Christy Mirack, Tanya Van Culenborg, Jay Cook, and the many victims of the Golden State Killer. This investigation technique opens the door to potentially solving many more cold…


When Officers Become the Target: How to Protect Yourself from Doxing

Leischen Kranick With today’s heated political climate, it is more important now than ever to protect yourself and your family from “online vigilantes.” According to Wikipedia, the term doxing or doxxing (from dox, an abbreviation of documents) is the Internet-based practice of researching and broadcasting private or identifiable information (especially personally identifiable information) about an individual or organization. It is typically done with malicious intent. The information published can be anything from home addresses to vehicle identification to social media…


Three Ways Rugged Tablets Are Revolutionizing Forensic Mapping

 Andrew S. Klane and Mario Gosalvez Purpose-built rugged tablets designed with specific capabilities for certain tasks can save both time and money while driving superior outcomes. With the recent advent of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) rugged tablets, forensic mapping is being revolutionized. These new tablets enable something previously not possible: scientific-grade accurate measurements for those engaged in non land surveying work. These rugged tablets can deliver centimeter level measurement accuracy faster and easier than using conventional…


Providing an “Unfair” Advantage: The New Seek Thermal™ Reveal ShieldPRO

Mike Boyle                       Darkness presents special challenges for law enforcement officers. The collective police history illustrates that violent crime spikes in the evening hours, often with tragic consequences. For centuries, criminals have used the cloak of darkness to help conceal their illicit activities. Humans are visual creatures and, when our primary sensory receptor is compromised, performance suffers. In poor light, even simple tasks such as navigation through unfamiliar surroundings can be problematic. Locating and assessing potential danger is more…


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….


Cellebrite Unlocks the Apple® iOS 11 Operating System

Bill Siuru, Ph.D., PE Smartphones, such as the Apple iPhone®, the Samsung Galaxy and other similar devices, are found everywhere today and are used by an immense segment of the population around the world. It is estimated that over 90 percent of American adults use cell phones which store detailed information about their lives, relationships and daily habits. Unfortunately, this includes those involved in criminal enterprise, terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and other nefarious activities. Forensic retrieval of the data…


BallisticSearch™ Delivers Faster Ballistics Analysis and More

Bill Siuru, PhD, PE When a gun is fired, it leaves a distinct impression on the ejected shell casing, a   “fingerprint of sorts,” which is unique to that weapon. The marks found on the cartridge case, which are created by the firing pin, breech face and ejector, can be analyzed to trace the spent case back to the exact gun from which it was fired. Upon verification by a professional forensic examiner, this information can be used as evidence to…


Vehicle Pursuit Technology

Bill Siuru, Ph.D., PE Living in the Los Angeles area, hardly a week goes by that I don’t view a high-speed police chase being covered on television. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that about 360 people are killed annually and many more are seriously injured as the result of police pursuits. This number includes suspects, police officers and bystanders alike. Currently, spike strips manually laid across the road by officers are commonly used to terminate a high-speed…


The Use of Textalyzer Technology to Curb Distracted Driving

Hannah R. Heishman; Tod W. Burke, Ph.D.; and Stephen S. Owen, Ph.D. On June 16, 2011, Evan Lieberman, a 19-year-old university student, was a passenger in a car driven by an acquaintance while on the way to a summer job. The vehicle was involved in a head-on collision which resulted in fatal injuries to Lieberman. The driver stated that the accident occurred when he fell asleep while driving. Lieberman’s father subsequently filed a civil lawsuit to acquire the driver’s phone…