LAW ENFORCEMENT
Hawaii Improves Fingerprinting Statewide
A newly purchased Live Scan fingerprinting system will help the Honolulu Police Department get results of fingerprint checks within minutes rather than the days it formerly took with the inked method of fingerprint submission. Using a federal grant, the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center has also purchased Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) equipment for other county law enforcement agencies in Hawaii.
Leila Fujimori, "A new digital fingerprinting system helps HPD identify suspects in minutes rather than days," Honolulu (Hawaii) Star-Bulletin, 1 Oct. 2007
Anti-Terrorism Threat Assessment Coordination Group Formed
An agreement recently signed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Department, the FBI, the Information Sharing Environment (ISE) and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) will initiate an Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group (ITACG) to be composed of federal, state and local law enforcement and anti-terrorism officials. The ITACG will improve information sharing among the state and local law enforcement, allowing a two-way flow of classified and unclassified intelligence.
Jason Miller, "DHS signs on to create threat assessment coordination group," Federal Computer Week, 1 Oct. 2007
License Plate Scanner Helps Nab Kidnapper in California
Using his cruiser license plate scanner, a San Jose, Calif. police officer identified a stolen car linked to the hours-old kidnapping of a 12-year-old girl, who escaped the alleged molester who rammed her with the vehicle. Fingerprint evidence in the vehicle identified a suspect in the crime, who has now been arrested and charged with several felonies, including kidnapping and forcible child molestation.
Demian Bulwa, "High-tech help for police: Gadget scans license plates," The San Francisco (Calif.) Chronicle, 13 Oct. 2007: A1
DNA Cold Hit Solves Murder in Pennsylvania
A DNA cold hit by Pennsylvania State Police has linked a convicted felon to the brutal murder of an 83-year-old woman in her Washington, Pa. home on Jan.7, 2001. The DNA profile of the man now charged with the crime, who was formerly a neighbor of the victim, was in CODIS owing to his 1995 conviction for sexual assault - and subsequent parole in 2000, in Connecticut.
Jill King Greenwood, "DNA links man to 2001 Washington County slaying," Pittsburgh (Pa.) Tribune Review, 6 Oct. 2007
Arkansas Joins National Effort to ID Illegal Aliens
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA), effective September 30, 1996, added Section 287(g), performance of immigration officer functions by state officers and employees, to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This authorizes the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, permitting designated officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions, pursuant to a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), provided that the local law enforcement officers receive appropriate training and function under the supervision of sworn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Nineteen officers from four police agencies in Northwest Arkansas have now been so authorized by DHS.
Michelle Bradford, "Agents use biometrics to finger illegal aliens," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1 Oct. 2007
Fighting Cyber Crime in Alaska
The Anchorage Police Department's cyber crimes unit has received a federal grant of nearly $300,00 to coordinate the fight against Internet crime in Alaska. An Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force will be formed, with the grant used to purchase equipment and provide training to agencies statewide.
James Halpin, "Grant will help police fight child abuse, porn on the Internet," Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News, 8 Oct. 2007