San Jose Cold Case Web Site Unveiled
The San Jose, Calif. Police Department Homicide Unit has created a Cold Case Detail Web site to profile cases on a regular basis, encouraging anyone with information to contact investigators. San Jose police solve 93 percent of the city's homicides, well above the national average of 63 percent, but there are still 205 unsolved cold cases dating back to 1962.
Leslie Griffy, “Police create online photo site for cold cases,” San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News, 21 July 2006: B1
Wausau, Wis. Police Receive Technology Funding
The Wausau, Wis. Police Department has received close to $240,000 in state and local grant funds over the past year for new technology and equipment. Among purchases made were automated ticket issuing and crash reporting software for 15 squad cars at the cost of about $30,000.
Jake Rigdon, “Cops get new equipment,” Wausau (Wis.) Daily Herald, 16 July 2006: 3A
DNA Cold Hit on California Torture Case
A DNA cold hit has linked a California prison inmate to three additional rape cases in that state from 1990-1991, including the March 1991 kidnapping, rape and torture of a 13-year-old girl. Although the statute of limitations has passed on the rape charges, Alameda County Sheriff's deputies have arrested the inmate, who was due to be released in December after serving time on a separate rape conviction, on the torture charges.
Sophia Kazmi, “DNA links convict to sex assaults,” Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.), 18 July 2006
Maryland Gets Mobile Incident Command Vehicle
Maryland State Police have a new $1.15 million high-tech mobile command center, purchased by the department and the Maryland State Highway Administration using a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The 56-foot vehicle, loaded with communications and computer equipment, can be used during homeland security and other law enforcement emergency situations.
Eric Rich, “Police Station Goes Mobile; Troopers' Vehicle Is High-Tech And Stylish,” The Washington Post (Southern Maryland edition), 20 July 2006: T3
L.A. County Fusion Center Opens
The Joint Regional Intelligence Center is now up and running to help more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies coordinate their efforts to prevent terrorist attacks in the Los Angeles area. The fusion center is currently staffed by more than 30 intelligence analysts from the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and other agencies.
Ashley Surdin, “FBI, State, Local Officers Join Under One Roof; A Joint Regional Intelligence Center opens in Norwalk,” Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2006: B2
DHS Developing ID System for Emergency Responders
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is developing a National Emergency Responder Credentialing System that will offer documentation for first responders nationwide, as required by the National Incident Management System. More details are available in a DHS fact sheet on the project.
Alice Lipowicz, "FEMA database to ID first responders," Government Computer News, 21 July 2006
