Alabama Police Chiefs' Meeting Focuses on Technology
A three-day meeting of the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police opened on Feb. 22 with a focus on technology, especially the advantages of using in-car cameras in police vehicles. More than 325 police chiefs and other law enforcement personnel attended the group's Winter Training Conference to hear from vendors as well as representatives from law enforcement agencies.
Source: Kirsten J. Barnes, “Police chiefs talk high-tech,” The Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser, 23 Feb. 2006: B1
Clarkstown, N.Y. Police Plan Wireless Network
The Clarkstown, N.Y. Police Department has plans to establish a wireless network at its station that would provide its computer-equipped patrol cars with speedy software upgrades. Instead of coordinating the department's 30 to 35 vehicles to come to the station for system upgrades and calling officers away from their duties, officers would be able to automatically install the updated software onto their vehicles whenever they entered the wireless network coverage area.
Source: Christina Jeng, “Clarkstown police to upgrade wireless network; $45G system to speed computer data to cars on patrol, save time,” The Journal News (Westchester County, N.Y.), 24 Feb. 2006: 4A
U.S. House Hearing on First Responder Communications
House lawmakers and emergency responders at a Feb. 15 hearing agreed that more needs to be done to establish emergency communications systems that function across jurisdictions. A lack of equipment standards, inadequate funding and turf wars among federal, state and local officials have made it increasingly difficult to achieve interoperable emergency communications, a panel of "first responders" said at a House Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness, Science and Technology Subcommittee hearing.
Source: Michael Martinez, "First responders detail emergency communications problems," Govexec.com, 15 Feb. 2006, online at http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=33406&dcn=e_gvet
Nebraska Launches Regional Interoperability System
Gov. Dave Heineman has launched Nebraska’s first regional, multi-county interoperable communications. The 10-county $1.2 million communications system allows first responders and emergency-service providers in central Nebraska to speak and share information across varied radio systems.
Source: "Gov. Heineman Flips ‘Integrated’ Switch, Allowing First Responders to Communicate," Nebraska press release, 10 Feb. 2006, online at http://gov.nol.org/news/2006_02/10_first_responders.html
DNA Cold Hit Solves Maryland Double Murder
A DNA cold hit has solved the murder of two grandmothers in their seventies who were stabbed to death during a robbery of their Suitland, Md. flower shop in 2003 that netted the killer $60. A DNA match from a federal database has led Prince George's County police to a man currently in the Alexandria, Va. jail on unrelated charges.
Source: Allison Klein, “DNA Unmasks Killer of Two, Pr. George's Police Say,” The Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2006: B1
Hoover, Ala. Police Get Mobile Command Post
The mobile precinct the Hoover City Council agreed to buy last week is a tool that police can use to fight crime in many different and effective ways. The converted RV, expected to cost $460,000, can serve as a command center for major crime scenes and special events or be moved around to different high-crime areas as needed.
Source: Jon Anderson, “Police excited about mobile command post,” Birmingham (Ala.) News, 15 Feb. 2006: 1H
Collin County, Texas Launches Fusion Center
Collin County, Texas officials unveiled a new software tool that is expected to improve information sharing between emergency and public health agencies. The Operations, Fusion and Communications Center (OFCC), touted by county officials as one of the first of its kind in the nation, connects data from law enforcement, public health, fire and other emergency agencies into an easy-to-use, Web-based search engine.
Source: Tiara M. Ellis, “County widens its web of data; Collin: Officials say tool lets emergency, medical agencies share info,” The Dallas (Texas) Morning News, 23 Feb. 2006: 1B
