Citrus County (FL) Sheriff's Office success with AFIS
The Citrus County (Florida) Sheriff's Office has used its recently purchased Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to identify suspects in about 50 unsolved cases. The $134,000 system— paid for with a $100,310 federal grant and matching funds—allows the department to rapidly match its fingerprint samples with those in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement database.
Source: “Fingerprint files find pattern in burglaries” by Bill Varian; St. Petersburg (FL) Times, January 23, 2001
Expanded DNA testing in Georgia closes 1993 rape case
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) recently made its first arrest in a cold case resulting from the state's expanded DNA testing. A sample taken from a convict about to be released from prison after serving time for a 1993 robbery matched DNA from a 1993 rape case. The number of samples being entered in GBI computers has increased from 1,000 a year to more than 17,000 since the new law went into effect in July that required samples from all felons not just sexual offenders.
Source: “Robber's DNA linked to '93 rape; A state first: Expanded testing ties non-sex offender inmate to past crime” by Joshua B. Good; The Atlanta (GA) Journal and Constitution, January 22, 2001, Pg. D1
Maine Computer Crimes Task Force
The Maine Computer Crimes Task Force that started in June has aided in 196 investigations and 70 computer autopsies, finding evidence resulting in nine arrests. The task force of three full-time and two part-time officers is supported by a $55,000 federal grant and donated services from Lewiston Police , Brunswick Police , and the Maine State Police . The task force is seeking $200,000 in state funding to continue its investigative operations and training of officers from around the state.
Source: “Officers tracking online offenses” by Peter Pochna; Portland (ME) Press Herald, January 21, 2001, Pg. 1B
Fitchburg (MA) Police seek LiveScan system
The Fitchburg (Massachusetts) Police Department plans to use its 1999 and 2000 Local Law Enforcement Block Grants of about $350,000 for a new LiveScan fingerprint system and other computer equipment. The department plans to wait for guidance from the Massachusetts State Police on any purchase, since it desires equipment that interfaces with other departments and is also interoperable with its existing technology.
Source: “Police will get software” by Mike Elfland; Worcester (MA) Telegram & Gazette, January 2, 2001, Pg. B1
Glendale (MO) Police to get new dispatch software
The Glendale (Missouri) Police Department and Glendale Fire Department will soon get new computer-aided dispatch software designed to cut down on paperwork. The new system would transmit information—such as building floor plans or other special warnings—directly to laptop computers in police and fire vehicles, improving safety of emergency workers by providing details on their emergency calls.
Source: “Glendale Considers New Computer-Aided Dispatch Software System for Police and Fire Departments” by Brian Hook; St. Louis (MO) Post-Dispatch, January 11, 2001
California to link pawn shops with police
A new state law will require all of California's 750 pawnshops to transmit their transactions directly to police departments, with a statewide database that will allow officers all over the state to look for stolen property. Enforcement of the law will proceed after the development of uniform software standards by the state Department of Justice . The current practice is for pawn shops to box up their pawn slips and send them to police every few days, with no statewide or automated search capability.
Source: “Pawnshops Drawn Into Police Net; A State Database Will Make Tracking Stolen Goods Easier, And May Boost The Industry's Image” by Jerry Hicks; Los Angeles Times, January 13, 2001, Pg. A1
