National Instant Criminal Background Check success
A press release from the Bureau of Justice Statistics on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reports 153,000 of the approximately 7.8 million applications for firearms transfers or permits were rejected in 2000. State and local agencies ran 3.5 million checks last year and rejected 2.5%, while the FBI processed 4.3 million applications and rejected 1.6%. Felony convictions, domestic violence misdemeanor convictions/restraining orders, state law prohibitions, fugitive status and mental illness were the major reasons for rejections.
Source: “Background Checks Cut Into Gun Buys” by Karen Gullo; AP Online, July 1, 2001
DEA creates Ecstasy crime database for New Jersey
At the request of local law enforcement, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is creating a database to track and combat Ecstasy trafficking in New Jersey. The goal is to improve communication and intelligence gathering between law enforcement agencies across New Jersey. The database will contain information on all Ecstasy dealers, distributors, arrests, chemical traces of seized drugs and other data supplied by participating police departments. Analysis will be supplied by DEA experts.
Source: “Fighting Ecstasy Gets New Priority; Computers to Aid Police” by Mitchel Maddux; The Record (Bergen County, NJ) July 1, 2001, Pg. A1
California DNA database success
The California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services recently announced that its DNA database has compiled 200,000 profiles of convicted felons, the largest collection in the nation. The growth of the database has resulted in 19 cold hits so far this year— a number that should keep increasing. In one case, the 1993 murder of two boys was linked to a convicted sex offender. In another, the 1983 murder and rape of a young girl was linked to a convicted rapist only days away from being released from prison.
Source: “State boosts felon's DNA database; Crime-fighting cache becomes largest in U.S.” by Charlie Goodyear and Erin Hallissy; The San Francisco (CA) Chronicle, June 25, 2001, Pg. A1
Niagara (NY) Police get new squad car computers
The Niagara (New York) Town Police Department has installed ruggedized computers in four of the town's eight police cars using a $29,441 state grant, replacing older models the department installed in 1999. The new models cost about $5,500 each, have illuminated easy to read keyboards, touch screens, and allow future upgrading.
Source: “Town Patrol Cars Getting New Computers” by Paul Westmoore; The Buffalo (NY) News, July 1, 2001
Jefferson County (WV) police computer network
Five police departments in Jefferson County, West Virginia have linked their records through an information sharing computer network. Instead of physically going to another department to check its criminal records, officers can now access records online. The joint effort involves the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and police in Charles Town, Harpers Ferry, Ranson and Shepherdstown.
Source: “Computer system will link Jefferson County police departments;” The Associated Press State & Local Wire, June 15, 2001
Escaped killer nabbed by Washington State Patrol
A routine computer check by a Washington State Patrol trooper during a traffic stop nabbed a convicted killer who escaped from a New Mexico state prison in 1978. The escapee was pulled over for driving alone in the carpool lane and was identified as a man convicted of voluntary manslaughter for strangling his wife. He served eight months of his two to 10 year sentence before escaping.
Source: “Newswatch; Killer who escaped in 1978 is caught in car-pool lane;” The Seattle (WA) Times, June 27, 2001, Pg. B3
