New York Counter-Terrorism Network
New York Governor George E. Pataki recently announced a $100,000 pilot program to begin a statewide Counter-Terrorism Network (CTN) in order to provide secure and rapid communications for the 70,000 officers that comprise the state’s 543 law enforcement agencies. Continued development of the CTN will depend on approval of Pataki's proposed $88.6 billion budget, which includes $2 million for CTN expansion. The system would be the first such statewide network in the country, and is a priority of the New York State Office of Public Security (OPS). A press release on CTN is at: http://www.state.ny.us/governor/press/year02/jan29_02.htm
Source: "Governor unveils state counter-terrorism network;" The Associated Press State & Local Wire, January 29, 2002
New databases for Minnesota police
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety recently announced that its $3.5 million master arrest photo repository and $1.2 million sex offender registry are now online. The photo repository allows police across the state to quickly search through 120,000 mug shots to aid in investigations and prepare witness line-ups. The sex offender registry currently includes detailed information on 19,000 offenders.
Source: "Databases for Police Now Operational" by Amy Mayron; St. Paul (MN) Pioneer Press, January 30, 2002, Pg. B3
Oregon DNA database to be expanded
A new law that went into effect in Oregon on January 1, 2002 will expand the state’s DNA database to include all convicted felons on parole or probation. The database, established in 1991, currently includes samples from about 19,000 sexual offenders. Under the new law, an additional 50,000 samples will be collected for the Oregon State Police's DNA lab in Portland over the next six months in hopes of solving more crimes.
Source: "Officials hope expanded DNA database will solve more crimes;" The Associated Press State & Local Wire, January 27, 2002
Report crimes online to Arlington County (VA) Police
Arlington County (Virginia) Police recently created the Citizens' On-line Incident Report Form for residents to report minor, nonviolent offenses over the Internet. The forms, submitted on a secure server, will be responded to within 72 hours with an officer interview. Police in surrounding communities are waiting to gauge the success of Arlington’s program before launching their own efforts at reducing telephone overload and improving customer service.
Source: "Crime Victims in Arlington Get Online Assistance; Police Begin Accepting Reports on Web Site" by Patricia Davis; Washington Post, January 24, 2002, Pg. T3
Cold DNA hit for 1990 Georgia murders
The Coweta County (Georgia) Sheriff's Office recently announced that a cold hit from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Forensic Biology Section’s DNA database led to the arrest of three men on murder and burglary charges for the 1990 slayings of two men. The database, which currently contains samples from 36,000 convicted felons compiled since 1990, has linked 79 suspects to crimes in Georgia over the last year.
Source: "DNA helps tie trio to '90 slayings" by Craig Schneider; The Atlanta (GA) Journal and Constitution, January 25, 2002, Pg. 1C
E-Ticketing approved by Ohio Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Ohio recently approved police use of computer-generated traffic tickets. The ruling clarified language on the color, size and "method of binding" for such tickets that caused some state judges to refuse to accept their legality during a pilot program. Electronic tickets were acknowledged by the Ohio State Highway Patrol during a recent test to be faster to issue than paper tickets and more accurate.
Source: "Top court OKs computer citations for traffic offenders" by T.C. Brown and Kera Ritter; The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH) January 29, 2002, Pg. B1
