SOUTH BEND, IND., POLICE GO WIRELESS
The South Bend, Ind., Police Department has equipped 58 squad cars with upgraded wireless laptops that provide officers with instant access to dispatch information and offer email capability. The system will cost $155,000 over the next 2 1/2 years, and is funded through 911 fees assessed on local telephone bills.
Source: “A few clicks make the difference; County police officers' jobs safer with upgraded in-car technology” by Patrick M. O'Connell; South Bend (Ind.) Tribune, 10 April 2004: A5
REGIONAL COMPUTER FORENSICS LAB FOR PHILADELPHIA
The FBI recently announced that a Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory will be set up in Philadelphia to serve law enforcement in five Southeastern Pennsylvania counties and three counties in Southern New Jersey. With $2 million in federal funding allocated for startup costs, the lab's charter members include the Philadelphia Police Department, Lower Merion Township Police Department, the Delaware County District Attorney's Office, and the University of Pennsylvania Police Department.
Source: “U.S. plans lab to fight computer crimes” by Joseph A. Slobodzian; Philadelphia Inquirer, 30 March 2004: B1
WARREN COUNTY, OHIO, SHERIFF UPGRADES TECHNOLOGY
The Warren County (Ohio) Sheriff's Office plans to spend $20,040 to upgrade its 7-year-old computer system with four new servers, following approval by county commissioners. Officials hope to avoid any system downtime during an expected rush for permits when a new concealed weapons law takes effect.
Source: “Warren Sheriff's Office to update computers” by Perry Schaiblel; The Cincinnati Enquirer, 31 March 2004: 3C
NYPD USE OF TECHNOLOGY
The NYPD has implemented several technology measures to fight crime and prevent terrorism, including digital mug shots, LiveScan fingerprint identification, an information sharing data warehouse, and a high-tech command center. In addition, the NYPD has equipped 2,800 cars with laptops at a cost of $20 million, with another $8 million required to outfit the department's remaining 600 vehicles.
Source: “Criminal Offense -- Technology aids NYPD's crime-fighting efforts” by Steven Marlin; InformationWeek, 5 April 2004: G27
PUEBLO COUNTY, COLO., ANTI-TERROR DRILL
Pueblo County, Colo., law enforcement, emergency managers, firefighters and rescue workers held a three-hour anti-terror drill at a local power plant, with the county sheriff and FBI agents overseeing the event from a command center. A $2,000 federal grant was used to plan the exercise, with 22 federal, state and local agencies paying their own way to participate in the first such homeland security training exercise in the area.
Source: “Pueblo County, Colo., Power Plant Is Target of Terror Training Exercise” by Peter Roper; The Pueblo Chieftain, 8 April 2004
SANDY CITY, UTAH, POLICE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE
The Sandy City (Utah) Police Department’s recent $70,000 communications upgrade has outfitted squad cars with Auto Vehicle Locator (AVL) technology, improving officer safety and increasing efficiency. Officers can also use their computers to run license plate checks and communicate with each other by silent dispatch.
Source: “Sandy computer system tracks its patrol cars on video display” by Michael N. Westley; The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 April 2004: D5
