WEEKLY NEWS: Covering
Law Enforcement, Corrections & Courts across the United States
| Vol. 2 #41 January 25, 1999 |
#1 NYPD use of mobile data terminals
#2 Hobart (IN) police apply for squad car laptop grant
#3 Texas DPS web site offers sexual offender information
#4 Pierre (SD) police web site
#5 Howard County (MD) police to get laptop computers
#6 Cattaraugus County (NY) Sheriff's web site leads to arrest
#7 Bernalillo County (NM) Court seeks kiosks to improve service
#8 Washington County (ME) Jail automation project
LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGY NEWS
The New York City Police Department is hoping that its 2,000 marked police cars will use mobile data computers for the bulk of its communications within the next two years, replacing the reliance on radio dispatchers. Police are so happy with the speed and silent nature of computer communications that the department is also hoping to outfit its officers who patrol on foot with handheld computers so they too can access state and federal criminal databases.
[Source: "A Well-Equipped Patrol Officer: Gun, Flashlight, Computer"
by Catherine Greenman; New York Times, January 21 1999, Pg. B9]
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Item #2 HOBART (IN) POLICE APPLY FOR SQUAD CAR LAPTOP GRANT
The 55-officer police department in Hobart, Indiana has applied for a $341,000 federal grant to purchase laptop computers for its squad cars. The computers would allow officers to perform their own record checks and would also include vehicle locator devices for tracking purposes.
[Source: "Cops Want Computers in Cars" by Karen Snelling; Gary Post-Tribune (Hobart/Merrillville ed.) January 15, 1999, Pg. B1]
Item #3 TEXAS DPS WEB SITE OFFERS SEXUAL OFFENDER INFORMATION
The Texas Department of Public Safety now offers information on the state's 15,500 registered sexual offenders on its Internet site. The system costs 57 cents to log on and $3.15 per search. The entire list can be purchased for $35. For more information go to the conviction records database at: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us
[Source: "DPS Has Begun Posting Names of Sex Offenders; Those Registered
in Texas Will Be Listed on the Web Site" by John Moritz; Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
January 15, 1999, Pg. 1]
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Item #4 PIERRE (SD) POLICE WEB SITE
Police in Pierre, South Dakota have posted email addresses for all its officers on the department's web site, which also includes overview information on the department and a capability for citizens to report crime tips.
The page may be accessed at http://www.pierresd.org/police.htm
[Source: "Pierre Police Show Up on the Internet;" Aberdeen (SD) American News, January 13, 1999, Pg. 3A]
Item #5 HOWARD COUNTY (MD) POLICE TO GET LAPTOP COMPUTERS
Howard County (MD) police plan to install laptop computers in 50 cruisers within the next few months, allowing officers to perform their own record checks without waiting for dispatcher lines to be free. The computers will cost about $325,000, cellular service will cost $33,000 a year, and database access $7,800 per year. More information on Howard County law enforcement can be found at http://www.co.ho.md.us/d:home/co.ho.md/co.ho.md/safety.html
[Source: "Car computers promise streamlined police work; Units in cruisers could cut paperwork, increase arrests" by Del Quentin Wilber; The Baltimore Sun, January 19, 1999, Pg. 1B]
Item #6 CATTARAUGUS COUNTY (NY) SHERIFF'S WEB SITE LEADS TO ARREST
The Cattaraugus County (NY) Sheriff's Department recently arrested one of its Ten Most Wanted thanks to a tip to its Internet home page. The department also posts information on its Electronic Neighborhood Watch. The Most Wanted List can be found at http://www.sheriff.cattco.org .
[Source: "Internet Aided Hunt for Man on Most Wanted List" by Donna Snyder; Buffalo News, January 19, 1999, Pg. B5]
COURT TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Item # 7 BERNALILLO COUNTY (NM) COURT SEEKS KIOSKS TO IMPROVE SERVICE
Metropolitan Court officials in Bernalillo County, New Mexico are planning to ask the State Legislature to fund $340,000 for eight kiosks at which citizens can pay traffic fines and receive other court information. The kiosks, if approved, would be placed at shopping malls and other convenient locations to improve service to the public.
["Paying Traffic Fines May Become Automatic" by Guillermo Contreras; Albuquerque Journal, January 18, 1999, Pg. A1]
CORRECTIONS TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Item #8 WASHINGTON COUNTY (ME)
JAIL AUTOMATION PROJECT
Corrections records at the county jail in Washington County, Maine are almost fully automated and should be online by the end of the month. In other technology improvements, the Washington County Sheriff's Department has also added laptop computers and digital cameras to its cruisers to improve communications from and to its officers in the field.
[Source: "Sheriffs tap into technology; Washington County department adds job-enhancing equipment" by Mary Anne Clancy; Bangor Daily News, January 8, 1999]
CJITI Weekly News is compiled by Jeffrey Michaels jeffreym@mitretek.org