Law Enforcement Turns to Facebook® for Outreach
WSLS10, (03/21/2011), Carrie J. Sidener
Use of Facebook by law enforcement agencies throughout Virginia and the nation has become a popular way to share information with communities. In Bedford, Va., the Facebook page has collected 485 �likes� since its launch in December 2010. Typical posts by the department include upcoming radar enforcement areas and accident-scene photographs. About 500 people monitor the page daily, with traffic reaching as high as 2,500 users on some days. Citizens can also communicate with the department, reporting suspicious activity and suggesting areas where speed needs to be monitored. Nearby, the Campbell County Sheriff�s Office uses its Facebook page to post information on the county�s most wanted criminals, weather alerts and details on ongoing cold case investigations. And in Lynchberg, the police department uses a Neighborhood Watch page to allow groups and businesses to communicate with each other and the department in real time.
Link to Article
Brown Specialty Vehicles Constructs Mobile Crime Scene Lab for Lawrence
Trailer-BodyBuilders.Com, (03/21/2011)
The Lawrence (Kan.) Police Department recently began using a mobile crime scene laboratory built to its specifications by local company Brown Specialty Vehicles. The project was funded through a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant. The custom-built unit makes more equipment readily accessible and should generate more efficient processing of crime scene evidence. Police can now perform techniques in the field that would normally need to be sent to a laboratory. It includes a workstation with computer access, a refrigerator for chemical storage, a fuming hood for fingerprint processing and other equipment. In declared emergency situations, this specialized vehicle can be made available throughout the state. Its purchase was made possible through a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant awarded to the Lawrence Police Department.
Link to Article
How Do I Know What�s Going on in My Neighborhood?
Sacramento Press, (03/22/2011), Norman Leong
In Sacramento, Calif., the police department has joined the growing list of agencies nationwide participating in CrimeReports.com, a service that gives citizens access to information on crimes and police activities in the jurisdiction. The Sacramento Police Department added this service to a list that includes E-notify, Facebook® and Twitter, going live on CrimeReports.com on Jan. 24. Citizens can use the free service by visiting http://www.crimesreports.com.
Link to Article
Juno Beach Getting Ready to Install Five More Red-Light Cameras
Palm Beach Post News, (03/22/2011), Bill DiPaolo
In Juno Beach, Fla., city officials are going ahead with plans to install five additional red-light cameras in April, even though a Florida House committee recently voted to ban the cameras in the state. City officials say they are contractually obligated to go ahead with the installation in spite of the pending legislation. Those five cameras will join two cameras that became active on Dec. 1, 2010, and have generated 1,070 violations thus far at fines of $158. Violations are reviewed before citations are mailed, and about 100 have been disallowed.
Link to Article
Danbury Police Add Motorcycle Patrol Unit
NewsTimes.Com, (03/22/2011), John Pirro
Federal grant money and proceeds from drug forfeitures have gone to purchase four Harley-Davidson Electra Glide motorcycles and restore the previously defunct motorcycle division to the Danbury (Conn.) Police Department. Four officers trained for their new duties with 60 hours of instruction at state police riding schools; training included learning to maneuver through an obstacle course at slow speeds and make precise hairpin turns without touching their feet to the ground. The officers will primarily perform traffic and DUI enforcement, and also investigate serious motor vehicle accidents. Danbury had previously disbanded a motorcycle unit in the 1970s.
Link to Article
ShotSpotter® Approved for 5 Suffolk Communities
LongIslandPress.com, (03/23/2011), Timothy Bolger
Five high-crime areas in New York�s Suffolk County will participate in a three-year pilot program of the ShotSpotter gunshot location system, which uses GPS to generate alerts related to possible gunshots to law enforcement within seconds of their occurrence. The seven-square-mile radius includes locations in the communities of Huntington Station, Brentwood, Wyandanch, North Amityville and North Bellport. Use of the technology, which will be installed by July 1, could improve police response times. Funding comes from a police fund that pays for new crime-fighting technology and an anonymous donation specifically targeting North Bellport.
Link to Article
More Cities Go To Electronic Tickets
KTUL.com, (03/22/2011), Max McKenzie
The Bartlesville, Catoosa and Sapulpa police departments in Oklahoma recently began using an electronic ticketing system to issue traffic citations from handheld devices. With digiTICKET, an officer can scan a driver�s license bar code, thus automatically inputting data into the ticket writing software. Implementation of the system should improve efficiency and increase officer safety.
Link to Article
New Student Campaign Shows Harsh Reality of Texting and Driving
Times Herald, (03/22/2011), Jenny DeHuff
Project Ignition, sponsored by State Farm Insurance, uses obstacles and distractions in a driver safety simulator designed to teach students about the dangers of texting and/or talking on a cell phone and driving. With the assistance of the Whitemarsh Township (Pa.) Police Department, students at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School recently took part in the project and learned that it only takes a few seconds to become distracted and lose control. The police department had submitted an application on behalf of the school district to participate in the initiative.
Link to Article
Do-It-Yourself Hillsborough Crime Blotter Possible With Online �Crime Mapping�
BrandonPatch, (03/23/2011), Linda Chion Kennedy
The Hillsborough County (Fla.) Sheriff�s Office has launched the online Hillsborough County Crime Map, which allows citizens to review crime data reports that include type of crime, location, reference number and data reported, but not victims� names. Searches can be conducted based on date range, ZIP code and place name or address, and generate an individualized �pin� map and a pie graph. Every crime report also includes a link to Crime Stoppers to allow anonymous tip reporting.
Link to Article
|
