Title: TechBeat Winter 2000
Series: N/A
Author: National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
Published: January 2000
Subject: Technology in law enforcement
pages: 12
bytes: 76KB

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NLECTC at 800-248-2742.
------------------------------

TECHbeat Winter 2000
National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
Dedicated to Reporting Developments in Technology for Law
Enforcement, Corrections, and Forensic Sciences
------------------------------

Big Bangs in Riverside

From 1993 to 1997, law enforcement agencies across the United States
responded to 13,510 various types of bombing incidents. During this same
time, more than 300 people were killed in explosive incidents. (From the
1997 Arson and Explosives Incident Report, U.S. Department of the
Treasury.)

The task of dealing with a bomb or terrorist device is, to say the least, a
dangerous and complex undertaking. As devices become more advanced,
the need for indepth training of bomb technicians greatly increases. While
training is possible on "sterile" ranges and in classrooms, it becomes more
effective when bomb technicians are able to actually use both their
knowledge and new technologies in realistic scenarios. So was born
"Operation Riverside."

Held last August in Riverside, California, Operation Riverside brought
together 160 bomb experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI), the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms, all branches of the U.S. military, as well as a number of U.S.
and foreign law enforcement agencies, to exchange information about
tools and techniques available to make bomb disablement safer. It was
sponsored by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Sandia National
Laboratories (SNL), and the National Law Enforcement and Corrections
Technology Center (NLECTC)-Rocky Mountain, in cooperation with the
Riverside Police Department.

During the 10-day event, experts practiced with new technologies on
nearly 150 mock bombs. The teams of hand-picked bomb technicians had
the opportunity to react to several complex scenarios that tested their
ingenuity. After completing the scenarios, instructors offered evaluations
and input to team members.

"We operated under the philosophy of Ôtrain-the-trainers' at Operation
Riverside," says Jim Keller, director of NLECTC-Rocky Mountain, which
assisted with the event. "It was our intention that the participants return to
their locations and train other technicians in the new tools and
techniques."

According to Chris Cherry, explosives engineer at SNL, this type of
training prepares bomb technicians for the potential explosive-related
incidents they may face in the next century. 

Although much of the technology used during the conference is still
classified, Cherry estimates that most of it will become available to bomb
squads over the next several months.

In the future, Cherry says that bomb technicians will employ "smart"
disablement systems. These technologies, which operate in real time, will
not only keep bomb squads at safe distances, but will enable technicians to
make split-second decisions, a crucial element when time may be running
out. As disablement technology becomes increasingly smarter, it will
require technicians to work more with their heads than their hands, he
says. "They will need to be more academic in their approaches."

Cherry is no stranger to the world of bombs and explosives. His skills
were put to use a few years ago when the FBI requested his assistance
with a live bomb found inside Ted Kaczynski's cabin in Montana. Cherry,
his co-worker Rod Owenby, and Riverside Police bomb technician Vic
Poisson flew to Montana during the middle of the night.

Sgt. Steve Conner, an 18-year veteran of Houston's bomb squad and many
bomb squad conferences, says that he and three of his bomb technicians
have been using the tools and knowledge obtained at Operation
Albuquerque, the predecessor to Operation Riverside, which was held in
1997. His team considers Operation Riverside and Operation Albuquerque
invaluable training resources.

"Operation Riverside is the best training available for advanced
render-safe operations," Conner says. "It is a very realistic training
environment, and there are several new techniques and technology
applications that we tested and will implement into our program." 

Also a member of the Houston squad, 13-year veteran Officer Charles
Berryman says that the intense training scenarios are very beneficial. He
says that he also was impressed with the new technologies that were
introduced and the inventions he saw in action. "There was a lot of
technology that I was unaware of," Berryman says. "It was an honor to be
invited and to participate in this training. All of the information that we
have learned helps to make render-safe operations much easier and safer
for all of our bomb techs."

According to Cherry, NIJ's assistance keeps the program at the front of the
latest advances in technology and techniques. He says that it is important
to continue to provide training like Operation Riverside to bomb squads.
"They serve us, so why can't we serve them for a change and help to make
their jobs a little safer."

For more information about Operation Riverside, please contact Jim
Keller, National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-
Rocky Mountain, 800-416-8086.
------------------------------

Keeping Bad Guys Behind Bars

Security technologies generally are designed to keep people out of certain
areas--alarm systems and bars keep the bad guys out of homes and
businesses. More sophisticated technologies, like cameras and electronic
access systems, keep an eye on visitors or deny access to unauthorized
personnel. But a prison is an entirely different animal. Here, the primary
purpose is to keep people in.

Prisons are about to get a little help in accomplishing this task from some
of the Nation's foremost security experts. Sandia National Laboratories
(SNL), the lead laboratory in physical security for the U.S. Department of
Energy's nuclear facilities, is teaching prison officials how to perform a
"vulnerability analysis," a task that uses security methodology to spot
potential weaknesses in correctional facilities.

"What you're trying to accomplish in a nuclear facility is much different
than in a prison," says Debbie Spencer, Ph.D., Distinguished Member of
Technical Staff at SNL and formerly the program manager of the National
Institute of Justice (NIJ) satellite facility at SNL. "With a nuclear facility,
people are trying to break in and either steal nuclear material or blow
things up. With a prison, people are trying to escape. So the first thing we
have to look at is, what is the threat? We have to look at the probability of
escape, as well as preventing and containing violence and detecting
contraband that might be smuggled in."

With funding from NIJ, SNL security experts have looked at several
correctional facilities in Pennsylvania and Texas, as well as the blueprints
for a Nebraska prison and a Michigan jail. Spencer says that SNL
scrutinizes the physical facility and learns about all areas of prison life,
from education, recreation, and inmate movement to staffing, existing
security systems, and the nature of the surrounding community. "We
analyze everything and then assess where the weaknesses are," she says.
"It's a great partnership because we look at things from a system
perspective and we combine that with the prison staff's knowledge of their
own facility."

Superintendent Jim Morgan, who heads the State Correctional Institution
at Smithfield (Huntingdon, Pennsylvania), agrees. "We are SNL's prison
experts, and they are our vulnerability analysis experts. It's a wonderful
marriage of those two disciplines, and we're very excited about it."

Morgan serves as the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC)
liaison with SNL to develop corrections-specific vulnerability assessments
with an emphasis on video surveillance applications. Morgan says that one
of two assessments carried out in Pennsylvania was done at the facility
adjacent to his, the State Correctional Institution at Huntingdon, which
was the scene of an inmate escape in August 1999.

According to Martin Horn, Secretary of Corrections for the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, prior to the escape, the Pennsylvania
DOC--based on SNL's recommendations--had increased the budget for
perimeter intrusion detection and surveillance cameras at Huntingdon.
However, Horn says, because of appropriation and procurement
constraints, the fixes had not been made at the time of the escape. "This
was a case of being 'a day late and a dollar short,'" he says. "Had we the
benefit of SNL's assessment 12 months earlier, this escape might have
been prevented."

In its assessment, the SNL team pointed out things prison officials had not
considered, or in some cases, had not noticed. "We had a secure exercise
yard that was next to a wall with a doorway in it. Although the door was
secure, it was still a door," Horn says. "The assessment team found a
means of egress and ingress that had not been used for years and was not
sufficiently secured. They also gave us a lot of advice with respect to our
perimeter intrusion detection and the use of cameras and lights."

In one Pennsylvania facility, SNL recommended that prison officials cut
trees along a fenceline and staff one of its posts full-time, instead of
staffing it only at night. SNL also noted that while one unit's 25 perimeter
cameras were effective, there were problems relating to the internal
monitoring of inmate movements through the facility and in the dining
hall that had to be addressed. The team also recommended that staff
change some of the locks and locking systems, as well as upgrade camera
units and rethink where the cameras were placed.

The use of surveillance cameras was of particular interest to Pennsylvania
prison officials. Five years ago such a technology was rarely used in a
prison setting. In recent years, however, it has become a popular security
alternative. "In their rush to use surveillance cameras, everyone has
perhaps not used them to their optimum or has put in more cameras than
their staff can even look at," Horn says. "This assessment gave us a lot of
advice with respect to how we can use cameras effectively while
preventing an information overload, which is a security system that is
more than we can staff."

The vulnerability analysis gave prison officials a fresh perspective on
security and on the use of security technologies. It also offered them a
way to extend the life of an older prison unit by employing new types of
technology. The ultimate goal of the project, however, is to create a
methodology that corrections officials can use to conduct their own
vulnerability analyses.

"This has been a pilot program that looked to refine the methodology of
vulnerability analysis so we could teach the methodology to prison and
jail personnel," says Nick Nicholson, Ph.D., a security systems analyst at
SNL. "It is not something we want to be the sole owner of. With the
funding from NIJ, we'll have a publication and a training program that
administrators can send their personnel to. We hope that they'll become
self-sufficient after that."

For more information about Sandia National Laboratories' vulnerability
analysis project for prisons, contact Steve Morrison at the National Law
Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)-Southeast,
800-292-4384, or Joe Russo at NLECTC-Rocky Mountain, 800-416-8086.

[Editor's note: In addition to serving as Secretary of Corrections for the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Martin Horn is vice chair of the Law
Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council, which serves
as an advisory body to the NLECTC system.] 
------------------------------

Prison Inmate Population

A report by the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics
states that the total prison population in the Nation grew to 1.3 million
inmates during 1998; however, the 4.8-percent rise is less than the average
annual growth of 6.7 percent since 1990. There are an additional 592,462
inmates awaiting trial and serving short sentences in local jails. In 1998,
there were an estimated 461 inmates sentenced to at least 1 year in prison
for every 100,000 U.S. residents, which is 169 more inmates per 100,000
residents than in 1990.

Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma had the highest incarceration rates, while
Minnesota, Maine, and North Dakota had the lowest. Fourteen States have
reported an increase of more than 75 percent in their prison populations
since 1990, the report says. Four States--Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, and
Massachusetts--had decreases in their inmate populations. In 1998, the
number of women incarcerated grew 6.5 percent, which is higher than the
4.7-percent increase of men incarcerated for the same year. Since 1990,
the number of women in prison has increased 92 percent, while the
number of men has grown by only 67 percent, says the report. As of the
end of 1997, black men and women were six times more likely than
whites to receive prison sentences. Parole violations have increased 39
percent. Inmate release rates have dropped 6 percent since 1990, and 10
percent of inmates will serve more than 20 years in prison.

Because of the overall increase in inmates, State prisons are operating 13
percent to 22 percent over capacity, while Federal prisons are 27 percent
over capacity, according to the report. California had the most crowded
prison system in 1998, operating at 50 percent over capacity. Utah had the
least crowded system, operating at just 81 percent capacity.
------------------------------

A Reach Across Jurisdictions

The sharing of information was cited as the number one requirement of
law enforcement in a 1998 National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
counterterrorism needs assessment. Unfortunately, in many cases,
information sharing among jurisdictions can be hampered by technical
deficiencies and bureaucratic obstacles. Criminals take advantage of this
fact. They know that traveling just a short distance to an adjoining county
or municipality is oftentimes enough to prevent their apprehension.

Information housed in one agency's files can be of immense value to
another agency. Yet concerns over privacy and a host of technical
difficulties have made sharing that information all but impossible.

Two Florida sheriff's departments, however, are testing a new technology
that provides rapid access to a broad range of local, State, and Federal
information sources. 

Broward and Monroe Counties are working with the Florida Department
of Law Enforcement (FDLE) on the Information Technology (Infotech)
initiative, an NIJ project that allows officers at fixed or mobile locations
to enter queries and search databases in other jurisdictions.

Information systems in the world of criminal justice vary considerably.
With some systems, agencies maintain their own databases with access
only permitted to authorized users. These systems are strong on data
update but may be weak on access because the users have to learn to
navigate each agency's method of "mining," or retrieving, data. Other
systems use a centralized database to "warehouse" information. In these
systems participating agencies, including public sources, can contribute
data and can access it directly. Although these systems are strong on
access because all users employ a common method, they may be weak on
housing current data because the warehouse depends on contributors to
update information.

The Infotech system is a suite of off-the-shelf software products and
NIJ-developed "middleware" that offers more of an intermediate
approach. (Middleware is software that connects two otherwise separate
applications.) With Infotech, agencies can keep their databases. The
software instead provides users a "single-searching method" that acts as a
translator between the investigator's query and each database's specific
access method. An investigator in any given jurisdiction, therefore, will be
able to access databases in many other jurisdictions, but has to learn only
one search method. For example, Monroe and Broward Counties have
different database systems, and access to either requires different ways of
requesting information. Infotech offers a user-friendly interface that can
be tailored to the needs of a particular user, but will retrieve data quickly
regardless of the design of the information source. Thus, information
compatibility between multiple law enforcement agencies is achieved
without incurring the enormous expense of replacing existing systems
with a common system.

Infotech also solves the privacy and security issues that are of concern to
police agencies. These issues are addressed through several layers of
protection mechanisms, depending on the level of risk. Encryption
features that are commercially available in Internet World Wide Web
browsers are available and provide a minimal level of access control. For
very sensitive data, such as ongoing law enforcement investigations,
informant or witness case folders, and juvenile information, much greater
security restrictions can be employed, including personnel identification
numbers, smart cards, or even biometric identification devices.

Of fundamental importance, however, is the fact that local agencies
continue to maintain and control their own data in the same way they do
now. Infotech operates as an add-on layer to the agency's existing
infrastructure without interfering with current operations.

Infotech is built with open standards using Internet technologies.
Consequently, there are no per user fees or restrictions on number of
users. All that is required is access to the Internet and a Web browser.
Each Infotech server is owned by the agency where it is installed.

The Florida Infotech project uses the FDLE's Criminal Justice Network
(CJ-Net), a statewide network that is the backbone for communications
among approximately 500 Florida agencies. CJ-Net is managed and
maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and provides
open access and privileges to any criminal justice agency, including the
State's court and penitentiary systems.

The Infotech program originated in 1995 as part of a multimillion-dollar
collaborative technology development effort by the Joint Program
Steering Group of the U.S. Departments of Defense and Justice.
Integration of advanced information systems, software mediation,
security, and communications technologies has been performed by the
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR), a U.S. Navy
engineering activity in Charleston, South Carolina.

For more information concerning the Infotech initiative, contact John
Hoyt, Joint Program Steering Group, 703-351-8487.
------------------------------

The 'Center System'

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), responding to recommendations by
the law enforcement and corrections community, converted its
Technology Assessment Program Information Center (TAPIC) into the
National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
(NLECTC) system. Created in 1994 as a component of NIJ's Office of
Science and Technology, NLECTC's goal, like that of NIJ, is to offer
support, research findings, and technological expertise to help State and
local law enforcement and corrections personnel do their jobs more safely
and efficiently.

NIJ's NLECTC system consists of facilities located across the country that
are colocated with an organization or agency that specializes in one or
more specific areas of research and development. Although each
NLECTC facility has a different technology focus, they work together to
form a seamless web of support, technology development, and
information.

NLECTC-National
2277 Research Boulevard
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 800-248-2742
Fax: 301-519-5149
E-mail: asknlectc@nlectc.org

The National Center, located just 30 minutes north of Washington, D.C.,
is the hub of the NLECTC system. It provides information and referral
services to anyone with a question about law enforcement and corrections
equipment or technology. Its staff manage the voluntary equipment
standards and testing program that tests and verifies the performance of
body armor, metallic handcuffs, shotguns, and police vehicles and tires.
This office produces consumer product lists of equipment that meets a
specific set of performance standards and also operates JUSTNET (Justice
Technology Information Network), an Internet World Wide Web site that
provides links to the entire NLECTC system and other appropriate sites,
as well as assistance to those seeking information about equipment,
technology, or research findings.

NLECTC-Northeast
26 Electronic Parkway
Rome, NY 13441
Phone: 888-338-0584
Fax: 315-330-4315
E-mail: nlectc_ne@rl.af.mil

NLECTC-Northeast is located at the Air Force Research Laboratory,
Rome Research Site (formerly Rome Laboratory), on the grounds of the
Griffiss Business and Technology Park. The center sponsors research and
development efforts into technologies that address command, control,
communications, computers, and intelligence. This center draws on the
expertise of Air Force scientists and engineers in its development of
technologies that can be used to detect weapons concealed on individuals,
an effort that is expected to yield stationary equipment for use in buildings
and handheld devices for field and patrol officers. Other areas of research
and development include through-the-wall sensors, audio processing,
image processing, timeline analysis, computer forensics, secure
communications, and command/control.

NLECTC-Southeast
5300 International Boulevard
North Charleston, SC 29418
Phone: 800-292-4385
Fax: 843-760-4611
E-mail: nlectc-se@nlectc-se.org

Two of the focus areas of NLECTC-Southeast are corrections
technologies and surplus property acquisition and distribution for law
enforcement and corrections. The center facilitates the acquisition and
redistribution of Federal surplus/excess property to State and local law
enforcement and corrections agencies. The equipment must be used for
law enforcement purposes only. Utilizing the JUSTNET Web site, the
center educates law enforcement and corrections professionals about
Federal surplus and purchasing programs. The efforts of NLECTC-
Southeast have resulted in agencies receiving equipment they would not
ordinarily have access to or might not have been able to afford due to
budgetary constraints. This facility also studies the needs of corrections
agencies. It is guided in this mission by a committee of criminal justice,
law enforcement, and corrections practitioners that identifies requirements
and sets priorities for research and development. NLECTC-Southeast is
allied with the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) and the Space
and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR). NLECTC-Southeast's
other areas of focus include information management and technologies,
simulation training, and designated special projects. 

NLECTC-Rocky Mountain
2050 East Iliff Avenue
Denver, CO 80208
Phone: 800-416-8086 or 303-871-2522 in the Denver area
Fax: 303-871-2500
E-mail: nlectc@du.edu

Located at the University of Denver, NLECTC-Rocky Mountain focuses
on communications interoperability and the difficulties that often occur
when different agencies and jurisdictions try to communicate with one
another. This facility works with law enforcement agencies, private
industry, and national organizations to implement projects that will
identify and field test new technologies to help solve the problem of
interoperability. NLECTC-Rocky Mountain also houses the newly created
Crime Mapping Technology Center, the training and practical application
arm of NIJ's Crime Mapping Research Center, which is staffed by NIJ
social scientists and scholars who utilize crime analysis research to
improve police field operations and develop crime-mapping software for
small, medium, and large departments. The Rocky Mountain facility also
conducts research into ballistics and weapons technology, as well as
information systems. Sandia National Laboratories has been designated as
a satellite of NLECTC-Rocky Mountain. The laboratory works in
partnership with NLECTC-Rocky Mountain and focuses on technology
for detecting and neutralizing explosive devices (Operation Albuquerque). 

NLECTC-West
c/o The Aerospace Corporation
2350 East El Segundo Boulevard
El Segundo, CA 90245-4691
Phone: 888-548-1618
Fax: 310-336-2227
E-mail: nlectc@law-west.org

NLECTC-West is housed on the grounds of The Aerospace Corporation, a
nonprofit corporation that provides technical oversight and engineering
expertise to the Air Force and the U.S. Government on space technology
and space security systems. NLECTC-West draws on The Aerospace
Corporation's depth of knowledge and scientific expertise to offer law
enforcement and corrections the ability to analyze and enhance audio,
video, and photographic evidence. In cooperation with The Aerospace
Corporation, this NLECTC facility also has available an extensive array of
analytic instrumentation to aid in criminal investigations, such as a
scanning electron microscope, an x-ray microscope, and a mass
spectrometer, all of which are used to process trace evidence. Its other
areas of expertise include computer architecture, data processing,
communications systems, and identifying technologies to stop fleeing
vehicles.

Border Research and Technology Center (BRTC)
225 Broadway, Suite 740
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 888-656-BRTC (2782)
Fax: 888-660-BRTC (2782)
E-mail: brtcchrisa@aol.com

The Border Research and Technology Center works with the Immigration
and Naturalization Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. Customs
Service, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the U.S.
Attorney for the Southern District of California to develop strategies and
technologies that will facilitate control of the Southwest border. One of its
most recognized accomplishments has been the implementation of
SENTRI (Secured Electronic Network for Travelers' Rapid Inspection).
BRTC also works on joint ventures to identify technologies that will stop
fleeing vehicles and is currently participating in a project to detect the
heartbeats of people concealed in vehicles or other containers.

Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES)
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8102
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8102
Phone: 301-975-2757
Fax: 301-948-0978
E-mail: oles@nist.gov

Supported by NIJ, the Office of Law Enforcement Standards applies
science and technology to the needs of the criminal justice community.
While its major objective is to develop minimum performance standards
for equipment and technology, which NIJ promulgates as voluntary
national standards, OLES also undertakes studies leading to the
publication of technical reports and user guides. Its areas of research
include clothing, communications systems, emergency equipment,
investigative aids, protective equipment, security systems, vehicles, and
weapons. It also develops measurement methods for analytical techniques
and standard reference materials for forensic scientists and crime labs.
Since the program began in 1971, OLES has coordinated the development
of nearly 200 standards, user guides, and advisory reports. Housed at the
National Institute of Standards and Technology, OLES works closely with
NLECTC-National to conduct tests and to guarantee the performance and
quality of equipment used by police and corrections.

Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC)
Wheeling Jesuit University
316 Washington Avenue
Wheeling, WV 26003
Phone: 888-306-5382
Fax: 304-243-2131
E-mail: oletc@nttc.edu

The Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization, a
program of NIJ, is located at Wheeling Jesuit University. OLETC's
mission is to work with industry, manufacturers, and laboratories to
facilitate the commercialization of technologies for the law enforcement
and corrections marketplace. OLETC provides special services and
assistance to innovators, entrepreneurs, universities, Federal and other
laboratories, and U.S. manufacturers nationwide in commercializing
technologies that will enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement and
corrections practitioners. A national partnership is being developed to
provide a continual pipeline of innovative products, concepts, and
value-added services that will expedite the commercialization of new
products and services needed for State and local law enforcement and
corrections communities. OLETC has directly assisted in commercializing
several innovative products, including the RoadSpike[TM], a novel
vehicle-stopping device; Tiger Vision[R], a special low-cost, handheld
night vision device; an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Training
Kit; and the Counterpoint Stab and Slash Protective Vest. OLETC has
identified more than 70 additional emerging technologies and concepts
that are currently being evaluated for possible commercialization.

National Center for Forensic Science
University of Central Florida
P.O. Box 162367
Orlando, FL 32816-2367
Phone: 407-823-6469
Fax: 407-823-3162
E-mail: natlctr@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu

The newest addition to the NLECTC system, this facility is housed in the
University of Central Florida and initially will focus on arson and
explosives research. Its mission is to conduct fundamental research into
the basic nature of fire and explosion reactions, provide the support to
develop standard protocols for analyzing arson and explosion debris,
promote the use of electronic media to access and exchange information
about the forensic sciences, and provide educational opportunities to
practicing professionals and full-time students. This new facility will draw
on the experience and expertise of the university, which houses a forensic
science program with an active research program, as well as the Institute
of Simulation and Training, which is currently exploring ways to simulate
explosive reactions to study various chemical processes.
------------------------------

A Look Back

Billys, Cuffs, Nippers, and Dark Lanterns 

[To receive a copy of this article, please contact NLECTC at 800-248-2742 and request a print copy of TechBeat, Winter 2000.

Text excerpted and adapted with permission from American Police
Collectibles: Dark Lanterns and Other Curious Devices by Matthew G.
Forte, Turn of the Century Publishers, 1998. Illustrations and photo used
by permission of Matthew G. Forte. To reproduce or reprint any or all
parts of the text, contact Turn of the Century Publishers, 973-746-8686.]
------------------------------

Raising the 'Hue and Cry'

[To receive a copy of this article, please contact NLECTC at 800-248-2742 and request a print copy of TechBeat, Winter 2000.]

------------------------------

From the Street to the Street

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has long believed that one of the
most vital aspects of its program is the solicitation of ideas and
suggestions from criminal justice practitioners. It is this information that
helps form the framework of NIJ's work. NIJ's Office of Science and
Technology and its National Law Enforcement and Corrections
Technology Center (NLECTC) system acquire this information through
conferences, regional workshops, and most especially through a series of
advisory groups. These groups are composed of representatives from all
areas of law enforcement, corrections, and the forensic sciences, and focus
on everything from operational technological needs to liability issues and
public acceptance of these new technologies.

One such group, the Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology
Advisory Council (LECTAC), serves as an advisory body to the NLECTC
system and recommends technology program priorities. Because
LECTAC's members are also the end users of new technologies, they
bring the day-to-day needs of police and corrections officers to the
forefront. As a result of their recommendations, NIJ is able to bring in
researchers, scientists, and engineers to address the emerging needs of the
law enforcement and corrections communities.

LECTAC's current research priorities include the development of
technologies and research in the areas of concealed weapons and
contraband detection, vehicle stopping, enhanced DNA testing, officer
protection, less-than-lethal, information management, counterterrorism,
location and tracking, secure communications, and noninvasive drug
detection. Following are updates on several sample projects that fall under
these headings, many having both law enforcement and corrections
applications.

Concealed Weapons and Contraband Detection

Body Cavity Screening System. Funded by NIJ, this stationary screen
system will help police and corrections officers detect nonmetallic
weapons and contraband hidden in lower body cavities. The only current
methods of detecting such weapons and contraband are through
conducting an invasive physical inspection, which can place the officer at
risk, or by taking x-rays of the individual, which is expensive and can
pose health risks. The system uses simplified magnetic resonance imaging
(or MRI, which was developed for the medical community) as a
noninvasive alternative to x-rays and physical body cavity searches. Plans
for testing the device on human subjects are underway; an operational
system suitable for demonstration and assessment is slated for this year.
For additional information, contact Dr. Peter Nacci, project manager, 703-
351-8821.

Handheld Acoustic System. NIJ is funding the development of an
inexpensive, handheld device that alerts officers to the potential presence
of a weapon at a greater distance than metal detectors currently in use.
The device will use acoustic technology to detect metallic and nonmetallic
weapons concealed under an individual's clothing. A preliminary model
has been demonstrated. It successfully detected a plastic knife concealed
under a heavy sweatshirt at a distance of 7 feet. Prototypes have been
delivered to NIJ for assessment prior to demonstration to law enforcement
agencies. For more information, contact Dr. Peter Nacci, project manager,
703-351-8821.

Handheld Wide-Band Radar. With sponsorship from NIJ, this concealed
weapons detection project focuses on using low-power, wide-band radar,
combined with an artificial neural network, to detect both metallic and
nonmetallic weapons. The radar used in this project is of such low power
that it poses no health hazard to those being scanned or to the individual
doing the scanning. The advantages of using low-power, wide-band radar
are that it has twice the range of other technologies currently in
development and is one of the least expensive. It does, however, have a
lower resolution that may result in a less accurate picture. A preliminary
system is being tested; development of a prototype system and
demonstration is planned for early 2000. Contact Dr. Peter Nacci, project
manager, 703-351-8821, for additional information.

Portable Millimeter Wave Radar. NIJ is sponsoring the development of a
handheld portable concealed weapons detector that uses a short-range,
94GhZ, active millimeter wave radar to detect both metallic and
nonmetallic weapons. While this technology has a shorter detection range
than the wide-band radar technology and is more expensive, it has the
potential for higher resolution and greater accuracy. The developer has
successfully demonstrated a preliminary system and is currently adapting
it for a portable configuration. Originally, the detector was to be capable
of scanning at a distance of up to 4 feet; it now appears to be accurate up
to about 20 feet. For more information, contact Dr. Peter Nacci, project
manager, 703-351-8821.

Vehicle-Mounted Weapons Detector. This NIJ project focuses on
development of a magnetic detector that can be mounted to the front of a
patrol car. The detector would enable an officer to determine whether a
subject is carrying a weapon without leaving his or her vehicle. The
detector will allow officers to screen individuals for concealed weapons
made of metal, such as handguns and knives. The detector will utilize a
five-axis magnetic gradiometer to scan a subject at a range of about 15
feet. A successful proof-of-principle demonstration has been conducted,
showing that the technology can detect metallic objects at a range of 10 to
15 feet from the system in a magnetically cluttered environment. For
additional information, contact Dr. Peter Nacci, project manager, 703-
351-8821.

Less-Than-Lethal

UPDATE: Laser Dazzler [TM]. Ten prototypes of the Laser Dazzler have
been delivered to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (USAFRL) for
eye safety and effectiveness assessment. This project ultimately will yield
a device that uses random, flashing, green laser light to disorient and
distract a subject. The prototypes resemble a flashlight, with an overall
length of 24 inches and a weight of 4.8 pounds. USAFRL testing will
determine whether the device is safe to use on humans. Data derived from
the assessment will go to NIJ, which will determine whether to fund
modifications to the device or to fund demonstration and evaluation by
police and corrections agencies. This project is being funded through a
joint partnership of NIJ and the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency. Contact Sandy Newett, project manager, 202-616-1471, for more
information.

Counterterrorism

Bomb Robots. In collaboration with the Technical Support Working
Group (TSWG), NIJ is sponsoring an assessment and demonstration of the
state-of-the-art in bomb robots. The results of this effort will be used to
develop a research and development plan that addresses current
technology shortfalls. For additional information, contact Dr. Peter Nacci,
project manager, 703-351-8821.

Explosive Diagnostics and Disruption. This project joins NIJ, TSWG, and
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a nationwide demonstration
and evaluation of improved diagnostic systems for explosive devices. The
first technology being evaluated is the RTR-3, developed under TSWG
auspices. The RTR-3 is a computer-based, portable x-ray system that
enables the diagnosis of explosive devices in real time. It also enables the
transmission of x-ray images of those devices, via modem, to remote
experts for analysis. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head
Division, and the Naval Office of Special Technology are also supporting
the project. The FBI has distributed the RTR-3 to 28 State and local
agencies throughout the Nation; training is ongoing. Contact Dr. Peter
Nacci, project manager, 703-351-8821, for more information.

Officer Protection

Chem-Bio Exposure. One of the needs identified in a 1997 NIJ study was
the development of a wearable device that would indicate exposure to a
variety of chemical and biological hazards. In response to this need, NIJ
has undertaken an effort to develop and demonstrate a wearable device
that will alert an individual of his/her exposure to hazardous chemical and
biological agents with sufficient warning that protective measures can be
taken. The initial result will be a number of prototypes for practitioner
evaluation. NIJ currently is working with the developer to add a visual
alert feature. A prototype personal alarm monitor is expected to be
available for evaluation this year. For more information, contact Dr. Peter
Nacci, project manager, 703-351-8821.
------------------------------

Making Information Technology Work

How do law enforcement agencies know when their computer-aided
dispatch (CAD) systems are outdated or their records management
systems need upgrading?

When progress is sometimes measured in inches, how do law enforcement
and corrections keep up when technology is progressing at the speed of
light?

Some departments are lucky. Some have that guy, that "techie" on staff
with the right experience and knowledge. But more often than not, there is
no such qualified person.

Because law enforcement and corrections often do not have the luxury of
a staff skilled in selecting and applying information technology, the
National Institute of Justice's National Law Enforcement and Corrections
Technology Center (NLECTC)-Southeast has undertaken a project to
develop a set of recommendations to help agencies assess where they are
in information management, where they want to be, and how to get there.

According to Bill Deck, project manager at NLECTC-Southeast, in order
to establish the knowledge base on which this set of recommendations is
to be built, Center staff conducted indepth studies at several
agenciesÑreceiving a thorough education in the varied ways information
flows through the criminal justice system. Technical experts from
NLECTC-Southeast assessed the systems of the Aiken County, South
Carolina, Sheriff's Department, as well as those of police departments in
Normal, Illinois; Mount Pleasant and Charleston, South Carolina; and
Utica, New York.

"Our first task was to get a clear understanding of each agency's
operations," Deck says. "This meant we interviewed everyone involved in
processing information, from records personnel and patrol officers to
telecommunicators, supervisors, investigators, and the chief.
Technologists should never work in a vacuum. They have to understand
what law enforcement needs. And only after extensive listening and
observing, Southeast Center personnel were able to produce process maps
showing the current state of information flow and how it could be
streamlined and improved."

"We turned the department completely over to them. We invited them to
talk to anyone they wanted to," Maj. Coleman Knight of South Carolina's
Mount Pleasant Police Department (MPPD) says. "When they were done,
the charts they gave us showed how cumbersome our system really was."

MPPD's information system ran on a computer with programming that
dated back to 1987. Although the department gradually updated the
system and added software modules, it bogged down when the department
tried to implement a field-reporting program.

"It was too complicated, the transfer took too long, the receiver program
got backlogged, and it could take an hour for the system to import
information," Knight says. "But a wholesale upgrade would have been
enormously expensive."

Instead, MPPD called in NLECTC-Southeast, which suggested replacing
the CAD and records management systems. Center staff also gave the
department recommendations on network infrastructure, minimum
configurations for mobile computing, and a step-by-step process for
putting a new system in place.

"They showed us how we could start with a base system and go forward
from there," Knight says. "Instead of trying to get it all done at one time--
we're talking about a $2 million price tag on a $500,000 budget--they gave
us general system and software requirements that would get us started."

The assessment for Illinois' Normal Police Department (NPD) involved
tying the agency's CAD system into an ongoing countywide project to link
the databases of public safety, courts, and corrections. One goal of the
project was to cut the 16 to 18 separate entries required for one case to a
single point of entry. That information would then link to every facet of
the McLean County, Illinois, criminal justice system.

By bringing in outside experts, the project received an objectivity that
typically is not available when agencies rely solely on vendor information,
says NPD's Assistant Chief Gary Speers. "Several years ago we did not
have technical people on staff. Consequently we had to rely on the experts
supplied by the vendor, who really wanted to sell us the vendor's products.
But they [NLECTC-Southeast] had no ties to vendors, no ties to local
businesses, and no political axes to grind. They gave us an outside opinion
about what we already thought was the case.

"It's one thing for us as practitioners to say something isn't working right.
It's another for an expert to show us specifically what our problems are
and to confirm that our current system is never going to do what we want
it to do," Speers adds.

According to Capt. Bryan Oliver of the Aiken County, South Carolina,
Sheriff's Department, his agency was struggling with separate CAD and
records management systems that could not talk to each other. Processing
information was a tedious, awkward task. The systems also did not
convert legacy data and were not National Incident-Based Reporting
System compliant.

Oliver says that although NLECTC-Southeast personnel came in after the
county's communications upgrade project was already underway, their
assessment and recommendations put the language of technology in
simple, uncomplicated terms. "With their assistance, even those of us who
did not have any technical knowledge were able to understand the process.
They made it easy for us to see which tasks would be more efficient with
a computer and which ones should be done manually. It helped us see how
we could make a computer work for us, instead of us working for the
computer."

According to Deck, the final result of the assessment project will be a set
of recommendations for selecting and applying information technology.
"Any agency," he says, "will be able to use these recommendations to
better understand interoperability issues, new technologies and what these
technologies will and won't do, and how they can begin to plan for an
upgrade."

Deck, who has been involved in every step of the information technology
assessment project, adds, "Will the recommendations be a cure-all? No.
But will they give agencies a starting point? Absolutely. That's all we're
trying to do, give law enforcement and corrections a roadmap showing
how to bring in new technologies. In the end, we hope they'll have more
efficient and effective systems." 

For more details regarding information technology initiatives sponsored
by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-
Southeast, contact Bill Deck, 800-292-4385.
------------------------------

From the Director

Law enforcement, courts, and corrections officials and officers working in
the field know how crucial technology is to their day-to-day operations. In
some circumstances, having the right tool can even mean the difference
between life and death.

The technological revolution that has swept society as a whole in recent
years has also affected the criminal justice system. Some technologies that
not long ago seemed advanced--vests that can stop bullets and electronic
monitoring of probationers--today seem commonplace. But the revolution
continues apace, with ever more spectacular advances now being made, or
in the testing stages, or on the drawing board.

As the research arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, the National
Institute of Justice (NIJ) has, since its founding 30 years ago, been in the
forefront in sponsoring the development, testing, and demonstration of
technology to improve the justice system. The development of DNA
testing standards, soft body armor, and improved fingerprint evidence
collection are some of the many areas in which NIJ has played a leading
role.

More recently, with strong support from the Administration and the
Congress, NIJ has accelerated the pace of its efforts. Less-than-lethal
technologies to minimize the use of force, computerized mapping to
pinpoint and analyze crime patterns, concealed weapons detection to
prevent violence, methods of stopping fleeing vehicles to apprehend
suspects, and improvements in DNA laboratories to aid in evidence
testing--all these capabilities, and others, are now being explored by NIJ.
Their application can mean even greater transformations in law
enforcement operations.

TechBeat plays an important role as an essential link communicating the
latest information about these developing technologies from the National
Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center. By keeping law
enforcement, courts, and corrections personnel current about the tools they
can use, the newsletter makes a difference in controlling crime and
ensuring justice.

Jeremy Travis
Director
National Institute of Justice 
------------------------------
The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center is
supported by Cooperative Agreement #96-MU-MU-K011 awarded by the
U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice. Analyses of test
results do not represent product approval or endorsement by the National
Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice; the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce; or Aspen
Systems Corporation. Points of view or opinions contained within this
document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the
official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. 

The National Institute of Justice is a component of the Office of Justice
Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of
Justice Statistics, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,
and Office for Victims of Crime. 
------------------------------

Coming Up: NIJ Technology Conference 2000

Conference on Technologies for Public Safety in Critical Incident
Response

Date: June 7-10, 2000

Place: Denver Tech Center Marriott, Denver, Colorado

Mission: Building on the success of the 1998 Atlanta and 1999 Orlando
conferences, this year's National Institute of Justice technology conference
in Denver will bring together law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel
and other first responders. Participants will see the latest tools and
technologies available for critical incident response and management and
hear from domestic and international practitioners and experts on lessons
learned in the use of technology to respond to terrorist incidents and to
other threats to public safety.

Registration: To receive more information or to register, call Lisa Hecker,
703-625-1489, or access JUSTNET at www.nlectc.org.
------------------------------

About TechBeat

TechBeat is the award-winning flagship publication of the National Law
Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) system. Our
goal is to keep you up to date on technologies currently being developed
by the NLECTC system, as well as other research and development efforts
within the Federal Government and private industry. TechBeat is
published four times a year. Managing Editor, Rick Neimiller;
Contributing Editor/Writer, Lois Pilant.

Individual Subscriptions: TechBeat is available at no cost. If you are not
currently on our mailing list or need to change your mailing label
information, please call us at 800-248-2742, or e-mail us at
asknlectc@nlectc.org. 

Department Subscriptions: If your division, department, or agency has
more than 25 individuals, we can drop ship as many copies as you require.
All you have to do is provide us with the quantity needed, a shipping
address (no post office boxes, please), and a contact name and telephone
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you require fewer than 25 copies, please provide us with the names and
addresses of individuals who are to receive the newsletter and we will
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Article Reproduction: Unless otherwise indicated, all articles appearing in
TechBeat may be reproduced. We do, however, request that you include a
statement of attribution, such as: "This article taken from the Fall 1999
issue of TechBeat, published by the National Law Enforcement and
Corrections Technology Center, a program of the National Institute of
Justice, 800-248-2742."

Photos: We are always on the lookout for good-quality photographs that
depict the many aspects of the law enforcement, corrections, and forensic
sciences communities and illustrate the tasks and situations they face on a
daily basis. Photos should either be in color print or color slide format.
Prints should preferably be 5 inches by 7 inches or larger. Duplicate
prints/slides made from the originals--and not the originals themselves--
should be sent, as we cannot accept responsibility for prints/slides that
may be damaged or lost. Appropriate credit will be given to contributing
photographers when their work is published. Please include your name
and daytime telephone number when submitting any photographs. Contact
Rick Neimiller, TechBeat managing editor, at 800-248-2742 for additional
information.

Questions/Comments/Story Ideas: We welcome all questions, comments,
and story ideas. Please contact Rick Neimiller, TechBeat managing editor,
at 800-248-2742, or e-mail to rneimiller@nlectc.org.
------------------------------

Sign Up To Receive Free Reports From the National Criminal Justice
Reference Service

In addition to funding the National Law Enforcement and Corrections
Technology Center, NIJ supports the National Criminal Justice Reference
Service (NCJRS), an international clearinghouse on crime and justice
information. NCJRS staff respond to reference questions, provide referrals
to other resources, distribute NIJ and other Office of Justice Programs
(OJP) documents, and maintain a mailing list of more than 45,000
registered users. In addition, NCJRS sponsors the NIJ Criminal Justice
Conference Calendar at http://www.ncjrs.org/calendar, which lists
conferences and meetings of interest to the criminal justice community. If
you are interested in signing up for the NCJRS mailing list, you may
request a registration form using any of the following methods:

Fax-on-Demand. Dial 800-851-3420, select option 1, then option 2. The
registration form is #1 on the document index. The form will be faxed to
you immediately.

Fax. You may fax your request for a registration form to 410-792-4358.
You will receive a form promptly in the mail.

E-mail. Send an e-mail to askncjrs@ncjrs.org and request a registration
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Write. Send a written request to NCJRS, P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD
20849-6000.

Call. You may call an NCJRS information specialist and request a
registration form. The number is 800-851-3420.

As a registered user, you will receive the bimonthly NCJRS Catalog, the
quarterly NIJ Journal, and selected reports based on your criminal justice
interests. For more information about NIJ and NCJRS, visit their Web
sites: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij and http://www.ncjrs.org.
------------------------------

New Publications/Videos

The following publications/videos are available from the National Law
Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-National:

2000 Model Year Police Vehicle Evaluation Program. This report
provides complete data on test results from the Michigan State Police's
annual evaluation of patrol vehicles, including summary charts.

Michigan State Police Tests 2000 Patrol Vehicles. This bulletin
summarizes the test results from the Michigan State Police's annual
evaluation of "police-package" and "special-service" patrol vehicles.

AutoBid 2000. AutoBid software is designed to help police fleet
administrators select the patrol vehicle that is best suited to the needs of
their department. The system is based on vehicle performance data for
police patrol package models published annually by the Michigan State
Police.

Keeping Track of Electronic Monitoring. This bulletin gives an indepth
look at current and upcoming home monitoring devices, system
components, buy/lease factors and options, and recommendations for
establishing an electronic monitoring program.

1999 Mock Prison Riot Video. This videotape features technologies used
to quell a mock prison riot staged by the National Institute of Justice's
Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization. Emerging
technologies were incorporated into training scenarios to demonstrate the
latest crimefighting technologies.

TechBeat, Fall 1999. Articles feature the Weapons Team Engagement
Trainer, a high-tech simulation system; a weapons detector being used at
the Bannock County Courthouse in Pocatello, Idaho; FALCON, a
software program to alert officers to crime trends in the community; and
the use of videotaping systems in police vehicles.

The following publications/videos will be available soon:

Office of Justice Programs Technology Resource Guide. This
first-of-its-kind resource guide delivers valuable information on law
enforcement and corrections technology programs and activities of the
U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, including
available technologies; funding sources and demonstration programs;
equipment standards, testing, and evaluation; current research and
development initiatives; and training.

National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
Publications Catalog 2000. This document provides a listing of NLECTC
and other government publications of interest to law enforcement,
corrections, and forensic science practitioners. Categories include
communications, forensics, less-than-lethal weapons, protective
equipment, and weapons and ammunition.

NLECTC Tests Autoloading Pistols for Law Enforcement Use. This
bulletin summarizes test data and results from NLECTC's recent
evaluation of 24 models of autoloading pistols in accordance with NIJ
Standard-0112.03 (Revision A). It also includes the Autoloading Pistol
Consumer Product List (CPL), which lists all models that were tested and
found to comply with the requirements of the NIJ Standard.

Equipment Performance Report: Autoloading Pistols for Law
Enforcement Use. This report provides a complete listing of the test data
obtained during NLECTC's recent evaluation of autoloading pistols to
determine their compliance with NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A). The
report contains test results and data from 24 models of autoloading pistols,
provided by nine manufacturers.

To obtain any of the above publications or videotapes or to receive
additional copies of the TechBeat newsletter, write NLECTC, P.O. Box
1160, Rockville, MD 20849-1160; telephone 800-248-2742. Publications
can also be downloaded from JUSTNET at www.nlectc.org.
------------------------------

Surf Our Site
www.nlectc.org

o--Information on new technologies, equipment, and other products and
services available to law enforcement, corrections, and the criminal justice
communities, including access to a database of more than 4,000 available
products and technologies.

o--Online News Summary includes article abstracts on law enforcement,
corrections, and forensics technologies that have appeared in major
national newspapers, magazines, and periodicals and on national and
international wire services and Web sites.

o--Publications from NIJ and NLECTC that you can view or download to
your system.

o--Interactive Topic Boards that allow you to post questions and exchange
information with hundreds of professionals in their specialty areas.

o--Frequently Asked Questions that offer detailed information based on
thousands of calls to our information specialists.

o--Calendar of Events that lists the latest upcoming meetings, seminars,
and training.

o--Links to other important law enforcement and corrections Web sites.

For help in establishing an Internet connection, linking to JUSTNET, or
finding needed technology and product information, call the NLECTC
Information Hotline at 800-248-2742.