Title: TechBeat Winter 2002 Series: N/A Author: National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center Published: January 2002 Subject: Technology for Law Enforcement pages: 43 bytes: 98KB Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy from NLECTC at 800-248- 2742. --------------------------- National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center TechBeat Winter 2002 Dedicated to Reporting Developments in Technology for Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Forensic Sciences --------------------------- Technology: Alaska to the Appalachians How do you transport a body from a town that has no vehicle access to a medical examiner's office at the other end of the State? How can your equipment stand up to average winter temperatures that fall well below zero? The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)-Northwest in Anchorage, Alaska, will be tackling just these types of challenges and problems. The center will study the effects of the extreme weather conditions found in Alaska and similar areas of the United States on law enforcement and corrections equipment, technology, and operations. What can a police chief do when illegal drugs spiral out of control in a town with only three officers, no surveillance technology, and little training in undercover operations? How effective can a patrol officer be when traveling long distances back to the station to access criminal information databases? The Rural Law Enforcement Technology Center (RULETC) in Hazard, Kentucky, will provide technology and technical solutions to a historically underserved population-the country's rural, small town, and small county criminal justice agencies. NLECTC-Northwest and RULETC are the two newest facilities to join the NLECTC system. In addition to their own focus areas, the two centers will work with the other centers to provide objective advice and technology assistance. NLECTC-Northwest and RULETC will enhance capacity building for isolated and rural agencies, provide crime mapping capabilities and long-distance learning opportunities, enhance the interoperability of communications systems, and share best practices and lessons learned. Technology on Ice Alaska, with its immense size, diverse geography, and extreme weather, poses unique challenges for law enforcement and corrections. The largest State in the Union, Alaska has the fewest law enforcement personnel- just shy of 1,200 sworn officers. Alaska's land mass, if overlaid on a map of the contiguous United States, would stretch from Santa Barbara, California, to Savannah, Georgia. It encompasses 586,000 square miles and has a population density of 1 person per square mile. One-third of the State lies above the Arctic Circle. It shares a 1,500-mile border with Canada and boasts a coastline of 6,640 miles-33,400 miles if you include major islands. It has thousands of rivers and lakes. Alaska is home to the highest peak in the United States, and to the next 15 highest peaks. It contains almost all of the country's active volcanoes. Temperatures range from the high 90s in the summer in Fairbanks to an average winter temperature of 20 degrees below zero in Barrow. Powerful storms blow in from the Arctic Ocean, bringing with them plenty of wind, rain, and snow. "Snow is a big problem, especially in rural areas where there are no landmarks," says Bob Griffiths, director of NLECTC-Northwest. "When everything is white, it's impossible to get your bearings. It's very difficult to run a search and rescue operation under those conditions. In addition, equipment may not function under certain weather conditions. The shutter release of the camera used to photograph the crime scene stops working in the cold. The batteries die, or the optics fog. The extreme cold can be life threatening. When officers leave the shelter of their vehicle, they are risking their lives." Griffiths says that technology can help alleviate some problems. Infrared equipment is being used to find individuals in snowstorms. Special batteries are being developed to operate in subzero conditions. The aerospace industry and the military are exploring some of the same extreme weather issues but with far larger budgets than are typically available to law enforcement. "Small agencies can only try what they think might work," Griffiths says, "and, if it doesn't work, they've wasted their money. If it does work, they need to share that information. One of NLECTC-Northwest's missions is to pass on the lessons departments have learned about equipment and strategies that work in extreme weather and geography." Transportation Challenges. Extreme cold, ice, and snow affect how police get around, Griffiths says. When it's 50 degrees below zero, officers keep cruiser engines running. This results in wear and tear and makes the cruisers more vulnerable to theft. If the cruisers are turned off, the oil and transmission fluid become too viscous in the extreme cold. In addition, most cruisers are equipped with studded tires for driving on ice. The Anchorage Police Department, he says, extensively tested studless winter tires but found that they were not particularly functional. Griffiths says his center would like to work with the Office of Law Enforcement Standards to test winter tires in adverse conditions. According to Griffiths, 30 percent of Alaska's population lives in communities that cannot be accessed by road or ferry. The result is that 1 out of 58 Alaskans has a pilot's license. This high number of pilots who fly small, private aircraft, coupled with few airports, is a challenge to State law enforcement personnel, who must initially respond to crashes, render aid, locate and rescue victims, and investigate the incidents. In the summer, most communities, especially on the Yukon River, connect with each other by boat or all-terrain vehicle. In the winter, snowmobiles are the primary mode of transportation, particularly in rural areas. Because of the extensive use of snowmobiles and a higher-than- normal rate of substance abuse, Alaska has the highest rate of snowmobile fatalities in the United States. Alaska's vast expanse requires planning ahead when it comes to investigating crime scenes in remote or inaccessible areas. "You need to bring a complete crime scene processing equipment kit," Griffiths says, "because you can't go back to the office if you forget something. The Alaska State Crime Laboratory has developed a complete portable crime processing kit for remote sites." Prisoner transportation is another problem, he says. Anyone arrested in outlying areas has to be transported to a correctional center. When the weather is bad, prisoner transport becomes a major challenge. Another challenge is maintaining appropriate population levels at the correctional centers. Because Alaska lacks sufficient prison space, some prisoners must serve their sentences in Arizona, Minnesota, Missouri, or Montana and must be flown back and forth for court hearings. Griffiths says NLECTC-Northwest will investigate videoconferencing that may help departments avoid the time and expense of this travel. Communication Challenges. In his 17 years at the Anchorage Police Department, Griffiths spent 5 years directing the emergency communications center, where he oversaw several technology upgrade projects. He says that NLECTC-Northwest is providing technology assistance to the State in updating the Alaska Public Safety Information Network, which links all agency information, including wanted- subject files, fingerprint records, and motor vehicle files. NLECTC-Northwest also is involved in a larger interoperability effort, now at the project definition stage. Alaska's Integrated Criminal Justice Information System will connect police departments, courts, district attorneys' offices, public defenders' offices, probation departments, and juvenile justice and social services agencies through an integrated data exchange system. This will avoid the duplication of effort in keying in information in each of the separate systems. "Of particular importance is the ability to share fingerprint and mug shot information as they are gathered for each arrest," Griffiths says. Training Challenges. Because small agencies seldom can exchange information or best practices with other agencies, training and sharing information are big goals for NLECTC- Northwest. Griffiths wants to establish an open line of communication to enable Alaskan agencies to share information via the Internet. His center will help individual agencies build their infrastructures to allow this interaction. Distance learning opportunities are needed not only in Alaska, Griffiths says, they are needed by rural and geographically isolated agencies nationwide. NLECTC-Northwest will be working closely with RULETC to develop these opportunities. Alaska, he says, is beginning to deploy geographic information systems (GIS) applications for patrol officers in rural areas to use in search and rescue operations. State law enforcement agencies also are beginning to use GIS to map crime trends and crime rates in certain areas. Because there are few law enforcement officers, they need to be effective and efficient in targeting crime. GIS crime analysis is not yet widespread, however, and Griffiths would like to host train-the-trainer programs, working with the crime mapping programs at NLECTC-Rocky Mountain and NLECTC-Southeast, to increase its use. NLECTC-Northwest also is assembling an advisory council, which will be active by spring 2002. Initially, most members will be Alaskan law enforcement and corrections officers. As the center grows, however, Griffiths plans to include members who have experience working with extreme weather challenges. The center is developing a needs assessment survey for all law enforcement and corrections agencies in the State. The survey will be supported by research staff at the University of Alaska's Justice Center. By the time the advisory council is on board, NLECTC-Northwest should have the results of that survey to guide its assistance to Alaska's law enforcement and corrections agencies. NLECTC-Northwest is hosted by the Chenega Technology Services Corporation (CTSC), a subsidiary of the Chenega Corporation, a Native Alaskan corporation whose stockholders live on an island in Prince William Sound. CTSC provides technology services, technical support, and systems integration to such clients as the U.S. Department of Defense, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the National Security Agency. CTSC is developing distance training programs for the military. NLECTC-Northwest will be able to apply elements of these programs to law enforcement and corrections needs. For more information on the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center- Northwest, contact Bob Griffiths, 866-569-2969 or 907-569-2969, or e-mail nlectc_nw@ctsc.net. Technology RFD There are more than 14,600 small and rural law enforcement agencies with 50 or fewer officers; most have 10 or fewer officers. These agencies represent almost 90 percent of all law enforcement agencies in the United States. Despite their size and location, these smaller departments face many of the same crimes that their larger municipal counterparts do, often without enough manpower, training, or technology. "These are agencies that can benefit mightily from the force multiplier of technology," says Rod Maggard, director of the new Rural Law Enforcement Technology Center. "Rural law enforcement and corrections have been left out of access to technology, research, training, and technical assistance that have been geared to larger agencies," he says. "Their problems are as great, if not greater, than those faced by large departments because they are compounded by the lack of manpower, training, technology, equipment, funding information, and information sharing and capacity building." RULETC is unique and long overdue, says Maggard. "Rural departments make up the majority of United States law enforcement agencies. They deal not only with the same types of crimes as their big city counterparts but also with agricultural crimes like ecoterrorism, the cultivation or manufacture of illicit drugs in rural areas, and other crimes such as poaching or illegal dumping." Maggard is well aware of the challenges small, rural departments face. He has been in law enforcement for 34 years, signing on as a Kentucky State trooper in 1967, leaving in 1981 to head corporate security for Blue Diamond Coal Company, and serving for 10 years as the chief of police of Hazard from 1991 until he became director of RULETC. Communication Challenges. Like their counterparts in the remote stretches of Alaska, small and rural agencies have communication problems. RULETC will concentrate on information technologies, communications, evaluations of available off-the-shelf technologies, and other technology areas that can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of rural law enforcement. "We want to bridge the information and technology gaps that exist in so many small and rural agencies," Maggard says. His center will review technologies and best practices as they apply to the needs of rural agencies and disseminate that information to other agencies across the country. "Communication problems are exacerbated by geographic isolation, limited interoperability, and limited equipment. Small and rural agencies simply do not have the tax base for anything other than the most essential police equipment," Maggard says. "It's analogous to an elderly couple living on a fixed income. Departments have the same budgets year in and year out with no money for new or improved technology." In southeastern Kentucky, he says, agencies are just beginning to get a few mobile data terminals in their patrol cars. Generally, a patrol officer who needs information must radio in the request to the dispatcher, then wait until the dispatcher retrieves the information from the computer and radios it back to the officer. Currently, RULETC staff are part of the advisory board for a law enforcement technology grant that was awarded to 40 counties in southeastern Kentucky to address the interoperability of 106 agencies. When completed, the interoperability project could become a national pilot program that would share best practices and lessons learned with similar agencies nationwide. The advisory board for this project pooled knowledge from many perspectives. Police chiefs, State police, the League of Cities, sheriffs, and academics are working to solve communications difficulties created by southeastern Kentucky's mountainous terrain and flood plains. Maggard says Hazard and other communities are in valleys where any construction must be above the 100-year flood mark. The interoperability project advisory board has developed a collaborative problem-solving approach that uses private, Federal, State, and local resources. The board received permission from the Public Broadcasting Corporation to use its existing towers, which were strategically located above the high water mark, for public safety communication. Training Challenges. In fall 2002, RULETC-currently operating in satellite facilities-will open its doors in a new 36,000-square-foot, multipurpose building. The center will have access to an 800-seat theater, a multifaceted classroom for 250 people, a computer lab with 30 workstations, a driving simulator, and a firearms training simulator with shootback capability. RULETC also will employ mobile simulation systems to increase opportunities in the field for small and rural agencies that do not have the time or budget to travel. The center will have access to video teleconferencing capability; CD-ROM, DVD, and video production capabilities; and GIS for crime mapping and analysis in rural areas. Maggard says that because RULETC represents all small and rural agencies throughout the United States, its advisory council will include representatives from departments and agencies across the country. Maggard already is collaborating with the other NLECTC facilities to identify law enforcement professionals who are familiar with the challenges of law enforcement on a small scale and who have specialized knowledge in the center's focus areas. RULETC's host agency is the Eastern Kentucky University Justice and Safety Center, a component of the College of Justice and Safety, which is involved in numerous Federal, State, and local projects. The Justice and Safety Center focuses on law enforcement technology, crime prevention, domestic violence, and community-oriented policing. Working with the National Institute of Justice's Office of Science and Technology, Eastern Kentucky University has developed distance learning and computer-based training on such topics as weapons of mass destruction, DNA evidence collection, Spanish for law enforcement, and school security evaluations. RULETC will collaborate with other universities to enhance distance learning and offer teleconferencing training opportunities across the country. As part of the development of RULETC, the Justice and Safety Center created a needs assessment survey that was mailed out nationwide. The self-report survey included both closed- and open-ended questions on the use of technology in small and rural departments. "We wanted to learn the types of technology these agencies currently use and how frequently they use it, their technological needs, their attitudes toward technology, the availability of technology training, and their organizational demographics," Maggard says. A research report based on the survey and on the advisory council's recommendations will help RULETC to build a responsive rural law enforcement program. For more information about the Rural Law Enforcement Technology Center, contact Rod Maggard, 606-436-8848, or e-mail ruletc@aol.com. --------------------------- Fuginet'ing Parole Violators It is estimated that the Nation's prisons released more than 600,000 inmates in 2001, a marked increase from the 400,000 released in 1996 and the 170,000 released in 1980. Unfortunately, most of these former inmates will not remain crime free. Statistics from a 1989 national recidivism study showed 62 percent were rearrested on serious charges within 3 years and 41 percent were reincarcerated. The study also tracked a group of 68,000 ex-convicts, who committed more than 300,000 felonies and misdemeanors in the 3 years after their release. Although prisons take in about 50,000 more prisoners than they let out, it is expected that by 2005 the ratio of admissions to releases will be 1:1; by 2010, the release rate will top 1.2 million. With recidivism rates and the number of violent offenders increasing, law enforcement faces an enormous challenge in finding and arresting parole violators. In 1998, 140,000 parolees were classified as violent criminals, compared with 75,000 in 1985. At least one State's prison system is giving its law enforcement officers a helping hand with its new Fugitive Apprehension Program, or Fuginet, a database that can identify and track parole violators. Capt. Robert Guard, a regional supervisor in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's (TDCJ's) Office of the Inspector General, says more than 300 local, State, and Federal agencies in Texas now access Fuginet. "Fuginet actually had its beginning back in 1995 because we needed to share information about parole violators and had no way to do that," Guard says. "There is a degree of recidivism that demands we know the parolees in our districts because of the likelihood they will commit additional crimes. But local police officers had limited access to information about who the parolees were in their areas. They also had no idea when a warrant was issued for an offender. Therefore, the violator was out there, sometimes for years, unless somebody stumbled across him on a traffic stop or through a parallel investigation." Guard says that for the first 3 years the program struggled with developmental problems, but recognition of its potential did not waver. In 1998, the initial computer program was abandoned in favor of a more comprehensive, easy-to-use program, which has been deemed successful beyond all expectations. Fuginet can now provide everything from current photos to the addresses of a parolee's friends and relatives. The records are initiated at the prison level when the parolee is released. The information is updated daily by parole officers and, when appropriate, by participating agencies. State and local law enforcement officers have access to Fuginet via the Internet. By inputting a parolee's identification number and password, they can find out whether the parolee has tattoos or identifying marks, get a map to the parolee's job and home, or retrieve the parolee's prison records. They can find out who lives in their area, breaking their search down by county, ZIP Code, or area of a city. They can query who the sex offenders are in their district. Some agencies also use Fuginet for investigative purposes, plugging in information about a crime and comparing it with information in the database. "If you put in the address of an incident and ask for everyone in a 5-mile radius who matches a suspect description or who has committed similar crimes, you'll get a list you can use proactively to eliminate suspects," Guard says. "Fuginet has facial recognition software that lets you compare a composite drawing with all of the facial images in the database. Each parolee record can include up to five photos. Fuginet also has a vehicle identification component. Let's say a sex offender is thought to be driving a 1996 Cavalier. You can pull that car up, make it whatever color you want, and even put damaged fenders on it if that's what the car looks like. Then you put the car in the suspect's record to help other officers identify the car and the suspect." Sgt. Richard Garcia's full-time job is to chase parole violators. He supervises the Dallas Police Department's Fugitive Apprehension Team and makes daily use of the Fuginet database. Garcia credits Fuginet with hundreds of parolee apprehensions in the past year. The system is successful, he says, because the information it contains is up to date and accurate. "You're only as good as your information," he says. "And these guys are great about putting in new information." According to Garcia, the Fuginet database contains information on more than 80,000 TDCJ parolees. Approximately 13,000 to 15,000 of those have been paroled to Dallas County. "We get everyone from burglars . . . to rapists and murderers," he says. "We can find out their family history, where they were paroled to, who visited them in prison, who sent them money, who their family members are. If we want, we can even look up who they called and who called them while in prison. It's a great system." When Fuginet initially came online, TDCJ trained each of the State's 1,500 parole officers, who are still required to provide daily updates to the database. Their active involvement not only keeps Fuginet relevant, it helps to maintain communication and good relationships among prison officials, parole officers, and the law enforcement officers assigned to arrest parole violators. Fuginet is available at no cost to law enforcement agencies. Training for Texas agencies is provided free by TDCJ personnel. For more information, contact the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Office of the Inspector General, 936-437-5652, or e-mail fuginet@tdcj.state.tx.us. Figures are based on Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 1983, published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) in 1989 (NCJ 116261). A second national recidivism study was to be released in November 2001, after this edition of TechBeat had gone to press. Additional data were taken from Correctional Populations in the United States, 1995, published by BJS in 1997 (NCJ 163916). --------------------------- Taking the Byte Out It was a case that involved hundreds of manhours sitting in front of a computer, staring at a screen covered with computer codes from thousands of files. The investigator was looking for evidence on a juvenile who had set up shop via a computer bulletin board and was suspected of offering downloads of commercial software for a fee. The computer's hard drive contained 100 megabytes of information, which was considered enormous at the time. "There were three sets of files on the hard drive: the operating system, the software programs he was selling, and all his communications and e-mail," says Mark Pollitt, the case investigator and unit chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) Computer Analysis Response Team. "I had to go through that system by hand, directory by directory, file by file. It took 2 weeks of full-time work." Today, hard drives boast not megabytes but gigabytes of information, which could translate into several weeks of work, at a minimum, for an investigator. In addition, criminal cases involving electronic evidence have skyrocketed in the past decade. The FBI alone will investigate well over 5,000 cases this year, compared with a few hundred just 10 years ago. Other law enforcement agencies are in the same boat, investigating an increasing number of crimes involving electronic evidence that range from fraud and hacking to drug crime and child pornography. Investigators, however, are getting some new tools to help them keep pace. National Software Reference Library The Office of Law Enforcement Standards at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), with funding from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and working in cooperation with the FBI, the U.S. Customs Service, and the U.S. Department of Defense, has created the National Software Reference Library (NSRL). Recently established by NIST, NSRL will cut investigation time dramatically. Had the library been available nearly a decade ago when Pollitt was investigating his junior hacker, the case probably would have required 2 hours-not 2 weeks-of his time, with the computer doing all the work. "A 10-gigabyte hard drive might have 50,000 files on it," says Gary Fisher of NIST's Information Technology Laboratory and project manager for NSRL. "Somebody has to go through those files for evidence. You may know what's in 99 percent of the files, but still, somebody has to decide what to look at. "The database that makes up our reference library gives investigators a set of 'digital fingerprints' for operating systems and about 1,000 software applications," Fisher says. "The investigators can compare what's on the hard drive of the computer they have seized with the file signatures in our database. What they'll get is a list of files that don't match up. Those are the ones they need to look at. The reference library is a tool that can cut an investigator's time by 25 to 95 percent, depending on the number of files on the hard drive." The NSRL Reference Data Set database is available on CD-ROM through NIST's Standard Reference Data program. There is an annual $90 subscription fee. For more information, log on to www. nsrl.nist.gov or call 301-975-8425. Computer Forensics Tool Testing The Computer Forensics Tool Testing (CFTT) project is a NIST/NIJ initiative that also will benefit computer crime investigators. CFTT helps determine the accuracy of computer forensics tools used to investigate or examine information found on seized computers. According to Susan Ballou, program manager for forensic sciences at NIST, investigators use "imaging" tools to duplicate a disk drive, thereby enabling them to look for evidence on the "copy" without destroying or altering the original. As the number of these computer forensics tools proliferated in the late 1990s, however, defense attorneys, juries, and the courts began to focus more attention on this technology; its accuracy; and its part in investigation, evidence collection, and prosecution. "How do you know the program you're using is not altering evidence?" Ballou says. "We were aware of some of the difficulties of these imaging products-that the literature said it would do a certain thing and investigators found out later it wouldn't, or it would but not to the extent the manufacturer claimed. Some individual agencies tested them on their own. They made up a mock computer system, ran an imaging tool, and then went back to compare the two. That was fine, but when you think of it on a national level, you have no unbiased person or agency testing these tools." CFTT is designed to provide a measure of assurance in the results of investigations based on automated tools used in computer forensics examinations. These tools are used not only by law enforcement but also by government and industry to examine electronic evidence. CFTT currently covers three functional areas: o Disk imaging tools, which copy seized disk drives. o Write blockers, which prevent the altering of or writing onto a seized disk. o Analysis tools, which are used to examine information content within seized drives. More areas will be added as funds and capabilities for testing become available. For more information about the Computer Forensics Tool Testing project, log on to www.cftt.nist.gov or call 301-975-8425. --------------------------- Catch You at the Next Mock Prison Riot May 5-9, 2002 Former West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia Sponsored by the National Institute of Justice's Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization, the annual Mock Prison Riot offers hands-on training in the form of realistic scenarios involving inmate uprisings, hostage situations, and cellblock takeovers. The Mock Prison Riot also showcases new and developing law enforcement and corrections technologies that are incorporated into the training scenarios, field demonstrations, and exhibits. For more information or to register, call 888-306-5382. To register online, log on to www.oletc.org. --------------------------- Special Report: Counterterrorism Response 9.11 On September 11, 2001, at 8:46 a.m., American Airlines flight 11, hijacked by terrorists out of Boston's Logan International Airport, crashed into the North Tower of New York City's World Trade Center (WTC). Sixteen minutes later, onlookers and television crews watched as terrorists crashed a second plane, United Airlines flight 175, also out of Boston, into the middle of the WTC's South Tower. Police officers, firefighters, rescue workers, and thousands of others trying to evacuate the burning buildings were trapped when the 110-story South Tower suddenly collapsed at 9:59 a.m. At 10:28 a.m., the 110-story North Tower also collapsed, burying and eventually destroying five other buildings and the nine below-ground levels of the WTC complex. Almost 3,000 people, including rescue workers, were killed. According to engineers interviewed by the media, each tower was built around a central steel core surrounded by open office space. Supporting 18-inch steel tubes ran vertically along the outside of the buildings. When the planes damaged the central cores, the weight of the buildings was redistributed to the outer steel tubes, which buckled under the added weight and the intense heat of the fires. The resulting debris pile was five stories high. As the attacks unfolded in New York City, terrorists hijacked another plane out of Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia, near Washington, D.C. At 9:40 a.m., this plane, American Airlines flight 77, crashed into the west side of the Pentagon. Shortly thereafter, reports of another hijacking began to filter in. At 10:10 a.m., United Airlines flight 93 out of Newark International Airport in New Jersey crashed in Stonycreek Township in rural Somerset County, Pennsylvania, killing all aboard. Experts believe the plane was heading for another high-visibility target, possibly the U.S. Capitol or the White House. Immediately following the terrorist acts of September 11, the New York State Emergency Management Office asked the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to provide onsite technology assistance. Within 24 hours, staff at NIJ's Office of Science and Technology had established a technology support office adjacent to the WTC complex to help coordinate technology assistance activities with search and rescue officials. Two technical representatives from NIJ staffed the technology support office during the initial search, rescue, and recovery operations. "We were asked onsite for two reasons," says Chris Tillery, Senior Program Manager of NIJ's Critical Incident Technology Program and one of the first technical representatives at the WTC. "We were there to help identify the technology requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), and to work with them in developing solutions. "Because of the enormity of the task that lay before search and rescue personnel, it was essential that all of our resources came into play. Through NIJ's National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center [NLECTC] system and its technical partners, our onsite technical support team was able to leverage technical resources, equipment, and expertise to deliver technology that was rugged and dependable enough to assist the search and rescue teams and fire department." The first team to arrive in support of the technical support office was from the NIJ-funded Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina. The team consisted of electrical and mechanical engineers, a chemist, and a technician. They brought more than $500,000 worth of equipment that included cameras, microphones, crawlers, boroscopes, and other tools that could reach into inaccessible and hazardous spaces in the voids under the rubble. The SRTC team and NIJ staff provided onsite technology expertise and made real-time engineering modifications and repairs to equipment to fit specific US&R needs as they arose. To aid FDNY in detecting, documenting, and recording victims trapped and human remains found during cleanup, NIJ set up a perimeter surveillance system and trained firefighters in its use. The next teams to arrive to help the technical support office were from the Center for Civil Force Protection, which is funded by NIJ and located at DOE's Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) near Albuquerque, New Mexico; and from Pennsylvania State University's (PSU's) Applied Research Laboratory. SNL engineers had developed surveillance systems for search dogs that allow their handlers to see what the dogs see in areas where humans cannot go. The representatives from PSU provided expertise in advance acoustic technologies and terrain assessment. Offsite, NLECTC-Southeast in Charleston, South Carolina, coordinated the identification, collection, and delivery of more than $850,000 worth of equipment made available through its 1033 Program. In addition, staff from NIJ's Investigative and Forensic Sciences Division and the NLECTC system began identifying forensic and investigative assistance resources. The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for Technology Transfer also helped identify technologies that could aid in the WTC search, rescue, and recovery mission. The FLC rapidly disseminated information to more than 700 Federal laboratories and centers. Numerous facilities offered to help with technology and expertise. "The operational challenges and hazardous working conditions faced by the urban search and rescue teams limited the practical use of many technologies," according to Joe Cecconi, an NIJ Program Manager with an engineering background who also went to the WTC site. "However, groundwork was established for future partnerships." He says that since the WTC attack, NIJ has continued to provide technology information, assistance, and expertise to the public safety community in the areas of critical incident planning and response. "As a result of the events of September 11, we have received many valuable recommendations from the responding agencies and departments in terms of new technology research and development and in modifying existing technologies." Search and Rescue Assistance Canine Camera. On September 20 at the WTC site, the Florida US&R team used the first of six canine cameras. The cameras provided views of remote areas that dogs could access but humans could not. SNL developed these canine cameras and modified them onsite. Lighting was added so the dogs could search in dark areas. In addition, an audio control allowed handlers to give commands to their dogs. The California US&R team also deployed the canine cameras. Pole Camera. The NIJ team fabricated a pole camera to replace one that had been broken during an earlier search and rescue effort. During a debriefing, the team recommended changes to enhance the pole camera's design and performance and advised that commercial versions are also available. Void-Search or Drop Camera. Search and rescue teams used the void-search or drop camera to explore several voids in the rubble, stairwells, and an underground parking lot. The Pennsylvania and Texas US&R teams used a makeshift drop camera assembled from commercial technology primarily intended for deployment-tethered mobile robots. SRTC engineers converted an underwater pan/tilt/zoom/lights camera assembly into a portable unit for vertical deployment into 100-foot voids. Although the temperatures in some of these voids were estimated to be 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the camera performance was unaffected. Perimeter Surveillance. At the request of FDNY, NIJ staff developed a system of cameras for perimeter surveillance of the WTC site. With technical and manpower assistance from the Nassau County (New York) Police Department, NIJ staff and SRTC engineers set up six strategically placed cameras that allowed searchers to remotely monitor sites, identify areas with potential victims, and send in appropriate response teams. Thermal Imaging. NIJ made available thermal imagers and trained US&R teams in their use. Thermal imagers "see" what are essentially differences in temperature-differences as small as 1 degree. They can show the location of anything that retains heat, such as a living person. Communications and Interoperability Assistance ACU-1000. NIJ's AGILE program is evaluating an ACU-1000 communications switch at the Alexandria, Virginia, Police Department. This switch provides communications interoperability during critical incidents by linking voice communications among disparate radio systems, thereby enabling different agencies and jurisdictions to communicate with each other. Following the September 11 attack on the Pentagon, the ACU-1000 was activated and partner agencies were advised that the ACU-1000 was available. (Partner agencies include the FBI, the Secret Service, and the U.S. Park, U.S. Capitol, Metropolitan D.C., Metro Transit, Maryland State, Virginia State, Arlington, and Alexandria Police Departments.) A number of active channels were monitored, which enabled ACU-1000 testbed personnel to provide dispatchers with information from other departments; direct radio links between the partner agencies were not requested. The testbed personnel provided communication support throughout the response to the Pentagon attack and remained ready to provide direct radio links between the responding agencies. They also completed the FBI's request to program a new frequency in the ACU-1000 for their Washington field office communications. Mobile and Voice Data Communications. The New York State Emergency Management Office requested communications assistance from NLECTC-Northeast employees who work for the New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC), a technology adviser to the New York State government. By 10 a.m. on September 11, NYSTEC had mobilized a state-of-the-art mobile and voice data communications center to help the State quickly set up military communications throughout New York City and to reestablish the critical data lines that connect Albany to numerous State facilities in the city. Excess Property and Equipment Assistance 1033 Program. NLECTC-Southeast coordinated a systemwide effort to send excess boots, clothing, protective and work gloves, ropes, gas masks, ballistic-resistant helmets, laptop computers, and other needed equipment to rescuers. The equipment was secured through the Georgia 1033 Coordinator's Office and the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Reutilization Marketing Office in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The Charleston (South Carolina) Police Department and other law enforcement agencies provided a police escort for the trucks that transported the equipment. Refrigerated Storage. In response to a request from the New York State Police, NLECTC identified and arranged the delivery of two walk-in portable and four semi-tractor mobile refrigerated units for storage of DNA samples from the WTC site at the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center. Investigative and Forensic Assistance Audio Technologies. At the request of the New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney's Office, NLECTC-Northeast's Law Enforcement Analysis Facility (LEAF) staff prepared numerous audio technologies for possible use. These included a speaker identification program that can identify a person from as little as one word of speech and a speech enhancement program that can remove noise or interference from a variety of media without distorting the words. LEAF staff processed an audiotape that contained Arabic using the Air Force Research Laboratory's speech enhancement technologies. Once the processing was completed, the tape was returned to the District Attorney's Office for further investigation. DNA Analysis. NIJ offered hardware and software assistance to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory and the New York City and State crime laboratories. These labs are using forensic DNA testing to identify victims of the September 11 attacks. NIJ further empaneled the Kinship and Data Analysis Panel of renown experts in the areas of parentage testing, genetics, genomics, information technologies, bionformatics, and others. This panel has been actively involved in recommending and developing protocols, methodologies, and analytical support for the mass identification project being undertaken at the WTC site. Other Assistance New York Electronic Crimes Task Force. The U.S. Secret Service New York field office and the New York Electronic Crimes Task Force (NYECTF) office were in Building 7 of the WTC, which was destroyed. Fortunately, the entire staff survived, but all records, computers, and software tools were lost. NLECTC- Northeast, which has worked with NYECTF on projects that include the Computer Forensic Experiment 2000 and the International Conference on Electronic Crime, helped NYECTF to recover their operational capability. NLECTC-Northeast assisted NYECTF in acquiring new computers, software, and such office equipment as fax machines and safes. Odor Perception Inhibitor. The Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC) in Wheeling, West Virginia, arranged for thousands of vendor-donated odor perception inhibitor packets for search and rescue workers. Putrex (formerly known as Carry-On) is a gel-based inhibitor that isolates and eliminates putrescine and cadaverine, two compounds associated with the odor of decomposing or burnt flesh. The product, however, does not inhibit other odors, such as natural gas, that could signal an environmental hazard. OLETC had assisted in the commercialization of this product in early 2001. --------------------------- Critical Incident Technology Program: Built on Partnerships No matter what the critical incident, first responders face similar problems: less than total response coordination across jurisdictions and among agencies, lack of training, and equipment deficiencies. No matter what the critical incident, efficient and effective response requires partnerships-partnerships among agencies at critical incident sites as well as partnerships for providing training, developing new technologies, and exploring ways to prevent terrorist and other criminal acts. No matter what the critical incident, without a unified, coordinated response that uses advanced equipment and technologies, lives will be lost, time will be wasted, and resources will be underutilized. In 1997, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), through its Office of Science and Technology (OS&T), initiated a critical incident technology program to develop solutions relating to agency coordination, personnel training, and equipment and technology development. This program is a collaborative effort among Federal, State, and local public safety agencies. This multidisciplinary, multiagency approach extends NIJ's objective of preparing law enforcement and public safety communities to respond to terrorist incidents by building on existing capabilities for handling other emergencies. "What is important to understand about NIJ's critical incident technology program is that we don't just look at the needs of law enforcement, we focus on problems common to all public safety agencies," says Chris Tillery, the Senior Program Manager for NIJ's Critical Incident Technology Program. "Coordinating a combined response among agencies from multiple jurisdictions is difficult during any critical incident, whether it's a terrorist attack, a natural disaster, or an industrial accident. But through these partnerships, NIJ identifies gaps in existing technology efforts and leverages its $10 million annual investment with investments from other agencies that total hundreds of millions of dollars. Since its inception in 1997, this collaborative effort has already produced a number of new technologies. Some already are in use, and some are still in the testing stage." Biohazard and Chemical Defense o The Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology coordinates the development of standards for chemical and biological protective equipment for responders. OLES, which is funded by NIJ, collaborates with the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), a joint effort of the Departments of Defense, State, Justice, and Energy; the FBI's National Domestic Preparedness Office; the National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit organization; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; and the Office of Justice Programs' Office for Domestic Preparedness, among others. In June 2000, OLES produced the first in a series of guides relating to biohazard and chemical defense. The remaining guides were placed on the Internet, in draft, in October 2001 in response to the events of September 11. o TSWG and the FBI are collaborating with NIJ on an assessment of potential chemical and biological threats. This study includes both a historical analysis of chemical and biological incidents and a scientific assessment of the physical properties of chemical and biological agents to determine the true threat they pose. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) also is developing a model to assess the vulnerability of the country's chemical production infrastructure. o The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Nanogen, Inc., have received NIJ funding to develop portable forensic DNA analysis devices. These units would be able to type and subtype bacterial strains quickly, thus allowing for rapid and accurate medical treatment and possible identification of the origins of a biohazard substance. o Through the Joint (Justice-Defense) Program Steering Group (JPSG), NIJ, Argonne National Laboratory, SNL, and the Washington (D.C.) Metropolitan Area Transit Authority are developing a prototype real-time early warning chemical detection and emergency alarm system for subways. o In cooperation with TSWG, NIJ is sponsoring the development of a low-cost device that would warn wearers about exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The monitor would alert users in enough time to allow them to put on an escape mask. Prototype evaluations, including an assessment by the U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, currently are under way. o Through JPSG, NIJ is working with TSWG to develop a protective mask that would give first responders time to exit a hazardous area, alert the proper officials, and stop others from entering the area. The mask, which is intended for use in situations where authorities receive little or no warning, needs to be lightweight, easily carried and used, and inexpensive. It also could be used to protect victims during evacuation. Communications and Interoperability o NIJ's AGILE program addresses communications interoperability and information sharing issues that result when agencies from multiple jurisdictions respond to a critical incident. Both short-term and long-term interoperability solutions are being developed for wireless telecommunications and information sharing technology based on three major program elements: (1) standards; (2) research, development, test, and evaluation; and (3) outreach. Through this approach, AGILE aims to raise the awareness of interoperability issues and disseminate short-term solutions, lessons learned, and best practices so that policymakers and public safety leaders can make informed, cost-effective decisions. o INFOTECH uses existing systems and networks to promote information sharing among law enforcement agencies. It is fully operational in two Florida county sheriffs' offices and is in the implementation stages in California, Oregon, and Virginia. The system, created in cooperation with the U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR) in Charleston, South Carolina, expands on technology originally developed by the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. o NIJ is in the initial stages of implementing a testbed to identify technology gaps and evaluate commercially available critical incident management software. The testbed is being developed in collaboration with Camber Associates, the District of Columbia's Emergency Management Agency, the Institute for Security Technology Studies at Dartmouth College, and SPAWAR-Charleston. Explosives Detection and Remediation o Operation America is an advanced training opportunity for bomb technicians. This event features examples of the latest techniques that a bomber could use to construct a complex, hard-to-defeat device. Techniques include advanced initiation sequences, antidefeat mechanisms, and booby traps. Personnel from SNL demonstrate the latest technology and approaches to render safe such advanced devices. o An interactive training CD-ROM has been developed for bomb technicians. This individual instruction serves as refresher training for the basic bomb technician course taught at the FBI's Hazardous Devices School (HDS). The CD is currently under review by HDS. o Bomb squads can obtain a virtual library of information previously published by the FBI in three bulletin series: Bomb Technician, Investigator, and General Information. Three CDs provide instant access to information that could prove valuable during a bomb response call or an investigation. The CDs are available from the FBI Bomb Data Center. o Recommendations from prototype testing by the Kansas-Missouri Bomb Technician Working Group are being incorporated into the design of a small, portable, inexpensive device that could safely disable large fuel-fertilizer bombs such as the one that destroyed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The Naval Surface Warfare Center's Indian Head Division is developing the technology. o NIJ, through TSWG, conducted a study to identify practitioner requirements for bomb robots. A solicitation for development of a robot that would meet these requirements was released in 2001. Security o NIJ, the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Aviation Security Research and Development Division, and a focus group within the Biometrics for Improving Aviation Security Working Group are addressing concerns about the use of biometrics to improve civil aviation security. Face-recognition technology, which compares a person's face with images stored in a database, is of particular interest. This technology could verify access for airline crew and airport personnel. It also could identify individuals who are on a watch list. This technology could possibly be integrated with weapons detection portals to improve screening of passengers and employees. o A portable system developed by Raytheon Company uses low-power radar to locate and track multiple individuals through walls. The system, which is a modification of a commercial motion detector, can distinguish people through concrete or brick walls up to 8 inches thick at a range of more than 75 feet. A prototype should be ready for evaluation in Fiscal Year 2002. The Air Force Research Laboratory also is participating in the project. Weapons Detection o With funding from NIJ, the U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho Environmental and Engineering Laboratory has developed a walk-through weapons detection portal that detects anomalies in the Earth's magnetic field caused by ferro-magnetic material commonly found in weapons. This device does not pick up ordinary objects such as jewelry and keys, which allows many people to be scanned rapidly. It presently is in use in the Bannock County, Idaho, courthouse and in a New York City high school. The FAA has a portal under evaluation. The portal was commercialized in 2000 by Quantum Magnetics and Milestone Technologies as the SecureScan 2000. o Through a grant from NIJ, Trex Enterprises has demonstrated a portable system to detect concealed weapons in crowds. The device uses a passive millimeter wave imager to pick up differences in heat energy between a person's body and objects the person is carrying. These objects appear as distinct images on a real-time video. NIJ is working with the FAA to explore the possibility of placing this technology, along with the weapons detection portal, into the Nation's airports. Other Initiatives o The NIJ-funded Center for Civil Force Protection offers assistance to State and local law enforcement agencies and other public safety agencies on combating terrorism and responding to other critical incidents. Information and assistance are available in such areas as architectural safety, biometrics, bomb suits, and vulnerability analyses. Other NIJ partners in the Critical Incident Technology Program include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Eastern Kentucky University, the InterAgency Board for Equipment Standardization and InterOperability, the Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, and the OJP Office for Domestic Preparedness. For additional information, visit the NLECTC Virtual Library page on JUSTNET at www.justnet.org. --------------------------- Counterterrorism Institutes There are terrorist entities inside and outside of our Nation that, for whatever reasons, would try to harm America's citizens, security, and prosperity. To respond effectively to terrorist attacks and identify, investigate, and pursue the attackers, substantial research, technology development, and organizational efforts are required. Two resources of information and research available to State and local law enforcement are the Institute for Security Technology Studies and the Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, both sponsored by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Institute for Security Technology Studies The Institute for Security Technology Studies at New Hampshire's Dartmouth College focuses its research, development, and assessment efforts on countering terrorist attacks on websites and other Internet components and protecting the integrity of infrastructure systems such as networks. Funded under a grant from NIJ's Office of Science and Technology, the Institute and its core research program assess threats against the Nation's electronic information infrastructure technologies and systems. This core program evaluates potential techniques and technologies designed to prevent cyberattacks and maintain infrastructure integrity. By assessing current developments in the field, the Institute also helps define a national research agenda on cyberterrorism. Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism The efforts of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) target the activities of first responders. MIPT, also funded under a grant from NIJ, sponsors research on equipment, training, and procedures aimed at helping police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and others who are first on the scene of a terrorist incident. Originally incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the aftermath of the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building, MIPT's mission is to prevent acts of terrorism and subsequent suffering throughout the Nation. MIPT's five core program areas are research and development, outreach and education, training, response coordination, and lessons learned. Although both institutes have their areas of specialization, they also conduct and sponsor research into other aspects of counterterrorism. To find out more about the Institute for Security Technology Studies, visit www.ists.dartmouth.edu or contact Paul Gnon at 603 646 0700. For more information on the Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, visit www.mipt.org or contact Brian Houghton at 405 278 6313. --------------------------- 4th Annual Technologies for Public Safety in Critical Incident Response Conference and Exposition May 6-8, 2002 Hyatt Regency and Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico Public safety emergencies, including those posed by terrorist threats and actions, require not only coordinated efforts by first responders but also the best tools and technologies available for a safe, effective, and efficient response. This conference, sponsored by the Office of Science and Technology at the National Institute of Justice, will highlight the latest tools and technologies for responding to such critical incidents as terrorist threats and acts, major industrial accidents, natural disasters, and threats to school safety and security. Intended for law enforcement, fire, emergency management, and other first-responder personnel, the conference will include: o Federal technology demonstrations. o An exposition of state-of-the-art technologies. o A tour of and demonstrations at Sandia National Laboratories. o A report on domestic chemical-biological threat assessment. In addition, a 1-day Critical Incident Managers' Symposium designed for emergency management personnel and other first responders will deal with crisis response to hazardous incidents, particularly bioterrorism. Four integrated sessions will focus on organizational and coordination issues, emergency manager requirements, current and in-development technologies, and identification of unaddressed requirements. For additional details, conference registration, and hotel information, contact Jen Telander, 888-475-1919 or jtelander@ctc.org. --------------------------- If You Need More Information The following list can assist public safety personnel in finding information and training resources in their efforts to prevent terrorist attacks and respond to them should they occur. Chemical/Biological Defense Publications Guide for the Selection of Chemical Agent and Toxic Industrial Material Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders. NIJ Guide 100-00. June 2000. Volume I, NCJ 184449. Volume II, NCJ 184450. * HotZone '99: Advanced Technology Needs for Consequence Management of Biological Terrorism. 1999. NCJ 180809. * Guide for the Selection of Chemical and Biological Decontamination Equipment for Emergency First Responders. NIJ Guide 103-00. October 2001. * Guide for the Selection of Communication Equipment for Emergency First Responders. NIJ Guide 104-00. Available soon. * Guide for the Selection of Personal Protective Equipment for Emergency First Responders. NIJ Guide 102-00. Available soon. * An Introduction to Biological Agent Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders. NIJ Guide 101-00. Available soon. * Websites Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies, Johns Hopkins University: www.hopkins-biodefense.org Chem-Bio.com: www.chem-bio.com National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html Cybercrime Publications Electronic Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for First Responders. NIJ Guide. July 2001. NCJ 187736. * Electronic Crime Needs Assessment for State and Local Law Enforcement. NIJ Research Report. March 2001. NCJ 186276. * Best Practices for Seizing Electronic Evidence. A joint project of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the U.S. Secret Service. 2000. ** State and Local Law Enforcement Needs to Combat Electronic Crime. NIJ Research in Brief. August 2000. NCJ 183451. * Needs and Prospects for Crime-Fighting Technology: The Federal Role in Assisting State and Local Law Enforcement. By William Schwabe. Prepared for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy by RAND. Publication MR-1101- OSTP. 1999. NCJ 185312. * Websites Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, U.S. Department of Justice: www. cybercrime.gov Department of Defense Computer Forensics Laboratory: www.dcfl.gov Internet Fraud Complaint Center, Federal Bureau of Investigation and National White Collar Crime Center: www.ifccfbi.gov National Center for Forensic Science: ncfs.ucf.edu National Cybercrime Training Partnership: www.nctp.org National Law Enforcement CyberScience Laboratory-Northeast: www.justnet.org/nlectcne National White Collar Crime Center: www.nw3c.org; www.cybercrime.org Explosives Detection and Remediation Publications Technology Development, Implementation, and Evaluation for Collection and Analysis of Explosives Trace Chemical Evidence. August 2000. NCJ 189913.* A Guide for Explosion and Bombing Scene Investigation. NIJ Research Report. June 2000. NCJ 181869. * Guide for the Selection of Commercial Explosives Detection Systems for Law Enforcement Applications. NIJ Guide 100-99. September 1999. NCJ 178913. * Survey of Commercially Available Explosives Detection Technologies and Equipment. September 1998. NCJ 171133. ** CDs Bomb Disposal and Investigation Resources: three CDs contain 30 years of three FBI bulletin series: Bomb Technician, Investigator, and General Information. To order, contact the FBI Bomb Data Center, 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20535; 202-324-2696. Videos Surviving the Secondary Device-The Rules Have Changed. Office for Domestic Preparedness. 1997. NCJ 168105. * Websites Arson & Explosives National Repository, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms: www.atf.treas.gov/aexis2/index.htm Federal Bureau of Investigation Bomb Data Center: www.fbi.gov Infrastructure/Physical Security Publications Guide to the Technologies of Concealed Weapon and Contraband Imaging and Detection. NIJ Guide 602-00. February 2001. NCJ 184432. * User's Guide for Hand-Held and Walk-Through Metal Detectors. NIJ Guide 600-00. January 2001. NCJ 184433. * Hand-Held Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection. NIJ Standard- 0602.01. September 2000. NCJ 183470. * Walk-Through Metal Detectors for Use in Concealed Weapon and Contraband Detection. NIJ Standard-0601.01. September 2000. NCJ 183471. * Video Surveillance Equipment Selection and Application Guide. NIJ Guide 201-99. October 1999. NCJ 179545. * Perimeter Security Sensor Technologies Handbook, 1997. 1997. ** Hands-Off Frisking: High-Tech Concealed Weapons Detection. June 1996. ** Videos Land Transportation Security Technology-An Improved Response for a Changing Threat. 1999. ** Websites National Infrastructure Protection Center: www.nipc.gov U.S. Department of Energy: www.energy.gov Interoperability Publications Understanding Wireless Communications in Public Safety: A Guidebook to Technology, Issues, Planning, and Management. March 2000, revised August 2000. NCJ 180211.** State and Local Law Enforcement Wireless Communications and Interoperability: A Quantitative Analysis. NIJ Research Report. January 1998. NCJ 168961. * Wireless Communications and Interoperability Among State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies. NIJ Research in Brief. January 1998. NCJ 168945. * Videos "Why Can't We Talk?" When Lives Are at Stake. 1998. Fact sheet, July 2000. ** Websites NIJ's AGILE Program: www.agileprogram.org Federal Communications Commission: www.fcc.gov National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce: www.ntia.doc.gov General Resources Publications 1033 Program-Excess Defense Personal Property: http://www.dla.mil/j-3/leso/section1033.htm; and 1122 Program-State and Local Law Enforcement Equipment Procurement Program, http://www.dla. mil/j-3/leso/section1122.htm. See Federal Property and Equipment Manual: Federal Sources of Personal Property for Law Enforcement. Revised 2001. NCJ 172872. ** A Resource Guide to Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Forensic Technologies. May 2001. NCJ 186822. * Inventory of State and Local Law Enforcement Technology Needs To Combat Terrorism. NIJ Research in Brief. January 1999. NCJ 173384. * State and Local Law Enforcement Technology Needs To Combat Terrorism, Volume I: Inventory of Needs. 1998. NCJ 176988. * Domestic Terrorism: A National Assessment of State and Local Preparedness. 1995. Research Report, NCJ 154149, Survey, NCJ 158329. * Videos Surviving Weapons of Mass Destruction. Office for Domestic Preparedness. 1999. NCJ 181435. * Weapons of Mass Destruction-The First Responder. Office for Domestic Preparedness. 1999. NCJ 181436. * Websites for Federal Government Institutes, Organizations, and Programs Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms: www.atf.treas.gov Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov --Public Health Emergency Preparedness & Response: www.bt.cdc.gov Federal Bureau of Investigation: www.fbi.gov --Awareness of National Security Issues and Response Program: www.fbi.gov/hq/nsd/ ansir/ansir.htm --Critical Incident Response Group: www.fbi.gov/hq/isd/cirg/cirgmain.htm Federal Emergency Management Agency: www.fema.gov --Preparedness Training & Exercises: www.fema.gov/pte Joint Program Steering Group, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency: www.darpa.mil National Criminal Justice Reference Service: www.ncjrs.org National Domestic Preparedness Office: www.ndpo.gov National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system: www.justnet.org; www.nlectc.org Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov --Bureau of Justice Assistance: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja --Bureau of Justice Statistics: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs --National Institute of Justice: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij ----Critical Incident Technology Program: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/ counter.htm; www.justnet.org/techproj ----Office of Science and Technology: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/sciencetech/ welcome.html --Office for Domestic Preparedness: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp --Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org --Office for Victims of Crime: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc Office of Law Enforcement Standards: www.eeel.nist.gov/oles Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization: www.oletc.org Technical Support Working Group: www.tswg.gov U.S. Department of Defense: www.defenselink.mil U.S. Secret Service: www.treas.gov/usss Websites for Non-Federal Institutes, Organizations, and Programs ANSER Institute for Homeland Security: www.homelandsecurity.org Institute for Intergovernmental Research: www.iir.com --Regional Information Sharing Systems Program: www.iir.com/riss --State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training Program: www.iir.com/slatt/default.htm Institute for Security Technology Studies, Dartmouth College: www.ists.dartmouth.edu Law Enforcement, Emergency Management, and Corrections Training Resources: www.lectr.org National Domestic Preparedness Consortium: www.emrtc.nmt.edu/events/ndpc National Emergency Management Association: www.nemaweb.org/index.cfm New Mexico Weapons of Mass Destruction Working Group: www.wmd-nm.org Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism: www.mipt.org WMD First Responders.com: www.wmdfirstresponders.com How to order publications and videos Each publication and video entry includes a colored square indicating that it is available from either the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) or the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC). Publications and videos that have a * may be ordered by calling 800-851-3420; many NCJRS publications may also be downloaded from the Justice Information Center at www.ncjrs.org. Publications and videos that have ** may be requested by calling 800-248-2742. These publications can be downloaded from JUSTNET at www. justnet.org. How to find information at Internet sites Because the content and organization of websites change fairly often, the addresses or URLs listed will most often take users to the top-level home page of the site. In general, to find more specific information, users will have three options: (1) explore the site using the navigation buttons available on its home page, (2) search the site using its search engine (usually a link from or button on the home page), or (3) look through a site map (a page that lists all pages on the site). If you need additional assistance in locating any of these resources, contact the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center in Rockville, Maryland, at 800-248-2742, or e-mail asknlectc@nlectc.org. --------------------------- The Center System Technology can significantly enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement, corrections, and forensic sciences. Just as important, it can help ensure public safety. But the incorporation of new technology can be complicated and require significant research, while inappropriate or underutilized technology can be costly-not only in money but also in time and public perception. The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) system, a program of the National Institute of Justice, can help agencies large and small when it comes to implementing current and emerging technologies. NLECTC serves as an "honest broker" resource for technology information and support at no cost. Because most of this country's law enforcement and corrections services are provided at the local level, the NLECTC system is composed of five regional centers and is complemented by several specialty offices and a national center. These centers and offices are co-located or supported by federally funded technology partners so they can leverage unique science and engineering expertise. Contact NLECTC for: Technology Identification As an agency's first stop in its search for new and developing technologies, NLECTC provides information relating to availability, performance, durability, reliability, safety, ease of use, customization capabilities, and interoperability. This information helps an agency determine the most appropriate and cost-effective technology to solve an operational problem. Technology Assistance Because most law enforcement and corrections agencies do not have access to technical experts and sophisticated equipment, NLECTC staff serve as proxy scientists and engineers. Areas of assistance include evidence analysis (e.g., audio, video, computer, trace, and explosives), systems engineering, and communications and information systems support (e.g., interoperability, propagation studies, and vulnerability assessments). Technology Implementation The implementation of technology can bring on a new set of concerns, from hardware/ software compatibility to operational procedures and training. NLECTC helps develop procedures, protocols, and training materials. Generic guides, best practices, and information manuals often are leveraged from these hands-on assistance projects and made available to other agencies. Technology/Property Acquisition For most small departments, the acquisition of equipment to run day-to-day operations or outfit officers is a constant concern. NLECTC helps departments small and large take advantage of surplus property programs that make Federal excess and surplus property available to law enforcement and corrections personnel at little or no cost. Standards and Testing/Technology Evaluation NLECTC oversees a standards-based testing program in which equipment such as ballistic- and stab-resistant body armor, double-locking metallic handcuffs, and semiautomatic pistols is tested on a pass/fail basis. NLECTC also conducts comparative evaluations-testing equipment under field conditions-on patrol vehicles; patrol vehicle tires and replacement brake pads; and cut-, puncture-, and pathogen-resistant gloves. These evaluations allow agencies to select equipment that best suits their needs. On request, NLECTC evaluates new products to verify manufacturers' claims. Technology Demonstration NLECTC introduces and demonstrates new and emerging technologies through such special events, conferences, and demonstrations as the Mock Prison Riot (technologies for corrections), Operation America (bomb detection technologies), and an annual public safety technology conference. On a limited basis, NLECTC facilitates deployment of new technologies to agencies for operational testing and evaluation. Training Assistance/ Capacity Building NLECTC provides hands-on instruction in the latest technology solutions, primarily in the areas of crime and intelligence analysis, geographic information systems, explosives detection and neutralization, inmate disturbances and riots, and computer crime investigation. Technology Information Dissemination NLECTC disseminates information to the criminal justice community at no cost through educational bulletins, equipment performance reports, guides, consumer product lists, news summaries, meeting/ conference reports, videotapes, and CD-ROMs. NLECTC also publishes TechBeat, an award-winning quarterly newsletter. Most publications are available in electronic form through the Justice Technology Information Network (JUSTNET) at www.justnet.org. Hard copies of all publications can be ordered through NLECTC's toll-free number, 800-248-2742, or via e-mail at asknlectc@nlectc.org. Technology Commercialization Bringing research and private industry together to put affordable, market-driven technologies into the hands of law enforcement and corrections personnel is another focus of NLECTC. Law enforcement and corrections professionals, product and commercialization managers, engineers, and technical and market research specialists identify new technologies and product concepts, then work with innovators and industry to develop, manufacture, and distribute these new, innovative products and technologies. Technology Needs Assessment/Prioritization A national body of criminal justice professionals-the Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council (LECTAC)-influences the work of the NLECTC system by identifying research and development priorities. In addition, each regional facility has an advisory council of law enforcement, corrections, and forensics professionals. Together, LECTAC and the regional advisory councils help keep the NLECTC system attentive to real-world technological priorities and the needs of law enforcement and corrections. Created in 1994 as a program of the National Institute of Justice's (NIJ's) Office of Science and Technology, the NLECTC system'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. NLECTC-National 2277 Research Boulevard Rockville, MD 20850 800-248-2742 asknlectc@nlectc.org NLECTC-Northeast 26 Electronic Parkway Rome, NY 13441-4514 888-338-0584 nlectc_ne@rl.af.mil NLECTC-Southeast 5300 International Boulevard North Charleston, SC 29418 800-292-4385 nlectc-se@nlectc-se.org NLECTC-Rocky Mountain 2050 East Iliff Avenue Denver, CO 80208 800-416-8086 nlectc@du.edu NLECTC-West c/o The Aerospace Corporation 2350 East El Segundo Boulevard El Segundo, CA 90245-4691 888-548-1618 nlectc@law-west.org NLECTC-Northwest 4000 Old Seward Highway, Suite 301 Anchorage, AK 99503-6068 866-569-2969 nlectc_nw@ctsc.net Border Research and Technology Center 1010 Second Avenue, Suite 1920 San Diego, CA 92101-4912 888-656-2782 info@brtc.nlectc.org Rural Law Enforcement Technology Center (RULETC) 1908 North Main Street Hazard, KY 41701 866-787-2553 ruletc@aol.com Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization 2001 Main Street, Suite 500 Wheeling, WV 26003 888-306-5382 oletc@oletc.org Office of Law Enforcement Standards 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8102 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8102 301-975-2757 oles@nist.gov --------------------------- New Publications The following publications/videos are available from the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-National: Selection and Application Guide to Personal Body Armor, NIJ Guide 100-01. This guide responds to commonly expressed questions about the selection and use of body armor for law enforcement. It provides information to help determine the level of protection required by officers and information on the newly released 0101.04 ballistic-resistant standard and the new stab-resistant standard (NIJ Standard-0115.00). National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center Publications Catalog 2002. This document provides a list of NLECTC and other government publications of interest to law enforcement, corrections, and forensic sciences practitioners. Categories include communications, forensics, less-than-lethal weapons, protective equipment, and weapons and ammunition. Michigan State Police Tests 2002 Police Vehicles. This bulletin summarizes test results from the Michigan State Police's annual evaluation of police-package and special-service patrol vehicles. 2002 Model Year Patrol Vehicle Testing. This report contains the complete results of comprehensive tests of 2002 model year police patrol vehicles conducted by the Michigan State Police. A Comprehensive Evaluation of 2001 Patrol Vehicle Tires. This bulletin summarizes results of the National Institute of Justice's (NIJ's) latest comprehensive evaluation of patrol vehicle tires. Equipment Performance Report: 2001 Patrol Vehicle Tires. This report presents the complete results of NIJ's 2001 comprehensive evaluation of patrol vehicle tires. A Comparative Evaluation of Protective Gloves for Law Enforcement and Corrections Applications. This bulletin summarizes test results for 28 models of pathogen-, cut-, and puncture-resistant protective gloves. It also provides information on the selection and care of protective gloves for law enforcement and corrections applications. 2001 Mock Prison Riot Videotape. This video features technologies used to quell a mock prison riot staged by NIJ's Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization. Emerging technologies were incorporated into training scenarios to demonstrate the latest technologies. To obtain any of the above publications or videotapes, write NLECTC, P.O. Box 1160, Rockville, MD 20849-1160; telephone 800-248-2742. Publications can also be downloaded from JUSTNET at www.justnet.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, the National Institute of Justice (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 a calendar of events at www.eventcalendar.ncjrs.org, 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 1 again. The registration form is #1 on the document index. The form will be faxed to you immediately. Fax Fax your request for a registration form to 410-792-4358. You will receive a form promptly in the mail. Online Go to www.ncjrs.org/puborder and request registration form BC640. It will be sent to you in the mail. Or register online at www.ncjrs.org/register. Write Send a written request to NCJRS, P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849 6000. Call Call an NCJRS information specialist at 800 851 3420 and request a registration form. As a registered user, you will receive the bimonthly NCJRS Catalog, the NCJRS Users Guide, and news and announcements of new publications and resources based on your criminal justice interests. For more information about NIJ and NCJRS, visit their websites: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij; www.ncjrs.org. --------------------------- All 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 with 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 Editors/ Writers, Gayle Parraway and Lois Pilant; Contributing Writers, Nyla Houser, Becky Lewis, and Jackie Siegel; Editor, Michele Coppola; Graphic Designers, C. Denise Collins and Tina Kramer. 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. Domestic 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 number. Your only obligation is to disseminate them once they arrive. If 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 send copies directly to them. Contact Rick Neimiller, TechBeat managing editor, at 800-248-2742, for additional information or to subscribe. 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 was reproduced from the Fall 2001 issue of TechBeat, published by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, a program of the National Institute of Justice, 800-248-2742." 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 rneimiller@nlectc.org. Awards: TechBeat has received numerous awards, including the 1998 Best of Category, Excellence in Printing Award from the Printing & Graphic Communications Association; the first-place 1998 Blue Pencil Award for Most Improved Periodical from the National Association of Government Communicators; the 1999 Silver Inkwell Award of Merit from the International Association of Business Communicators; and the APEX 2001 Award of Excellence for Magazines and Newspapers-Printed. Photo Credits: Photos used in this issue of Techbeat copyright (c) Corbis Stock Market, Digital Vision, Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization, ImageState, EyeWire, and National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Southeast. --------------------------- www.justnet.org Online News Summary includes article abstracts on law enforcement, corrections, and forensics technologies that have appeared in major newspapers, magazines, and periodicals and on national and international wire services and websites. Publications from NIJ and NLECTC that you can view or download to your system. Frequently Asked Questions that offer detailed information based on thousands of calls to our information specialists. Calendar of Events that lists upcoming meetings, seminars, and training. Links that can take you to other important law enforcement and corrections websites. Interactive Topic Boards that allow you to post questions and exchange information with hundreds of professionals in their specialty areas. 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. --------------------------- 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. --------------------------- Tech Shorts TechShorts is a sampling of article abstracts published weekly as part of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center's (NLECTC's) online information service: the Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology News Summary. Offered through JUSTNET, the website of NLECTC, this weekly news summary provides synopses of recent articles relating to technology developments and initiatives in law enforcement, corrections, and the forensic sciences that have appeared in newspapers, news magazines, and trade and professional journals. The summaries also are available through an electronic e-mail list, JUSTNETNews. Each week, subscribers to JUSTNETNews receive the summary directly via e-mail. To subscribe to the JUSTNETNews/Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology News Summary, e-mail your request to asknlectc@nlectc.org or call 800-248-2742. Note: Providing synopses of articles or mentioning specific manufacturers or products does not constitute the endorsement of the U.S. Department of Justice or NLECTC. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold. The NLECTC Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology News Summary should be cited as the source of the information. Copyright 2001, Information Inc., Bethesda, Maryland. Life or Meth Law Enforcement Technology Because of the hazardous and volatile nature of chemicals used in making methamphetamine (meth), law enforcement agents and emergency personnel risk injury from inhalation or contact, or even fire or explosion, when they happen upon a meth lab. According to data compiled by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry taken from five States between 1996 and 1999, of 112 cases involving meth labs, 155 injuries were reported, including 55 police officers who were the first to respond, 8 firefighters, and 9 emergency medical technicians. Methamphetamine is created through a heating or chemical process, and the "recipe" can be found on the Internet. Because not much equipment is needed to cook meth, labs often are housed in vehicles, allowing makers to avoid detection by moving around constantly. A strong odor resembling cat urine often is a giveaway for a lab, but if noticed by a police officer, it means that contaminants are in the area and the officer should leave immediately without touching anything. Officers should be particularly careful not to discharge their firearms or turn on lights because both actions could trigger an explosion. A coordinated effort between the police department, the local fire department, and emergency medical services should be employed to raid a meth lab, and Saranex suits, Scabs, and nitro gloves should be used to avoid contamination. Antihate Site Excels With Speed, Accuracy USA Today The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is helping law enforcement agents combat hate crimes by launching a website that serves as an "instant resource" for hate crime information. The site features information about different hate groups and a calendar of events related to planned extremist activities. Anyone may visit the site. Law enforcement groups have confidence in the integrity of the information provided by ADL, says Douglas Scherzer, vice president of the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police. The ADL site is available at www.adl.org/learn/. Biometrics at Work? InfoWorld Recent progress in biometrics-the electronic storage and scanning of people's unique physical makeup-is making the security technique more affordable, accurate, and scalable. The least costly and simplest biometric application is fingertip scanning. Although fingertip scanning is the most common technique employed by companies, hand geometry is more reliable. Voice verification is also a viable option, although the difference in telephone headsets and line quality limits its effectiveness in internal networks. Entities with great security needs often employ the more expensive options of DNA, earlobe, typing-pattern, and facial recognition. Verification systems carry lower price tags, are quicker, and produce fewer false positives than identification systems. An important consideration in choosing a verification system is whether to store the users' characteristics locally or in a central database. Local storage inhibits users from moving to a different machine, while centralized databases' disadvantages are greater security threats and the large amount of traffic. Problem Drivers on a Short Leash Civic.com Suspended drivers may be forced to wear a new wireless device on their wrists after conviction. The device beams a coded signal to police cars that have a special antenna and a mobile computer. The system was created as part of an initiative by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is being tested by police in Norwalk, Connecticut. According to officials, the Problem Driver Detection System will alert law enforcement when a restricted driver is operating a vehicle by tripping the system within the police vehicle when it is within about a quarter-mile. System designers hope to add a global positioning system function in the future, allowing officers to locate the exact area of the transmitter. In addition, the system will be mostly funded by the offenders, while law enforcement agencies will be responsible for the antenna cost. Sounding Out Snipers Scientific American The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is preparing law enforcement agencies for urban warfare by commissioning prototypes of specialized technologies. BBN Technologies, a division of Verizon, has designed a sniper-detection device that will allow soldiers to track the direction of a bullet back to a hidden enemy, which can then be transmitted to a global positioning system. The new battlefield technology will use microphones and a helmet-mounted compass. The device also can be mounted on trucks, airplanes, streetlights, and buildings. BBN's technology tracks snipers at long distance by picking up the acoustic vibrations from the muzzle blast and the supersonic crack of the bullet. The technology also is able to detect the trajectory, caliber, and speed of the bullet. We All Leave High-Tech Fingerprints Austin American-Statesman Computer forensic specialists can look at a disk drive and learn everything from passwords to a sequence of keystrokes to what was written in an e-mail sent years ago. Many users think that by hitting delete, they have successfully erased data from a terminal, but computers were designed to remember things. The U.S. Department of Defense drills holes in its drives to get rid of information, and many private companies rely on new software that effectively erases a user's history from a computer. A Texas company offers individuals the chance to erase their drives, but at the same time lets employers use its services to create a profile of a worker's computer when he has left a company to check for trade secret violations and economic espionage. Teens Can Get Fake IDs in a Few Keystrokes on Web Christian Science Monitor The Internet is making it easy for teenagers to procure fake IDs, according to nightclub owners and U.S. law enforcement agencies. The hologram and encoding technologies found on real IDs have thus far proved ineffective at minimizing identity theft and forgery. Meanwhile, the number of websites dedicated to creating fake IDs continues to rise, and inexpensive Internet templates and other forms of technology are only adding to the problem. ID forgery has skyrocketed, and the FBI is grossly outmatched in its fight to combat the problem, says Dallas-based security expert Dana Turner. Prosecutions in these cases are few and far between. Cameras To Monitor Border San Antonio Express-News Operation Rio Grande will involve the placement of high-tech infrared cameras on towers along 29 miles of the river to monitor illegal crossings of the U.S.-Mexico border. Jaime Salazar, a spokesman for the Border Patrol, notes that fewer agents will be necessary to guard the border and that agents will now be able to rove instead of staying in one place. Images from the cameras, which have a range of 3 miles during the day and 1.5 miles at night, will be relayed to a station in Brownsville, Texas. The U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Customs Service will also make use of the cameras. The Brownsville area has been waiting since 1997 to have the cameras put in place. Installation was delayed because environmental activists complained that endangered species could be threatened by Operation Rio Grande. Inmates Face Eye Test for Drugs Toronto Star Ontario, Canada, will begin using technology developed by a Maryland-based company on its inmate population to test if prisoners are under the influence of contraband drugs or alcohol. Instead of taking a urine test, inmates simply have to look into a special viewfinder that reveals whether they are currently on any illicit substance. The system is being introduced in advance of new random drug testing policies that will go into effect in 2002. --------------------------- 3rd Annual Innovative Technologies for Community Corrections Conference May 20-22, 2002 San Diego Marriott Mission Valley, San Diego, California Registration fee: $100 per person (covers the cost of meals) The conference will spotlight the innovative use of technology in community corrections and provide a glimpse of the technologies in development that will soon be available to assist agencies with their mission performance. Tentative topics include: o Non-Invasive Drug Testing o Automated Reporting Systems o Supervising High-Tech Offenders o Fugitive Apprehension Technologies o Technology for Managing Sex Offenders o Distance Learning and Computer-Based Training o Management Issues in Implementing Technology o Advances in Electronic Monitoring o Crime Mapping for Community Corrections o Mobile Computing o Case Management Systems For more information or to be placed on our mailing list for information regarding this conference, please call Jennifer Dunne at 800-416-8086, or e- mail jdunne@du.edu. Hosted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center Rocky Mountain, a program of the National Institute of Justice.