DSU police helps in development of new law enforcement technology
Delaware State University police is the primary tester of the Condor Crime Scene Management and Evidence Tracking System, developed by Fairfax, Virginia-based Advanced Response Concepts; a primary feature of the system is an electronic tablet that police can use to write their investigation and evidence collection information
Delaware State University’s Police Department is involved in development of new cutting edge law enforcement technology that is expected to greatly improve upon the documentation of evidence collection as well as crime scene management.
Over the last year, DSU has done research for Advanced Response Concepts — a Fairfax, Virginia-based company — which has been instrument in the company’s development of the Condor Crime Scene Management and Evidence Tracking System.
With the development of this Condor system, the DSU Police Department will now be a primary tester of the new hardware and software technology and will also be facilitating the use of it by several other law enforcement agencies from throughout the state.
A primary feature of the system is an electronic tablet that police can use to write their investigation and evidence collection information. The tablet will funnel the information into the various types of forms that police investigators have to complete, saving them several hours of work. DSU’s research contributed to toward Arc’s development of this tablet.
The technology uses biometric and secure smart cards that provide for the effective documentation of the chain of evidence custody, thereby reducing the kind of evidentiary issues that negatively impact the prosecution of criminal cases.
The system is designed to enhance the preservation of crime scenes through a portable credentialing station that provides law enforcement and other emergency personnel with the credentials that will ensure access to the involved area.
The DSU Police Department’s involvement in this project was born of two federal grants totaling almost $2.9 million as well as from its partnership with the Delaware Department of Homeland Security.
“This technological advancement could change the standard for crime scene management and evidence tracking,” said DSU Police Chief James Overton. “The DSU Police Department is excited to be a part of this project.”
Advanced Response Concepts will take the feedback from the DSU police and other participating users — one of which is the Dover Police Department — to make improvements to the technology before making it available to the nationwide law enforcement market.
