• In Keene, N.H., locals oppose military equipment for police

    With the help of a $285,933 DHS grant, local police in Keene, New Hampshire were all set to purchase a new armored vehicle until local residents got wind of the plan; the citizens of the quiet New Hampshire town of 23,000, which has only seen two murders since 1999, questioned why police needed such an expensive military-type truck and balked at the militarization of a local force; with federal counterterrorism money continuing to pour into local communities, lawmakers and residents across the country will have to grapple with the same issues as Keene and determine what kind of police force they want to have patrolling the streets

  • GovSec Conference focuses on key security challenges

    This year’s annual GovSec Security Conference and Expo aims to train the nation’s law enforcement officials on how to tackle the most pressing national security threats facing the United States

  • Study finds disaster survivors more prone to fatal mistakes

    A new study concludes that survivors of traumatic natural disasters may suffer from a decline in mental capabilities causing them to make grave errors in their daily lives

  • Union University bolsters emergency response with GPS 911 system

    In an effort to bolster its emergency response capabilities Union University in Tennessee recently installed an enhanced 911 system

  • 9/11 first responders face three times the cancer rate

    A new study found that 9/11 first responders have been diagnosed with cancer-related illnesses at three times the rate of unexposed workers

  • Advanced forensic tool for the battlefield

    A forensic tool could soon make the analysis of evidence faster and more accurate, giving military investigators an advantage in the wars against drugs and terror

  • Accenture develops crime management system for Norway

    Accenture is developing a new national crime management system for the Norwegian National Police Directorate (POD) to support police investigations and criminal prosecutions in Norway; the crime management system will enable the Norwegian police force to manage, link, and analyze case information and intelligence for more reliability and consistency across law enforcement, police investigations, border management, emergency response, and case administration

  • Compact helmet-display for first responders

    Engineers at Physical Optics Corp. are working with DHS’ Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to develop a helmet-mounted micro display system for first responders designed to improve their situational awareness

  • Obama unveils plan to hire vets as first-responders

    Speaking at a fire station in Arlington, Virginia, last week, President Obama elaborated on his plans to hire veterans as first responders that he unveiled at the State of the Union Address

  • Law enforcement supports N.Y. DNA database expansion

    A growing number of New York law enforcement officials have backed Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to expand the state’s DNA Databank

  • Statistical model removes barriers to using fingerprint evidence in court

    Potentially important fingerprint evidence is currently not being considered in legal proceedings owing to shortcomings in the way it is reported; researchers have devised a statistical model to enable the weight of fingerprint evidence to be quantified, paving the way for its full inclusion in the criminal identification process

  • New crime-fighting methods to deter, nab terrorists

    The goal of an emerging field in forensics — chemical forensics — is to use the technology of chemistry to trace weaponized toxic substances and related materials back to their source

  • Four-legged robot carries troops’ load

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    The increasing weight of military equipment has a negative impact on soldiers’ readiness and effectiveness; reducing the load on dismounted soldiers has thus become a major point of emphasis for defense research and development; the Legged Squad Support System (LS3) robot follows squad members through rugged terrain and interact with them in a natural way, similar to the way a trained animal and its handler interact, while carrying 400 lbs. of squad’s gear

  • Satellites help rescuers save 207 people last year

    Thanks to the international network of search and rescue satellites, more than 200 people in remote locations in the United States were saved last year

  • Predictive tools help police map crime before it happens

    In recent years geographical information systems have becoming increasingly popular with law enforcement agencies, helping to predict crime hotspots, burglaries, and other incidents