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British law enforcement exploits flaw in iTunes to spy
British law enforcement agencies and Apple are coming under sharp criticism after it was discovered that authorities exploited a security flaw in iTunes to spy on individuals
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Sector Report for Tuesday, 29 November 2011: Law Enforcement Technology
This report contains the following stories.
Plus 1 additional story.
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Digital DNA the new DNA
With the increasing ubiquity of computers, smart phones, and other electronic devices comes a torrent of “digital DNA,” which can be used to record an individual’s every move and even convict them of a crime
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LAPD to rely solely on computers to fight crime
In an unprecedented move, for the next three months the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) will rely entirely on computer software to decide where to deploy patrol officers; the predictive analytics software examines data from past crimes to determine when and where certain crimes are likely to occur next so police can be on hand to stop them before they are committed
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Irish police consider deploying drones
Police in northern Ireland are considering deploying small surveillance drones to help combat crime and the dissident republican threat as an alternative to helicopters; with police suffering budget shortages, many agencies cannot afford the roughly £7 million, or $11 million, a year it takes to maintain a helicopter
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Overcoming full disk encryption in digital investigations
The increasing use of full disk encryption (FDE) can significantly hamper forensic digital investigations, potentially preventing access to all digital evidence in a case
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Unused DHS fund help Pasadena upgrade helos
The city of Pasadena will use leftover funds from the 2008 Homeland Security Act to purchase a number of upgrades for its air operations unit; on 13 November the city council approved spending the remaining $650,000 of the original grant to purchase an array of high-tech devices, including an infrared camera, night-vision technology, and quiet technology tail rotor blades
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Sector Report for Tuesday, 15 November 2011: Law Enforcement Technology
This report contains the following stories.
Plus 1 additional story.
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Operation Vigilant Guard tests Arizona disaster response
More than 250 agencies and 8,000 emergency personnel recently participated in “Operation Vigilant Guard,” one of the largest emergency response exercise in Arizona’s history; participants were forced to respond to two scenarios — a catastrophic flood and the detonation of a ten-kiloton Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) in the Phoenix metropolitan area
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Better hospital responses to terrorist attacks
Terrorist attacks are less likely to occur than other disasters, but they can have greater impact on hospital operations; until the 9/11 and anthrax attacks, hospital emergency preparedness programs had not included provisions for terrorism events; those attacks changed that, but there is still much that should be done
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Budget cuts force military contractors to look inward for business
With U.S. military operations overseas drawing down and the U.S. defense budget likely to shrink , contractors are increasingly looking to domestic markets for their products
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Detergent suicides on the rise
The incidence of chemical suicides has been steadily increasing in the United States since its first appearance in 2008; it is believed the statistics are incorrect because of underreporting; most such suicides provide warning of the toxicity of the environment they will be found in, but not all do, making responding to these calls a hazard for all concerned
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Ballistic clipboard protects police from gun fire
Routine traffic stops, warrant calls and first responses have the potential of being some of the most dangerous moments in the field; a standard issue clipboard provides little in the way of reliable protection in the event of gunfire; a new clip board provides multi-hit protection against gun fire
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Highly-trained Indian K-9s join counterterror forces
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has a highly-trained unit in its force unlike any other in the world; police handlers have taught six Labradors to carry explosives in their teeth, sneak into terrorist lairs, plant remote-controlled bombs, hide secret cameras, interpret body language, and understand English and Hindi
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Detroit police push for ShotSpotter
Detroit police chief Ralph Godbee is pushing the city to purchase a $2.6 million automated gun-shot detecting system that he believes will help reduce violent crime; last summer, Detroit was hit by one of its most violent periods in recent history with 254 shootings that left fifty-two people dead in two months
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The long view
“Surveillance: From Vision to Data” Explores History of Surveillance
The term surveillance may suggest images of high-tech cameras or George Orwell’s ever-watching Big Brother, but surveillance involves more than watching and being watched. To understand surveillance and its consequences, look to data: who collects it, what information is compiled, how it is interpreted, and ultimately, why it matters.