Law Enforcement Technology

55 dog teams to sniff out explosives at Olympics
At the upcoming London Olympic Games, more than 150 bomb-sniffing dogs will be on hand to detect any potential threats
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NYPD developing concealed gun detecting tech
The New York Police Department (NYPD) is currently at work on a device that can detect if a person is carrying a concealed firearm from as far as eighty-two feet away
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N.J. city augments surveillance cameras with spotlights
Over the next three months, the East Orange police department will connect high-powered spotlights to their surveillance camera system, so that when camera operators spot suspicious activity they can turn on the bright lights of justice and deter would be criminals
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First responders could be zipping through skies within two years
Glenn Martin, the inventor of the Martin Jetpack, the world’s first commercially available jetpack, recently spoke with Homeland Security NewsWire’s executive editor Eugene K. Chow; in their interview Martin discusses the technical challenges of developing a viable jetpack, its uses in emergency response, and when we can expect to see civilians zipping through the skies
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GPS trackers help catch copper thieves
With thieves continuing to steal copper wiring and wreaking havoc on critical infrastructure systems across the United States, some security officials have taken to installing GPS tracking devices in copper wire to put an end to the growing problem
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Supreme Court rules against GPS tracking
On Monday, in a landmark case, the Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement agencies needed a judge’s approval before using GPS technology to track a suspect
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High-tech developments help end high-speed pursuits safely
New technological developments are helping police officers end high-speed pursuits without jeopardizing the safety of themselves or the suspect
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Reduced prices for license plates readers attracts more buyers
Now that the cost of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR) has dropped $17,000 from its initial price of $24,000, these devices are becoming increasingly common with more and more police departments across the country purchasing them
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Also noted
Minn. police give body cams a tryout | Law enforcement technology aims to step up policing |New Jersey paves the way for stun gun deployment | Tomorrow’s law enforcement technology today | 18th century wisdom guides Supreme Court’s GPS ruling | Technology helps police become more efficient | Smart911 sees rapid growth in 2011
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Taser International reports orders by law enforcement
Quibbles about the use of taser guns notwithstanding, figures released by Taser International show that police departments around the United States continue to favor the company’s stun guns, and also other law enforcement gear the company offers
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Sponges stop troops from bleeding out
Researchers at MIT have created special sponges that can help stop bleeding almost instantaneously; the sponges have been given a coating that includes thrombin, a clotting agent found in blood
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DHS IG: Cook County communications program botched
On Monday the DHS Inspector General blasted officials in Cook County, Illinois for mishandling a $45 million federally funded project to upgrade communications equipment for first responders; the Inspector General said the Cook County program, dubbed Project Shield, was fraught with trouble from the start, resulted in equipment that did not work, and potentially wasted millions of taxpayers’ dollars
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Helping UAVs to land safely in an emergency
One obstacle to the wider use of UAVs in domestic missions such as law enforcement is the fact that UAV flight plans are set pre-flight, and if something goes wrong and they need to land they have no way to determining where the safest landing spot is; in most cases they just drop; engineers are developing a system which will allow UAVs sense and avoid other traffic and determine appropriate landing spots should the need arise
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Sector Report for Tuesday, 10 January 2012: Law Enforcement Technology
This report contains the following stories.
* Carbon Motors faces uncertain future

* Open-source searches help solve cold cases

* Record high police fatalities, second year in a row

* Also noted
Plus 1 additional story.
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Carbon Motors faces uncertain future
Carbon Motors, the makers of the specially designed E7 police car, are struggling to survive financially and could be forced to shutter its doors if a $300 million government loan is not approved
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