Justice and Public Safety

Facial Recognition Software Increases Efficiency for Sheriff’s Office

August 17, 2012 - Cumberland County, Maine, purchased a new software system that uses photographs of suspects to search a database and identify potential matches.

Manhattan DA Spends $4.2 Million on Cybercrime Unit

August 16, 2012 - An increasing number of crimes involve a computer-based component and the Manhattan district attorney's office is upgrading to meet the demand.

WikiLeaks Exposes TrapWire as a Spy Network

August 13, 2012 - The federal government was preparing to monitor the public using privately owned surveillance cameras, according to documents leaked by WikiLeaks.

Utah Service Stores Residents’ Emergency Contact Info

August 10, 2012 - The service allows Utonians to designate emergency contacts that police can contact in the event of an emergency.

Gun Standard Helps Match Shells to Crimes

August 9, 2012 - New National Institute of Standards and Technology standard will help police link cartridge cases recovered at crime scenes to specific firearms.

New York City Shows New Law Enforcement Technology

August 8, 2012 - Officials believe a new situational awareness platform is a true one-stop shop for public safety data.

NYC Shows Analytics Can Save Lives (VIDEO)

August 8, 2012 - New York City departments combined data in an effort to combat needless deaths caused by fires in illegally converted apartments.

Report: Internet Privacy Law Update Proposed

August 7, 2012 - Two congressmen are trying to update a 1986 law that currently allows the government warrant-free access to any cloud-based data older than 180 days.

BMW Unveiling New Cop Cars

August 7, 2012 - Next month will bring Europe's General Police Equipment Exhibition & Conference and a new line of BMW law enforcement vehicles.

Digital Safety: The New Frontier in High School Classes

August 6, 2012 - Program teaches California teens about the dangers of sexting and cyberbullying as well as how to report incidents.

Web Tool Ignites Wildfire Preparedness Efforts

August 6, 2012 - A new Web application developed by Code for America is helping residents of Austin, Texas, better protect their homes from wildfires.

Inside a State-of-the-Art County Operations Center

August 6, 2012 - Report: Like something from a movie, a new $12.5 million operations center is planned for Macomb County, Mich.

Are You Ready for Civilian Drones?

August 2, 2012 - With the expansion of unmanned aerial vehicles into civilian life, drones could search for missing persons, feed photos and video to news outlets, and even deliver your takeout.

Accessible AlertSanDiego Brings Emergency Notifications via Text, Voice and Video

August 1, 2012 - San Diego County’s Office of Emergency Services launches alternative emergency alerts for citizens who can’t understand traditional notifications.

Report: Berkeley, Calif., Cancels Armored Vehicle Request

July 31, 2012 - After local protest, police backed down from a request for a large, military-style, armor-plated vehicle.

Congress to Discuss Geolocation Privacy, Surveillance

July 31, 2012 - GPS Act would require law enforcement officials to get a warrant before taking location data from a suspect’s device.

Scanning License Plates Comes to Iowa

July 30, 2012 - The growing trend of license plate readers used in police departments across the country highlights benefits and security concerns alike.

Sirens: A Dying Technology?

July 24, 2012 - As technology evolves and standards for radio systems change, are siren alerts for tsunamis, tornadoes and other natural disasters a thing of the past?

Police Dogs Get Cooling Vests in Summer Heat

July 23, 2012 - To help protect law enforcement K9s in from overexposure to heat, police departments are using technology to help keep them cool.

New Tech Brings New Issues to Public Safety Agencies

July 23, 2012 - How are public safety departments handling employees’ changing attitudes toward technology?