Criminal Justice Technology in the News

Law Enforcement News

Arlington Installs Safe Meeting Spots
North County Outlook, (03/05/2019), Christopher Andersson
People in Arlington, Wash., now can meet in a designated area in front of the police station as an exchange location for online selling or buying. The space can help those who feel nervous about selling something online. The spot can also be used for divorced parents for child custody exchanges.
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Manchester Police Try Out Body Cameras in Pilot Program
WMUR, (03/05/2019), Mike Cherry
The police department in Manchester, N.H., is launching a pilot program to equip its officers with body cameras. Fourteen police officers will be equipped with cameras over a 30-day period. Officials said the cameras could improve officer safety and accountability.
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$2M Dispatch Upgrade Improves Public Safety in Saratoga County
The Saratogian, (03/05/2019), Paul Post
Saratoga County, N.Y., has a new $2 million computer-aided dispatch system, which provides more detailed information than the 15-year-old technology it replaced. For example, desk officers in the dispatch center can view a map that shows the exact location of every police, fire and rescue vehicle in the county, so they know which ones are closest to an incident.
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NYPD Completes Rollout of Body-Worn Cameras to All Officers on Patrol
PIX, (03/06/2019)
All uniform patrol officers in New York City are now equipped with body-worn cameras. Approximately 20,000 cameras have been distributed to complete the effort, making it the largest deployment of body-worn cameras in the nation. Patrol officers equipped with body cameras include police officers, sergeants and lieutenants assigned to every precinct, transit district and police service area.
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Santa Maria Police Department Rolls Out Surveillance Registry Mapping System, Adds Over 80 Participants
Santa Maria Times, (03/10/2019), Razi Syed
Since starting its surveillance camera registry six months ago, the Santa Maria Police Department has added more than 80 homeowners and businesses and set up a system mapping the location of each camera throughout the city. The program calls for any business or homeowner with security cameras to register online with the city.
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Corrections News

Drones Are Flying Contraband Into Prisons. Lawmakers Want It Stopped.
Tampa Bay Times, (03/06/2019), by News Service of Florida
A bill in the Florida House of Representatives would ban the use of drones over and near state and private correctional facilities and juvenile detention centers. It would also lower the minimum age of correctional officers from 19 to 18.
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Napa County Reentry Center Marks 10 Years Guiding People From Probation to New Paths
Napa Valley Register, (03/08/2019), Howard Yune
This article features a Napa Valley training center that has programs to help people on probation succeed in the community. The recidivism rate among graduates of the program at the Community Corrections Service Center is 24 percent, much lower than traditional recidivism rates, the program reports. The program provides one-on-one therapy and group discussions combined with job and educational training.
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Scanners Help Catch Contraband at W.Va. Regional Jails
Charleston Gazette-Mail, (03/11/2019), Associated Press
Full-body scanners are now being used on inmates entering West Virginia’s regional jails to reduce contraband, corrections officials said. Inmates entering nine regional jails must now pass through a scanner similar to those at airports and courthouses. The technology can reveal hidden objects on and within the body.
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