New York Gang Investigators Association - Gang Training Conference in Syracuse - July 13-15

The New York Gang Investigators Association is pleased to announce its 2010 Fourth Annual New York State Gang Training Conference from July 13-15, 2010.  This training conference will provide the most current and reliable street gang information available to our membership. The NYGIA has gathered an array of speakers from throughout the United States that will focus on the recognition and identification of Latino Gangs, Prison Gangs, Gangs in Schools. We also have special guest speakers that will focus on Intervention and Prevention strategies for at-risk youth

http://www.nygia.org/

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:


Carl “CJ” Boykin New York State Office of the Attorney General

Det. Robert Mateo Polk County (FL) Sheriff’s Office

Laurie Venditti - InfraGard

Sgt. Bill Clendenen Clayton County (GA) Police Dept

CONFERENCE TOPICS:

•New York Gang Trends •Leaving the Gang

•Prison Gangs •Gang Investigations in Corrections

•Intervention/Prevention Strategies •Latino Gangs

•MySpace and Facebook as Investigative Tools

•Southern Hospitality: Overview of Georgia Gangs

•Gangs and Rap •Gangs in Schools

•Rockin’ the Walls: Understanding Graffiti

•…And much more!

Visit the website for registration information: http://www.nygia.org/

Mojave Cross Stolen by Vandals

The 7-foot-tall metal cross that has stood in California's Mojave Desert for 75 years as a memorial to World War I dead -- and withstood a hard-fought battle in the Supreme Court -- was ripped down and stolen in a nighttime heist, according to state officials.
http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/us/2010/05/11/mojave-cross-stolen-vandals/#slide=5

ShotSpotter Video - WCBS: Nassau County gun crime drops 32% since ShotSpotter debut

Nassau County, NY gun crime drops 32% since ShotSpotter debut

http://www.shotspotter.com/news/videoclips/2010/May/WCBS_2010-0414_NassauCounty.html

Times Square Investigation Begins

Virtual Fence Integration 'a Complete Failure,' Bersin Says

by Mickey McCarter
Wednesday, 21 April 2010


CBP chief stresses standalone tech, promises to evaluate McCain border plan

During a Senate hearing on border security Tuesday, the new commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) declared that the goal of constructing a fully integrated virtual fence as originally envisioned by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is not possible at present.

CBP chief Alan Bersin told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that building the complete system for the Secure Border Initiative-Network (SBInet), as originally envisioned, was not possible in the near future.

"What has not worked is the total integration of technology from each of the areas along the border into an overall system that would permit a central monitoring and control--that technology integration at the very broadest level has been the complete failure the committee described," Bersin stated.

http://www.hstoday.us/content/view/12985/149/

"Aloha" Message from Howard Schmidt

Saturday, April 24, 2010

The Internet Safety Awards is proud and honored to present Howard Schmidt, Special Assistant to the President of the United States, Cyber Security Coordinator. He has a special message to the participants and attendees of the 2010 Internet Safety Awards.
http://internetsafetyawards.blogspot.com/

Aloha, and the winner is….

When Detective Chris Duque retired in 2007 after more than 30 years with the Honolulu PD, he didn’t actually retire in any true sense of the word. It was about then that he and members of his extended Ohana (Hawaiian for ‘family’) started the Internet Safety Awards program in Hawaii’s schools.

Duque said that in his last two years with HPD he worked 14 cases involving children being molested after meeting someone online. He said, “the scary thing is that in 11 of those cases, the child made the initial contact with full knowledge that they were contacting an adult. These are the kids with serious issues. These are the children who don’t have the affection, love and attention from parents, so they go online looking for adult companionship that they’re lacking.”
http://connectedcops.net/?p=1932

Reporting on Village of Manlius Board of Trustee's Meeting

Bicentennial Committee member Lori Vendetti (Laurie Venditti) assembled a grant proposal to benefit the Manlius Farmer's Market.

The $100,000 grant, which does not require matching funds, would aid in the expansion of the existing market. If approved, she said there would be no time limit to use the funds. The catch? The application needed to be postmarked by April 15, so the board had to deliver a vote promptly.

After some discussion, the board motioned to accept the submission of the grant application, contingent on Village Attorney Jeff Brown reading the application thoroughly for no hidden obligations or commitments to the village to accept the grant. Additionally, the board would further discuss Vendetti's (Venditti's) plea for a 10 percent fee – only if the proposal should be granted – at a later date.
http://www.cnylink.com/news/view_news.php?news_id=1271874779

IBM Delivers Predictive Analytic Capabilities for Data in Motion

As part of its commitment to business analytics, IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a new collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology to give city of Stockholm residents and officials a smarter way to manage and use transportation.

Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden are using IBM’s streaming analytics technology, to gather real-time information from the Global Positioning System (GPS) devices on nearly 1500 taxi cabs in the city and will soon expand to gather data from delivery trucks, traffic sensors, transit systems, pollution monitors and weather information. The data is processed using IBM’s breakthrough streaming analytics software, InfoSphere Streams, giving the city and residents real-time information on traffic flow, travel times and the best commuting options.
more....http://7thspace.com/headlines/341678/ibm_delivers_predictive_analytic_capabilities_for_data_in_motion.html

Convicted CA Sex Offender Leads Authorities to Missing Girl

A convicted sex offender led authorities to the body of Amber Dubois. SAN DIEGO -- San Diego County prosecutors say convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner led authorities to the body of 14-year-old Amber Dubois.  District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said Friday that Gardner agreed to lead authorities to the body on the condition that they could not use that information against him in court. Dumanis says it was a difficult decision, but prosecutors had no other evidence or DNA to link him to the Amber's death. Amber's bones were discovered March 6 in a rugged, remote area north of San Diego. Gardner pleaded guilty Friday to murdering Amber and 17-year-old Chelsea King.  He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/16/convicted-california-sex-offender-leads-authorities-missing-girl/

Napolitano's Meeting With University Presidents

“America’s colleges and universities play a vital role in developing the next generation of homeland security leaders,” said Secretary Napolitano. “I look forward to expanding our partnerships with academic institutions on educational programs and hiring initiatives that enhance our capabilities to protect our nation against evolving threats.”

During the meeting, Secretary Napolitano highlighted the Department’s strong partnerships with universities including support for training, coursework in homeland security-related fields and industries, and for research and development in science and technology, such as the DHS Centers of Excellence, which bring together multidisciplinary homeland security research and education assets of more than 200 institutions across the country.
http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1271440147685.shtm

DOMESTIC TERRORISM - Sovereign Citizens

Sovereign citizens are anti-government extremists who believe that even though they physically reside in this country, they are separate or “sovereign” from the United States. As a result, they believe they don’t have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement.
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/april10/sovereigncitizens_041310.html

Napolitano Remarks to Law Enforcement Leaders

“The men and woman of our state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies serve our country honorably every day,” said Secretary Napolitano. “The Department of Homeland Security is committed to doing everything we can to support these officers on the frontlines by providing the critical training and information they need to do their jobs to secure our nation from the threats we face.”

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1271428926276.shtm

Study of Targeted Academic Campus Violence

New Study of Targeted Violence Affecting U.S. Institutions of Higher Education Released
U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of Education, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Collaborate on Joint Effort

On Friday, April 16, 2010, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation will release a study of targeted violence incidents on U.S. campuses of higher learning.

The June 2007 Report to the President on Issues Raised by the Virginia Tech Tragedy included a recommendation that the Secret Service, Department of Education, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation explore the issue of violence at institutions of higher education. This collaborative effort examines the scope of the problem of targeted violence at U.S. institutions.

In total, 272 incidents were identified through a comprehensive search of more than 115,000 results in open-source reporting from 1900 to 2008. The incidents studied include various forms of targeted violence, ranging from domestic violence to mass murder. The findings should be useful for campus safety professionals charged with identifying, assessing, and managing violent risk at institutions of higher education.

The study and its findings will be available on each of the agencies’ Internet sites: www.secretservice.gov, www.ed.gov and www.fbi.gov.

Security incidents rise in industrial control systems

.....A new report based on data gathered by the Repository of Industrial Security Incidents (RISI) database provides a rare look at trends in malware infections, hacks, and insider attacks within these traditionally cloistered operations. Cybersecurity incidents in petroleum and petrochemical control systems have declined significantly over the past five years — down more than 80 percent — but water and wastewater have increased 300 percent, and power/utilities by 30 percent, according to the 2009 Annual Report on Cyber Security Incidents and Trends Affecting Industrial Control Systems. source: http://www.darkreading.com/insiderthreat/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=224400280

NYPD Works to Protect Tunnels From Terror

By TOM HAYS
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK -- The tidy, three-story brownstone looks like any other on the cobblestone block in Brooklyn, but it isn't. It's a fake, leading directly to the belly of the nation's largest subway system.

The unmarked emergency exit behind the facade is one of many posts protected by beat cops defending the city against bombings or other terror attacks in the city's intricate underground mass transit network.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, officials at the nation's largest police department insist the city remains the nation's No. 1 terror target, devoting extra resources to protecting Wall Street, the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge and other high-profile potential targets.
more: http://www.officer.com/online/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=51687&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+officerrss%2Ftop_news_stories+%28Officer.com%3A+Top+News+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Font style can help save on ink costs

MILWAUKEE – Here's a way you might save $20 this year: Change the font in the documents you print.

Because different fonts require different amounts of ink to print, you could be buying new printer cartridges less often if you wrote in, say, Century Gothic rather than Arial. Schools and businesses could save thousands of dollars with font changes.

Data on the subject from Printer.com, a Dutch company that evaluates printer attributes, persuaded the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to make a switch. Diane Blohowiak, coordinator of information-technology user support, has asked faculty and staff to use Century Gothic for all printed documents. The school also plans to change its e-mail system so it uses Century Gothic.

"The feedback we've gotten so far has been positive," she said. "Century Gothic is very readable."

The school of 6,500 students spends about $100,000 per year on ink and toner cartridges. Although students and staff can change the default font to something more ink-intensive, Blohowiak said the university expects to save $5,000 to $10,000 per year with the font switch.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100406/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_money_saving_fonts

Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Enticing Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

In pleading guilty, Koch admitted the following facts. He admitted that between September of 2008 and June of 2009, in the Northern District of New York and elsewhere, while using a facility and means of interstate and foreign commerce, which included text messaging, picture messaging, and wire communications by use of cellular telephones, Koch knowingly did persuade, induce, and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. The communications between Koch and the victim occurred via telephones and also by way of computer on MySpace and America Online Instant Messaging. Koch admitted that at the time he was the varsity soccer coach at Blue Ridge High School in Pennsylvania. The victim was 15 years old when the communications between the victim and Koch commenced. Koch purchased and provided to the victim cellular telephones for the express purpose of communicating with the victim by way of texting and telephonic conversations.
http://albany.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/alfo033110.htm

New Service Combats 'Sexting,' 'Cyber-Bullying'

New Service Combats 'Sexting,' 'Cyber-Bullying'
Updated: Tuesday, 30 Mar 2010, 2:39 PM CDT
Published : Monday, 29 Mar 2010, 10:30 PM CDT

NED HIBBERD
Reporter
HOUSTON - 'Sexting,' text messaging and 'cyber-bullying.' Most parents know the danger is out there, even if they are not quite sure what to do about it.

But a new service offers monitoring of a child’s cell phone in the same way software can scan websites visited by the child’s computer.

A Katy-area woman called “Mary” wishes she had heard of it sooner.

She says she tried to control her 13-year old daughter’s cell phone usage by allowing the girl to share her phone.

One day, concerned about a flurry of text messages from someone named “Mac,” she posed as her own daughter.

“I'm like, okay, so I'll text him and say, ‘hey I'm scared,’ and just generate a conversation like that,” says the mom. “And sure enough, he started texting me back.”

She showed FOX 26 one of the text messages she says she received: “i dnt think u pregnant cuz i dont think the condom broke but it might have.”

The alleged sender, Harold McArthur, 25, has been charged with two counts of “Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.” He remains jailed in lieu of $30,000 bond.

“He doesn't understand that what he took, he can never give back,” says Mary, whose identity is being shielded to protect her teenage daughter.

The phone’s “delete” function kept this mom in the dark.

But a newly-launched service aims at keeping parents “in the loop.”

It monitors text messages for certain keywords, alerting mom or dad if the content is sexual or bullying.

“It gives them back control that they really don't have,” says Andy Kahan, a crime victims’ advocate who is on the advisory board of the company, WebSafety.

He says its service also tackles the problem of “sexting,” which is when a teen takes a nude self-portrait with the camera-phone and sends it to a significant other.

“Whatever image is either sent to your child or your child sends to another individual, Bingo! You get it as well,” says Kahan.

With plans starting at $150 a year, WebSafety’s service isn’t cheap.

Then again, neither is the therapist treating Harold McArthur’s alleged victim, according to her mom.

“If I had known that there was technology that would send alerts to you,” says Mary, “it would have helped me a whole lot.”

She is unhappy with the plea deal she says is in the works for McArthur.

And she is preparing a “victim impact statement” to read in court at the end of May.

On the Web:

WebSafety Program to Monitor Children's Cell Phones --

http://www.mywebsafety.com/venditti

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/scitech/100329-new-service-combats-sexting-cyber-bullying

Frank Shea member NLEA - CBS Interview on the FL Police Shooting 3/29

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6343185n&tag=mg;earlyshow