Law Enforcement
Study: High incarceration rates strain local and state government budgets
The high rate of incarceration in the U.S. is a significant factor in state and local governments' current budgetary strains, according to a new study from the Center for Economic and Policy Research....
Is the public safety profession becoming safer?
Earlier this year, we reported that the number of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2009 was the lowest in 50 years. Now comes word that, for the first time in three years, the number of on-the-job firefighter deaths in the United States has dropped below 100....
Regional training centers provide common ground for fire, police
Regional training centers provide a safe haven for firefighters who want to hone their skills in real-world scenarios, live fires and classroom discussions. But regional centers aren't dedicated solely to fire departments....
New cities benefit from public safety outsourcing
When Deltona, Fla., incorporated 15 years ago with 86,540 residents, it was an anomaly among cities of its size because it did not have its own police force, relying instead on the Volusia County sheriff's office for law enforcement. Today, Deltona looks more like a trendsetter, as experts say more small- and mid-sized U.S. cities, particularly newly incorporated cities, choose to outsource public safety to the county or state to save money and resources...
Chrysler aims for more police fleet business
Motorists may see more Dodge Charger police cruisers down the road. Chrysler Group LLC is still offering a 2010 Charger sedan for police use, with a 2011 model waiting in the wings....
Arizona to do away with speed cameras on state freeways
Arizona is canceling a pioneering yet contentious program that positioned speed enforcement cameras along Phoenix-area highways and in vans placed across the state....
N.Y. county gets wide-ranging public safety radio system
Saratoga County, N.Y., is creating a countywide communications system that will provide interoperability with state, county and local agencies. As part of the setup, the county has inked an $11.8 million contract with Motorola...
International Association of Fire Fighters' SCBA Prototype to be Built
IAFF's Rich Duffy said the association has been working on a next-generation design that uses pressure-vessel technology to reduce the form factor and weight compared to those units currently in use....
InterAct offers stimulus grant-matching program for public safety
InterAct Public Safety Systems announced a $1.5 million stimulus grant-matching program for public-safety agencies that plan to upgrade their mission-critical communications systems by June 2011....
Pryme Radio introduces bluetooth adapter for use with portable radios
Pryme Radio Products presented its new Bluetooth adapter that is designed to be used with EF Johnson, HYT and Motorola portable radios at the recent IWCE 2010 in Las Vegas....
Study shows Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle delivers low lifecycle cost
The Chevrolet Tahoe Police two-wheel drive vehicle was found to have the lowest lifecycle cost in the law enforcement market by Vincentric...
Another vote in support of veteran-owned businesses
David Heffner, a Vietnam War veteran who is founder of CODY Systems, a Pottstown, Pa.-based developer of public safety software, is yet another vote in support of veteran-owned businesses....
Map details use of homeland security readiness funds
An interactive map that details the use of homeland security readiness funds in all 50 states is the central element of "Homeland Security: Boom and Bust," a report from the Center for Public Integrity and the Center for Investigative Reporting....
GovSec and U.S. Law Conference offer tools to secure public safety and curb terror
Thousands of government technology experts and law enforcement officials were in Washington, D.C., March 23-24 for the 2010 edition of GovSec, the Government Security Expo and Conference, and the U.S. Law Conference and Exposition....
Government workers: need to brush up on driving skills?
Government workers are among the most dangerous drivers, according to insurance.com's ranking, "Top 10 Most Dangerous Drivers by Profession." The only occupations that scored more dangerous: attorney/judge and financial professionals. Bartender, waiter, dog groomer, nurse and barber/stylist were job titles with safer drivers, according to the top 10 list....
Ergonomics and police duty belts: easing their load
Recommendations to ease the pain of critical equipment for police officers....
Snow-covered LED traffic signals: traffic hazard or not?
Several newspapers in the Midwest carried an Associated Press story in December headlined: "Energy-Efficient Traffic Lights Can't Melt Snow," with the subhead, "Traffic accidents are blamed on energy-efficient traffic lights getting covered with snow."...
2010 Keating Report on government budgets and spending
Government spending continues to shore up the economy, with $38 billion potentially on tap through jobs bill. The 2010 Keating Report includes analysis of federal, state, and local government spending, as well as an in-depth look at construction and security spending by governments....
EmFinder's emergency location solution helps find the lost
EmFinder unveiled an emergency location solution that can be used to find an impaired or disabled person after he goes missing, said Chris Buehler, the company's president....
Big drop in police deaths last year
The number of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2009 was the lowest in 50 years, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which released its preliminary 2009 statistics....
Broadband systems are saving money, one wireless community at a time
Municipal broadband networks have taken on a new meaning since they were first introduced four years ago. Today many cities have turned to broadband networks as a way to automate municipal functions and provide critical access to a number of city workers....
SeaArk delivers patrol boat to the Port of New Orleans
SeaArk Marine recently delivered the Capt. Kenneth H. Scarbrough, a 50-foot Dauntless Class patrol vessel, to the Port of New Orleans....
The SeaArk companies mark 50 years of boat building
This September, the McClendon family will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Monticello, Ark.-based SeaArk Marine boat builders....
Veterans continue serving their country as vendors to governments
Kurt A. Walker, owner of a Batteries Plus store in Newport News, Va., served his country for 21 years in the U.S. Air Force. He continues to serve by supplying state, local and federal agencies with batteries and police radios, as well as facility maintenance products, including emergency exit lights, fire alarm panels and scrubbers....
Stimulus funds will help keep police officers on the payroll
President Obama’s stimulus package will provide a much-needed boost for cash-strapped law enforcement agencies struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels – and, in some cases, for agencies struggling to maintain a staff at all. ...
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