Police Equipment Headlines for August 31, 2008

• Lawn businesses see rash of thefts
The community has had five thefts since May, police said. Police in Wayne and Macomb counties said they haven't seen a rash of lawn care equipment thefts ...


• Iraqi police want equipment to stop bombers
John Blankenhorn, a US officer in the area, said the US isn't planning to provide equipment to detect explosives, but noted that Tal Afar police have put in ...


• RNC Protests: Police Raid Headquarters
Two organizations said today they filed an emergency motion with the court Saturday to try to prevent police from seizing video equipment and cell phones ...


• Man arrested for police gear enters plea
"The equipment was removed in an effort to protect the public's safety," said police spokesman Officer David McCranie. "Our fear was he was potentially ...

Fake Cop; Real Equipment

In Lakewood, Washington, near Tacoma, police arrested a man apparently impersonating an undercover officer. They’ve been investigating him for about a month now after it was reported he’d walked into a sports bar looking for someone who’d parked in a handicap spot. He claimed that he was with a nearby police department.

When the police arrived at his home they found police equipment, guns His truck had been equipped to look like an undercover police vehicle complete with red-and-blue flashing police lights, sirens, K-9 stickers, a public address system and a police scanner. The police also found handcuffs, badges and a handgun.

Deciding to Record

Of all the tools in the police equipment closet perhaps the most useful in securing convictions is the recorder. Amazingly, though, despite the fact that recording technology – tapes, video and digital – have been around for decades there are still no clear guidelines regarding whether or not interviews with suspects will be recorded.

Take Cape Girardeau, a small river town in Missouri, for example. State regulations are unclear; a few years ago a bill to require all interviews was proposed but never passed. In neighboring Illinois it is the law that all interviews be recorded but in Cape it’s left almost entirely up to the officer.

In most cases recordings are made. Sometimes time and space constraints can make it difficult and occasionally the fact that a recording is being made can make a suspect stop talking but investigating officers generally make recordings whenever possible. They insure that the suspect cannot claim that they were coerced or otherwise abused into making whatever statements coming out of the interview.

Conventional Readiness

From new police equipment to restricted airspace; rooftop snipers to shutting down an interstate for four hours – these are a few of the things that the Denver police are doing to deal with the Democratic national convention this week.

Most convention goers will behave peacefully but some groups planning to attend promise to “disrupt” the week. What this means, exactly is hard to say. But Federal and local security personnel feel that they are prepared.

"That's not to say that things won't happen, but what we're saying is that we're prepared to deal with anything," says Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Four More College Safety Tips

Today’s colleges have many excellent safety measures in place but they can only go so far in protecting the student population. It is important that students be aware of the steps they should take to ensure their own safety. Here are ten of the most important and effective college safety tips you can share with your college student.

1. Get to Know the University Police

Be aware of how to get in touch with the University Safety Personnel as quickly as possible. If you find yourself alone, for instance working in a lab late at night, do not hesitate to contact them to let them know the situation. Request an escort to your car at night if it is far away or across a darkened parking lot.


2. Protect Your Identity

Protect your identity by keeping your personal information as much to yourself. Avoid displaying personal information on mailboxes, apartment doors, cars, etc. In most cases your first initial and last name will suffice. Do not record personal information on your outgoing voicemail.


3. Know who you are Meeting

College is a time for meeting new people such as dates, study partners, or simple friendly encounters. When planning such meetings make sure that they happen in a public place and your trusted friends or roommate is aware of the situation. Ask strangers questions such as clubs or activities they are involved in, what classes they are taking and where they live.


4. Know who is on the Other Side of the Door

Do not open your door unless you are sure who is on the other side. If the person does not live in the dorm ask how they got in and verify their story with the front desk. Do not open the door to verify credentials; use the peephole instead. If your door does not have a peephole request that one be installed.

A student’s first semester at college can be an exciting and memorable time. Following these few steps will assure that it is a safe and fulfilling time as well.

Four College Safety Tips

With a new freshmen class of college students ready to move into their first college dorm room in just a few weeks now is the perfect time to review some basic safety tips for college and dorm life. This is an exciting time of life for first time college students and safety concerns may be the farthest thing from their mind. It is recommended that parents take the initiative in this area and make sure that their student knows how to protect themselves.

1. Stay in Groups

Campus predators prefer targeting isolated individuals. Avoid this by staying in groups and walking on well-lit streets and pathways. Whenever possible avoid being alone and always make sure to have a working cell phone handy.


2. Know Your Surroundings

Always be aware of your surroundings. Your eyes and ears are your best protection so make sure that they are free from distractions such as talking on the phone or using an Mp3 player. It is easy to take someone by surprise when they are not paying attention to their environment.


3. Listen to Your Gut

If you feel that you are in danger or being followed do not ignore that feeling. Seek a safe environment. If the danger is immediate make a scene. Predators do not want to draw attention to themselves so your defense it to draw as much attention to the situation as possible.


4. Share Your Schedule

Let your friends and roommate know your plans. Letting trusted people you’re your schedule is an excellent way to make sure that you arrive safely. However care should be taken to do this discreetly. Do not leave notes in public places and make sure that you only communicate your schedule to trusted people.

First Responders and Green Automobiles

More and more these days car manufacturers and energy producers are expanding their product lines to answer the demands of an increasingly environmentally conscious consumer base. As they do so, the solutions that they come up with produce heretofore unheard of problems for first responders when these cars are involved in accidents. For example, tunneling to a victim through the trunk was a relatively common method but now emergency personnel have to check to see that there isn’t a big hybrid battery back there first.

As with any new technology there isn’t yet a standard way of doing things. Dangerous or flammable chemicals are lurking in all sorts of different places on these new vehicles and first responders need to know every hiding place to protect the safety of the victims as well as themselves.

Extrication.com has gathered together a nice collection of links with hybrid safety information for first responders. With practical advice and information as well as links to hybrid manufacturer’s emergency responder information it’s definitely worth checking out.