lawenforcement
Latest
NYPD begins testing long-distance gun detector as alternative to physical searches
As part of its ongoing effort to keep New York City safe, the NYPD has begun testing a new scanning device capable of detecting concealed firearms from a distance of about 16 feet. Developed in conjunction with the Department of Defense, the technology uses terahertz imaging detection to measure the radiation that humans naturally emit, and determine whether the flow of this radiation is impeded by a foreign object -- in this case, a gun. During a speech Tuesday, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the device shows "a great deal of promise as a way of detecting weapons without a physical search." Kelly went on to say that the technology would only be deployed under "reasonably suspicious circumstances," though some civil liberties activists are already expressing concerns. "We find this proposal both intriguing and worrisome," New York Civil Liberties Union executive director Donna Lieberman said in a statement, adding that the scanner could all too easily infringe upon civilian privacy. "If the NYPD is moving forward with this, the public needs more information about this technology, how it works and the dangers it presents." For now, the NYPD is only testing the device at a shooting range in the Bronx, and has yet to offer a timeline for its potential deployment.
WikiLeaks' Spy Files shed light on the corporate side of government surveillance
WikiLeaks' latest batch of documents hit the web this week, providing the world with a scarily thorough breakdown of a thoroughly scary industry -- government surveillance. The organization's trove, known as the Spy Files, includes a total of 287 files on surveillance products from 160 companies, as well as secret brochures and presentations that these firms use to market their technologies to government agencies. As Ars Technica reports, many of these products are designed to get around standard privacy guards installed in consumer devices, while some even act like malware. DigiTask, for example, is a German company that produces and markets software capable of circumventing a device's SSL encryption and transmitting all instant messages, emails and recorded web activity to clients (i.e., law enforcement agencies). This "remote forensic software" also sports keystroke logging capabilities, and can capture screenshots, as well. Included among DigiTask's other products is the WifiCatcher -- a portable device capable of culling data from users linked up to a public WiFi network. US-based SS8, Italy's Hacking Team and France's Vupen produce similar Trojan-like malware capable of documenting a phone or computer's "every use, movement, and even the sights and sounds of the room it is in," according to the publication. Speaking at City University in London yesterday, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said his organization decided to unleash the Spy Files as "a mass attack on the mass surveillance industry," adding that the technologies described could easily transform participating governments into a "totalitarian surveillance state." The documents, released on the heels of the Wall Street Journal's corroborative "Surveillance Catalog" report, were published alongside a preface from WikiLeaks, justifying its imperative to excavate such an "unregulated" industry. "Intelligence agencies, military forces, and police authorities are able to silently, and on mass, and [sic] secretly intercept calls and take over computers without the help or knowledge of the telecommunication providers," wrote Wikileaks in its report. "In the last ten years systems for indiscriminate, mass surveillance have become the norm." The organization says this initial document dump is only the first in a larger series of related files, scheduled for future release. You can comb through them for yourself, at the source link below.
Texas judge says warrantless cellphone tracking violates Fourth Amendment, saga continues
Rev up the bureaucratic turbines, because a judge in Texas has determined that warrantless cellphone tracking is indeed unconstitutional. In a brief decision issued earlier this month, US District Judge Lynn N. Hughes of the Southern District of Texas argued that seizing cellphone records without a search warrant constitutes a violation of the Fourth Amendment. "The records would show the date, time, called number, and location of the telephone when the call was made," Judge Hughes wrote in the ruling, linked below. "These data are constitutionally protected from this intrusion." The decision comes in response to an earlier ruling issued last year by Magistrate Judge Stephen Smith, also of the Southern District of Texas. In that case, Judge Smith argued against unwarranted wiretapping on similarly constitutional grounds, pointing out that with today's tracking technology, every aspect of a suspect's life could be "imperceptibly captured, compiled, and retrieved from a digital dossier somewhere in a computer cloud." The federal government appealed Judge Smith's ruling on the grounds that the Fourth Amendment would not apply to cellphone tracking, because "a customer has no privacy interest in business records held by a cell phone provider, as they are not the customer's private papers." Judge Hughes' decision, however, effectively overrules this appeal. "When the government requests records from cellular services, data disclosing the location of the telephone at the time of particular calls may be acquired only by a warrant issued on probable cause," Judge Hughes wrote. "The standard under [today's law] is below that required by the Constitution." The law in question, of course, is the Stored Communications Act -- a law bundled under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, which allows investigators to obtain electronic records without a warrant. This month's decision implicitly calls for this law to be reconsidered or revised, though it's certainly not the only ruling to challenge it, and it likely won't be the last, either.
Flying cops board gyroplane for Big Brother-style eyes in the sky
"Get to tha choppa!" is probably the first thing the Tromball, Texas cops will be shouting now that they're the proud owners of America's first police gyroplane. This type of aircraft is nothing new, but for the 5-0 testing the Auto-Gyro MTOsport, it's a cheaper and simpler alternative to a helicopter -- and way sweeter looking. For the price of two high-end squad cars (around $75,000), the heat can go air-bound, compared to $1-4.5 million for a standard whirlybird. The machine also requires far less pre-flight prep before soaring 13 feet per second into the sky only to max out at a face-melting speed of 115 mph. With a rotax motor, pilots can dip from the air quickly and easily since the copter's already in autorotation, unlike a standard helicopter, which requires some heavy maneuvering. The downside? It's horrible at night and in bad weather, meaning the cops will have to keep those Crown Vics in the garage, just in case.
Researchers use children's toy to exploit security hole in feds' radios, eavesdrop on conversations
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have discovered a potentially major security flaw in the radios used by federal agents, as part of a new study that's sure to raise some eyebrows within the intelligence community. Computer science professor Matt Blaze and his team uncovered the vulnerability after examining a set of handheld and in-car radios used by law enforcement officials in two, undisclosed metropolitan areas. The devices, which operate on a wireless standard known as Project 25 (P25), suffer from a relatively simple design flaw, with indicators and switches that don't always make it clear whether transmissions are encrypted. And, because these missives are sent in segments, a hacker could jam an entire message by blocking just one of its pieces, without expending too much power. What's really shocking, however, is that the researchers were able to jam messages and track the location of agents using only a $30 IM Me texting device, designed for kids (pictured above). After listening in on sensitive conversations from officials at the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, Barnes and his team have called for a "substantial top-to-bottom redesign" of the P25 system and have notified the agencies in question. The FBI has yet to comment on the study, but you can read the whole thing for yourself, at the link below.
Police adopting iPhone-based facial-recognition device
Police in the U.S. may soon have a new mobile tool to aid in the identification of criminals. It's called MORIS, Mobile Offender Recognition and Information System, and includes both a retinal scanner and camera to scan suspects from as far as five feet away. The system is powered by an iPhone which attaches to the device. When fully assembled, it weighs 12.5 ounces. MORIS will replace conventional identification procedures which require an officer to take a picture, download it to a computer and run facial recognition software on the image. The new device does all this on the fly and in one relatively small package. It was create by BI2 Technologies, a small company from Plymouth, Mass, and uses facial recognition software from Conway, NH-based Animetrics. Privacy advocates are leery of the device which can scan individuals from a distance possibly without their consent. Officers, though, view the technology as necessary. "If the purpose is to determine instantly an individual's identity and determine whether they are wanted or have serious criminal history, that is not only a desirable use, it is an important use," says Bernard Melekian, director of the COPS program. "To simply collect information on individuals to add to the database would not in my opinion be a desirable use of the technology." The MORIS device is expected to launch commercially by the end of the year and cost US$3000 per unit.
Microsoft: European cloud data may not be immune to the Patriot Act
If you thought you could evade US intelligence by moving to Europe and storing your dirty little secrets in Microsoft's cloud service, guess again. During this week's launch of Office 365, Gordon Frazer, managing director of Microsoft UK, admitted for the first time that cloud data stored at European datacenters could still be handed over to American officials, as outlined by US law. When asked whether Microsoft could guarantee that its EU-stored data would never leave the continent (even if requested under the Patriot Act), Frazer replied: "Microsoft cannot provide those guarantees. Neither can any other company." Because the company's headquarters are in the US, it's obligated to adhere to American laws, meaning that any of the data stored on its servers is fair game for authorities to seize and inspect. Frazer insisted that targeted users "would be informed whenever possible," but claimed that neither Microsoft nor any other US company can guarantee advanced notification. Bottom line: you're better off hiding those nefarious files the old fashioned way -- in an offshore safe deposit box.
BodyGuard stun-glove leaps out of comic books, into the arms of LA Sheriff's Department
What's better than a seasoned crime fighter? How about a seasoned crime fighter packing a 300,000-volt punch? A new prototype stun-glove is poised to make such Robocop-inspired dreams a reality, integrating a non-lethal taser, LED flashlight, and laser guided video camera into a fetching piece of futuristic armor. Activated by pulling out a grenade-like pin and palming an embedded finger pad, the Armstar BodyGuard 9XI-HD01 sparks a loud and visible arc of electricity between its wrist-mounted taser spikes, a sight that inventor David Brown hopes will encourage would-be crooks to surrender. The gauntlet's hard plastic shell is even roomy enough to add GPS equipment, biometrics, chemical sensors, or other embedded additions, as needed. The first batch of pre-production superhero gloves will hit the streets of LA later this year for testing and evaluation. Need more? Check out the via to see Kevin Costner (what field of dreams did he walk out of?) take the edge off this shocker in a surprisingly dull video.
New laser sighting system enlists electronic sensors to make sure snipers hit their marks
Anyone who's ever picked a flea off a dog's back with an automatic weapon knows there's a fine line between a crushed bug and a bloody mutt. Fortunately for flea-bitten K9s, a team of researchers are working on a laser-packing fiber-optic sensor system to guarantee that your rifle's crosshairs are always dead on. Known simply as the Reticle Compensating Rifle Barrel Reference Sensor, the setup enlists the exterior grooves, or flutes, on a typical rifle as a receptacle for glass optical fibers. These fibers direct beams of light along the top and side of the weapon to precisely measure just how far off the gun's sights are from the barrel's actual position. A set of algorithms and sensor inputs are then employed to adjust for distance and other factors that affect a bullet's trajectory, providing the shooter with crosshairs that adjust to environmental changes in real time. Unsurprisingly, the system is being targeted at military and law enforcement, which means it probably won't make it into the hands of anyone who uses firearms as an alternative to Advantage. Sorry, Rover. Full PR after the break.
Brazilian police live out Robocop fantasies, test glasses that scan for criminals
In advance of the 2016 Olympics 2014 World Cup (and the thousands of visitors it'll draw), military police in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are testing glasses topped with cameras capable of scanning crowds for criminals. The camera analyzes 46,000 biometric points on up to 400 faces per second -- data that then gets compared with a database of up to 13 million people. If a mug happens to match a wanted person or known troublemaker, a red light will appear on a small screen connected to the glasses. And, in a twist particularly befitting Robocop, the glasses can purportedly be calibrated to zoom in from 12 miles away, though they'll typically be used to manage crowds at a much more personal 50 meters (164 feet). For now, local cops will use them to tame crowds (and likely brawls) at soccer matches and even concerts, but hope to eventually monitor those crowded World Cup stands. As for us, we're all kinds of curious. Where do those tens of millions of faces come from -- Santa's naughty and nice list? What if people wear masks? Or sunglasses at night?
Naked Florida man opens fire on SWAT bot with AK-47, no kidding
"Investigators say they've never dealt with a naked man attacking a robot before." So starts perhaps the most insane local news story we've ever heard. According to an ABC affiliate in Florida, a disgruntled man, sporting nothing more than his birthday suit and an AK-47, opened fire on a robot last week, after threatening to shoot himself and anyone who crossed the threshold of his home. The $65,000 SWAT bot was sent in to investigate, and captured every inch of the man on video before being pumped full of bullets. Deputies say the man eventually surrendered fully-clothed and was taken for a mental evaluation. No word yet on when or if the footage will be released in a Robo COPS: Disrobed and Dangerous Special Edition. For now, you can check out video at the source link below.
TiaLinx's Cougar20-H surveillance robot can peer through walls, see you breathe
You may be able to outrun it, but you probably won't be able to hide from TiaLinx's new Cougar20-H surveillance robot. While it might not look like much, the bot packs an impressive RF array that's not only able to detect movement within a building (though concrete walls, no less), but is even able to detect a person breathing inside a building at "long standoff distances." Perhaps not surprisingly, complete details are largely being kept under wraps (the bot was developed with some help from the U.S. Army), but this isn't simply a prototype -- it'll be rolling out next month and is expected to be put to use byvarious law enforcement and government agencies. Head on past the break for the official press release.
California Supreme Court says warrantless searches of suspects' text messages are legal
Planning on getting arrested in California any time soon? You'd better make sure your text archives are free from any incriminating information as the state's Supreme Court has now ruled it legal for police to check your missives folder without the need for a warrant. The justification for this privacy intrusion is that a phone search is "incidental" to a lawful arrest and its contents, much like the contents of your pockets or bags, fall within the realm of reasonable search. Two of the judges in the case did dissent, with one noting that "never before has it been possible to carry so much personal or business information in one's pocket or purse," which she argues should afford your iPhone, Droid or BB a higher level of privacy protection than, say, the packet of gummy bears you have in the other pocket. What do you think?
CCTV cameras help solve 'six crimes a day' in London, says Metropolitan Police
Been questioning the value of having omnipresent surveillance cameras tracking your every move? Well, if you're an outlaw, you still won't like them, but for the rest of us law-abiding types, London's Metropolitan Police has a comforting stat to share: almost six crimes a day are being resolved with the help of CCTV footage. It's being used primarily to aid the identification of perps on the run, and the number of suspects identified as a result has gone up to 2,512 this year. There is a bright light for criminals, however, as the Met admits digital recordings aren't kept around as long as VHS ones used to be, meaning that if you slip the dragnet once, you'll probably be alright. So good news for everyone!
UK teen buys $750,000 of his own music from iTunes using stolen credit cards (update)
A UK teen named Lamar Johnson has recently plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud. His crime? It seems that he and his band (both in a musical sense and in a "Robin Hood" sense) used stolen credit cards to purchase something like $750,000 worth of their own music from both Amazon and the iTunes Store between January 2008 and June 2009. There's no telling how much the group would have earned from royalties, and the name of the band hasn't been disclosed (believe us, we looked), but something tells us that they probably recorded dubstep. Also, something tells us that -- since the royalties would have to be paid out to someone with a bank account -- this was a painfully easy case for prosecutors to crack. While Johnson will find his sentence tacked onto the 5-year jail term he is currently serving for grievous bodily harm, the rest of his 12 member "band" will have to wait until they appear in court in January to discover their fate. Update: One of our fine commenters (christianoliff) dug up an article from the Sunday Mercury that discloses a little more info on the perp, including a dashing photo and the name of his MySpace artist page. Apparently his criminal enterprise was more of a 2-step thing.
UA engineers develop 'invisible,' fiber optic border monitoring system
As if the nation's overexcited and misguided border vigilantes didn't have enough ways to trigger alarms and bedevil the U.S. Border Patrol (whose job is hard enough as it is), University of Arizona researchers have developed Helios, a monitoring system that uses an acoustic sensor to detect movement via fiber optic cables buried beneath the US-Mexico border. The system is evidently able to distinguish between vehicles, animals, and humans -- and it can even differentiate between different types of human activity, including walking, running, and digging. But that ain't all! UA is looking to spin the technology out into the private sector, working with a company called Fotech to automate the system, further refine the database of signals, and maybe even integrate this into a comprehensive border security system complete with mobile surveillance vehicles and an animatronic Jan Brewer that is, according to a guy we overheard at the bar, "only slightly more human than the actual Arizona governor."
Mega Hurtz gun-wielding robot has a menacing look, unfortunate name
Sure, we know how this works: cities need to justify their budgets for continued funding from state and national governments, so they buy expensive -- and often unnecessary -- high-tech toys for their police. And when your town's ready to make that transition from Barney Fife to SWAT, why not call Inspector Bots? The paramilitary nature of its Mega Hurtz Tactical Robot isn't softened by the delicious pun in its name, and if you don't believe us ask any nogoodnik who's had to face down its turret-mounted 20RPS Modified Mil-Sim Paintball Gun / Assault Rifle, capable of firing off twenty non-lethal (but extremely painful) pepperball rounds per second. The beast is billed as a "heavy duty 280 lb two-man-portable monster" that can record audio and video, be controlled by a remote operator, and has night vision capability. But that ain't all! Not only does it feature a welded steel chassis designed to demolish doors and concrete walls, it also looks really awesome in the video... even if it doesn't make the streets safer. See for yourself after the break.
Cops serve court papers via Facebook, perp comments: 'doesn't like'
We thought we'd seen this move on Law and Order, but whatever: police in Victoria got court approval to deliver court papers via Facebook when all other attempts to contact the individual -- including snail mail and stopping by the house -- failed to pan out. In addition to sending 'em as a private message, a video was also shot of the order being read "as if the Respondent was being directly spoken to," just in case there were any misunderstandings. This isn't the first time Australian courts have used non-traditional means to notify alleged perps: in 2008 courts first granted a lawyer the right to use Facebook in this manner, and that same year a rugby player named Sonny Bill Williams was subpoenaed via SMS message. In case you hadn't guessed it yet, they were looking for the guy for harassment and cyber-bullying -- on Facebook.
Screen Grabs: Dell Streak recruited into NCIS:LA for some undercover duty, fights evil Adamo XPS
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. Dell's product placement deal with CBS apparently doesn't stipulate whether its gadgets will be used for good or evil, as illustrated by their cameo appearances on the network's NCIS:LA crime drama. In last night's episode, lead do-gooder Special Agent Callen is seen preparing a Streak tabletphone for some audio recording action before a meeting with the baddies -- who in turn whip out an Adamo XPS (yes, it's still alive!) to seal a deal for some ultra-advanced weaponry. Yep, it's a non-stop cliché extravaganza! [Thanks, James and Tarek]
British police force tweeting every emergency call over 24 hours, ironically keeps getting TwitJailed
The Greater Manchester Police team has decided to show the world how busy law enforcement can get by tweeting out every enquiry/emergency call it has to deal with. Only problem is that it keeps ending up in Twitter jail for posting too much. This one-day-only experiment (or is it a publicity stunt?) will detail every local call to 999 (the British 911) and the GMP's switchboard, uncovering such exciting episodes as "concern for welfare in Rusholme" and "report of threats and abuse on Facebook in Salford" (we're not making this up). It's intended to illustrate to the public and politicians alike the real life daily grind that police officers go through; and we see their point, it must be hell setting up all those new accounts to avoid Twitter's own rule enforcers. Tsk tsk.
