Blog Archives
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Municipal Water Security Mandates
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Friday February 19, 2010When we last discussed municipal water districts and security mandates, a bill had just passed in the House of Representatives (HR 2686) that would fold water treatment plants into the Chemical Facilities Anti-terrorist Standards or as they are known --CFATS. That would require water facilities to go through the same DHS screening process as chemical and petrochemical plants. The authors of the House bill feel that the chemicals used in the treatment of water could be targeted by terrorists. The House bill was passed in November and it still needs to make its way through the Senate. Earlier this month U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) leading a bi-partisan group of Senators, introduced the Continuing Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorist... -
Cameras lend a helping hand
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Wednesday February 17, 2010Across the country we hear about dramatic city budget cuts and shrinking city workforces as funds become scarce. In order to manage the steadily increasing workload with fewer employees, cities are taking advantage of surveillance cameras. Strategically placed cameras that can be monitored in real time or after the fact are helping city departments and police officials deter crime and enhance public safety. Akron uses technology to keep up with record snowfalls—WKYC-TV (Cleveland, Ohio)—2/16/10 In Akron, Ohio where heavy snowstorms continue, the city snow and ice center is working around-the-clock to make sure roadways are cleared and safe for the public. However, with recent budget cuts the department... -
School shooting or workplace violence?
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Sunday February 14, 2010
We just completed a sad few days for campus violence. Three shootings left four dead and five wounded victims in Huntsville, Ala. and Knoxville, Tenn. But two of the incidents were unusual in that the alleged shooters were faculty members. In what has sadly become an all too familiar situation a student at a suburban Huntsville middle school carried a gun on campus and shot and killed a classmate over what appears to be a gang-related incident. Then a Knoxville elementary school teacher shot the school’s principal and assistant principal. Both are expected to recover Only days later, back in Huntsville, a college professor opened fire on her department colleagues killing three and wounding three others. In the latter two... -
Police officers posing as burglars
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Friday February 12, 2010Cities and local governments are always looking for ways to keep citizens safer and increase public safety. A police department in the UK has come up with one of the more innovative ways to make people aware of security and safety. The department in Cheshire is having its officers pose as burglars at night trying to break into homes and cars. If they find an open window or door the officers are waking residents and alerting them of the security risk. The police department points out that 40 percent of all burglars get into homes through unlocked windows and doors. Called Operation Golden, the public safety initiative’s goal is to cut burglary rates and keep citizens and their property secure. They are specifically trying to stop... -
Cities Turn to Cameras to Combat Traffic and Car Accidents
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Thursday February 11, 2010It is important for any community to keep its roadways open, moving and safe and that is not always easy with an increasing number of cars and trucks on the road. Keeping traffic moving smoothly means fewer accidents and better response time for emergency vehicles. One way that many cities and local governments are tackling the problem of road safety is by using security or survelliance cameras . Here are three examples of cities using cameras to keep an eye on traffic. Do Speed Cameras Stop Crashes?-- KPHO-TV (Phoenix, Ariz.)—2/9/10 Phoenix installed photo-enforced cameras on freeways in 2008 to make the roads safer and traffic flow better. David Porter, Public Safety Officer, who stands by the... -
Social Media Attracts Gang Members
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Tuesday February 9, 2010
Gang members are turning more often to social media sites to brag about their crimes, share intelligence on rivals and network with other gang members across the country. For example, the notoriously violent MS-13 gang has set up dozens of Facebook accounts with followers from around the world. My Space and Twitter are also popular with gang members looking to share quick bits of information. So if the gangs are on the Internet that means police departments can’t be far behind in their efforts to control gang-related crimes, said Patrick Fiel , public safety advisor for ADT Security Services . “Police departments are now training Internet-savvy officers to act as followers and friends on these gang sites,” he said... -
The Horse Has Left the Barn
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Friday February 5, 2010_10474850.jpg)
Two weeks ago, thieves broke into an Oakland, Calif. elementary school and took a sophisticated sound system. It was so easy, that they returned a week later and took computers, VCRs and DVD players. In all, 19 classrooms were broken into with losses estimated between $20,000 and $30,000. The school's principal said the items will be hard to replace and one fourth grade teacher was quoted as saying the stolen computers were vital in helping the students stay academically even with those from other schools. The police have no suspects. And the school has no surveillance cameras, making it even more difficult to capture the thieves and/or recover any of the stolen items. Patrick V. Fiel , ADT's public safety advisor, said that... -
The Case for City Camera Systems
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Wednesday February 3, 2010More and more state and local governments are turning to security technology to help ensure public safety or improve operations. The following three headlines from this past week highlight how the surveillance cameras are being used. Cameras to examine East Vandergrift sewer lines—Valley News Dispatch (Tarentum, Pa.) –2/2/10 East Vandergrift is installing cameras to search for problems in the century-old sewer lines. In an effort to prevent polluting the Kiski River. the city is preparing a large project to separate the stormwater and sewage lines, which are currently combined. At Hawthorne’s Eucalyptus Park, smile – you’re on camera – LA Times – 2/1/10 Police have installed four video cameras in... -
Guns on College Campuses: The Debate Continues in Georgia
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Tuesday February 2, 2010_10474853.jpg)
Legislators in Georgia are set to consider a proposal that would allow guns on college campuses in the state. There are currently 15 states that leave the decision to permit concealed carry on college campuses entirely to each college or university. Of these 15 states, a handful of colleges and universities such as Colorado State University and Blue Ridge Community College in Virginia, allow concealed carry on campus. Utah is the only state that allows concealed carry on all of its public college and university campuses. If passed, Georgia’s proposed legislation would allow the state’s 300,000 licensed gun owners to not only carry guns on college campuses; it would also allow them at public gatherings, in churches and even in... -
DoD Report Endorses Mass Notification Systems
By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Thursday January 28, 2010
A Department of Defense review of the November shooting incident at Fort Hood, Texas that left 13 dead and 43 wounded or injured makes a recommendation that mass notification (or warning) systems be incorporated into the emergency response plans of DoD facilities. Emergency mass notification systems can simultaneously notify thousands of people of emergency situations through laptop or desktop computers, landline or mobile phones, digital PDAs and fax machines. The report found that many Department of Defense installations lack mass notification capabilities. That’s true, too, of many state and local government facilities, colleges and universities and K-12 campuses. Patrick Fiel , ADT ’s public safety advisor, agreed that...
