Crime Scene @ MindSay


 

   
Michael Jackson and other Crime Scenes
Michael Jackson is dead, but the controversies have just begun. Among the growing issues surrounding his death are the actions of the first responders and investigators. On July 3, 2009, the Associated Press ran an article which asked several pointed questions; “Why didn’t the police seal the mansion where he had been living? Why didn’t they get immediate search warrants? Why did they tow away a doctor’s car right after the death but not declare the home a crime scene?” These questions point to serious question for all law enforcement personnel - what is a crime scene?

READ ON
www.police-writers.com/articles/definition_crime_scene.html
 
 
   
 

Forensic Investigator
On July 24, 2009, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with Esther McKay, a former Detective Senior Constable and Forensic Investigator with the New South Wales Police Force (Australia).

Program Date: July 24, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Forensic Investigator
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/07/25/Forensic-Investigator

About the Guest
Esther Mckay served seventeen years in the New South Wales Police Force, attaining the rank of Detective (technical) Senior Constable. She worked in the area of Forensic Services for fifteen years, attaining expert status in crime scene examination and vehicle identification. She also worked in Training and Research, as well as Document Examination. She has a Diploma of Applied Science in Forensic Investigation (NSW Police), and was awarded the National Medal for service in 2001 and the Ethical and Diligent Police Service medal with fifteen-year clasp in 2008.

Esther Mckay was discharged from the force in 2001 with post-traumatic stress disorder as a direct result of her forensic work. She is the author of the best-selling autobiography, Crime Scene: True Stories from the Life of a Forensic Investigator and the upcoming book, Forensic Investigator: True Stories from the Life of a Country Crime Scene Cop.

Esther Mckay works actively in supporting traumatized serving and former Police and is the President of the Police Post Trauma Support Group. She was awarded the Pride of Australia Medal in 2007 for Community Spirit for her work with traumatized Police, and regularly speaks to various groups and schools about her life experience, writing and former forensic work. Esther is patron of the Australian Missing Persons Register and has been an Australia Day Ambassador since 2007. She lives in the Southern Highlands with her husband and two children.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/07/25/Forensic-Investigator

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
 
 
 

   
True Crime and Investigations

May 3, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books.  The website listed three police officers who have written on true crime and on how to investigate crime.

 

Raymond Pingitore is a detective in the Johnston Police Department (Rhode Island) where he has served for twenty-five years.  In 1992, he earned his detective badge and currently works in the major crimes division. A graduate of Roger Williams University, Raymond Pingitore holds a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice.   He is the co-author of Thrill Killers: A True Story of Innocence and Murder Without Conscience.

 

According to the book description of Thrill Killers: A True Story of Innocence and Murder Without Conscience, “This riveting tale of true crime and the perseverance of justice grips and enthralls the reader from start to finish. In 2000, in Providence, Rhode Island, two college students were approached by a group of men. Forced into the backseat and driven to a remote location, they were murdered when one of the perpetrators realized the students had seen his face.”

 

W. Kenneth Katsaris began his law enforcement career in 1962 when he joined the St. Petersburg Police Department.  During the next two decades he would serve with the Tallahassee Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol before being elected as the Sheriff of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.  W. Kenneth Katsaris has been an academy instructor as well as a lecture.  He has a BA and MS in Criminology and is the author of Evidence and Procedure in the Administration of Justice.  W. Kenneth Katsaris is the author of Evidence and Procedure in the Administration of Justice.

 

Michael Byrd joined the Miami-Dade County Police Department in 1985.  He began working in their Crime Scene Investigations Bureau in 1987.  Michael Byrd passed away in 2004.  Michael Byrd published over 30 articles on crime scene investigations and evidence handling.  He is the author of Crime Scene Evidence: A Guide to the Recovery and Collection of Physical Evidence.

 

According to the book description of Crime Scene Evidence: A Guide to the Recovery and Collection of Physical Evidence, “The purpose of this book is to give the investigator a quick and easy reference guide to the collection, handling, and packaging of crime scene evidence. It is meant to assist everyone working in the field of evidence collection--from the first responding officer, to the newly assigned investigator, to the savvy veteran with many crime scene responses under his/her belt. The first responding officer may find himself/herself involved in a situation where he/she will need to collect a particular piece of evidence for whatever reason.

 

Police-Writers.com now hosts 999 police officers (representing 418 police departments) and their  2110  police books in 35 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

 
 
   
 

Fulcher, Mock and Prins

April 4, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officers from California law enforcement agencies.

 

Dean Fulcher grew up in the state of Michigan along the southern shores of Lake Superior.  Upon completion of high school, he spent four years in the United States Marine Corps in the aviation and intelligence fields. After serving honorably for four years, he left the Marine Corps and was hired by the Santa Ana Police Department (California), where he currently holds the rank of homicide detective.  Dean Fulcher is the author of The Grand Island Adventure.

 

According to the book description of The Grand Island Adventure, “An edge-of-your-seat adventure novel for young adults. The Grand Island Adventure follows three teenagers trapped on an  uninhabited island pursued by a band of criminals who have freed their leader from prison.  The three will need the latest in technology, their wit and commitment to one another to escape a certain death.”

 

James Mock spent 19 years with the Torrance Police Department (California).  He current works as a teacher for law enforcement related occupations, on both a volunteer and professional basis.  James Mock has worked street narcotics, major narcotics, and was certified as a Drug Recognition Expert in 1992.  After his retirement he was certified as a DRE instructor.  He currently teaches DRE, the DRE instructor course, DRE recertification classes for many States, for the California Narcotic Officers’ Association, and for various law enforcement and related agencies in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. James Mock is the author of Basic Latent Print Development.

 

According to one review, Basic Latent Print Development, “can be used as a training text for new employees or can be read by beginners. Many instructors use it as a primer for basic latent print development college classes. Sections cover: How latent prints are deposited, Investigating the Crime Scene, Which powders to use, How to lift and preserve the latent prints. There are simple to follow sketches on how to powder a surface and how to tear and lift with tape.”

 

Sergeant John Prins is a 27-year member of the Torrance Police Department.  He has served the Torrance Police Department in many capacities, including as a patrol officer, crime scene investigator, detective, background investigator, SWAT officer, and K-9 handler. John Prins is the author of Torrance Police Department.

 

According to the book description, “The Torrance Police Department dates to May 23, 1921, when city trustees appointed Ben Olsen as city marshal and, shortly thereafter, hired Byron Anderson as night watchman. The efforts of these men were devoted to dealing with thieves, keeping the peace, and “declaring war on speedsters.” From such humble beginnings, the Torrance Police Department has grown into the fourth largest municipal law enforcement agency in Los Angeles County. Its position as the anchoring police force of the South Bay section of the county and its reputation as an innovator in crime fighting have been firmly established over time. Today, with a total of 242 sworn and 100 support personnel, the highly regarded Torrance Police Department serves more than 142,000 inhabitants in 21 square miles.”

 

Police-Writers.com now hosts 930 police officers (representing 391 police departments) and their 1944  police books in 33 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

 
 
 

   
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- February 18, 2008

Nebraskans Prepared For Agroterrorism Attack

“Foreign intelligence shows American ag[ricultural] land is vulnerable to a terrorist attack. The FBI has pinpointed [f]oot and [m]outh disease as a prime method for targeting the food supply and the economy. That's why Saturday, 12 Northeast Nebraska counties participated in a disaster drill to deal with just that. ‘This region of the state has taken a very active approach in preparing for this,’ explains Nikki Weber, of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. The [f]ederal [g]overnment calls it a weapon of mass destruction: [f]oot and [m]outh [d]isease. An outbreak of the disease, which spreads quickly and causes large sores and weakness in hoofed animals, rendering them useless to producers, could shut down highways, and put thousands of family farmers in quarantine.” (KTIV.com, 16Feb08)

http://www.ktiv.com/News/index.php?ID=22594

 

Study looks at food terrorism risks

“Following the September 11 attacks, there has been a heightened awareness that the nation’s food supply could be at risk for possible attacks. With that awareness, there has been increased focus on the need to implement food security measures – especially at the borders – to protect the food supply. Arizona State University [ASU] Associate Professor William Nganje, along with four other ASU faculty members, recently received a grant for about $263,000 to study the economic impact of what could happen in the event of an agro terrorism attack. The study focuses on the transportation of imported produce coming through the border between Arizona and Nogales, Mexico, which is one of the busiest ports at the Southwest border.” (Land Line Magazine, 11Feb08) http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2008/Feb08/021108/021108-05.htm

 

Salazars, Udall [members of Colorado’s Congressional delegation] don't want hydrolysate leaving Pueblo

“Three members of Colorado’s Congressional delegation want to make sure the wastes from the destruction of chemical weapons here don’t leave the Pueblo Chemical Depot. Democrats Sen. Ken Salazar and Reps. John Salazar and Mark Udall introduced a bill Friday that would prohibit the secretary of defense from shipping hydrolysate at the Pueblo Chemical Depot off-site for treatment. Mustard agent hydrolysate is the diluted waste from the water neutralization process that will break down the 2,611 tons of the poison stored at the local base. Defense Department officials have indicated a preference for shipping it off-site for treatment, claiming it will save $150 million. However, a Colorado citizens advisory panel supports treating it at Pueblo Chemical Depot, claiming that the Pentagon is not considering other costs. […] The citizens advisory commission favors building a small sewer plant that would use bacteria to break down the caustic waste and then recycle the water back through the neutralization facility.” (The Pueblo Chieftain, 16Feb08, John Norton)

http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1203152639/5

 

Credit-card-sized platform for volatile compound analysis CAREER [Faculty Early Career Development Program] project goal

 “Developing a credit-card-sized gas chromatography platform that can analyze volatile compounds within seconds is the next step for Virginia Tech College of Engineering researcher Masoud Agah, who has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award to support his research. Agah, an assistant professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and an affiliate member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering faculty, recently secured a five-year CAREER grant worth $400,000. This is the NSF’s most prestigious award for creative junior faculty who are considered to be future leaders in their academic fields. Gas chromatography is the primary technique used in a number of scientific, medical, and industrial settings to separate and analyze volatile compounds in gases, liquids, and solids.” (PhysOrg.com, 18Feb08, Virginia Tech)

http://www.physorg.com/news122559889.html

 

Mock drills at [Delhi] Metro stations expose chinks in security

“A car and motorcycle exploded, some men opened fire and tossed grenades and a 'chemical attack' took place - these were part of mock drills carried out at four stations of Delhi Metro Thursday morning to check preparedness of the agencies involved in security. The drills were carried out simultaneously at the Rajiv Chowk, Chawri Bazar, Rithala and Shastri Park stations around 6.15 a.m. under the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to evaluate the performance of the agencies deployed there. […] At the Chawri Bazar underground Metro station, which is one of the deepest in the city, a mock 'chemical attack' with poisonous gases was carried out to check the efficiency with which passengers were escorted out of the building.” (Yahoo! News India, 14Feb08, IANS) http://in.news.yahoo.com/indiaabroad/20080214/r_t_ians_nl_general/tnl-mock-drills-at-metro-stations-expose-b9e311f.html

 

Soldiers sue over nerve gas guinea pigs

“A group of former Israeli army recruits are suing the government for compensation after it allegedly made them unwitting guinea pigs by testing them for nerve gas antidotes, a newspaper reported. The army claims the testing was carried out by volunteers. ‘We were laboratory rats for the army,’ Avi Yogev, 55, referring to a case dating back to 1971, told Yediot Aharonot newspaper. ‘We were guinea pigs for Tsahal (the army) and today we are paying the price. They told us we were participating in a secret project,’ Mr Yogev said, explaining that the soldiers were told during training that they had to participate or would not be allowed to serve in a combat unit. ‘They had us swallow pills. We suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea. It was not until years later that we discovered that they had given us medicine against nerve gas after having tested it on animals.’”

(The Daily Telegraph, 18Feb08, AAP)

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23237341-5001028,00.html

 

Europe takes box scanning fight to US Congress

“Brussels will present a breakdown of costs the European Union will have to shoulder if the US implements its 100% container scanning law to the US Congress next month. The European commission is preparing what is expected to be a ‘massive’ estimate of the burden European companies will have to bear if the US insists all inbound boxes be scanned for radiation by 2012, as legislation foresees.” (Lloyd’s List, 18Feb08, Justin Stares)

http://lloydslist.com/ll/news/viewArticle.htm?articleId=20017506167

 

US/UK fight against nuclear threats

“Energy minister Malcolm Wicks has announced a new collaboration between the UK and the US that will address nuclear and radiological security threats. As part of the programme, an initial £2m will be invested in initiatives designed to secure high-risk nuclear and other radioactive materials and combat their illegal trafficking. ‘Our first joint initiative will be a new project to enhance long-term security of highly active spent radioactive sources in Ukraine and we are already in discussion with Ukrainian and the US about how best to move this forward,’ said Wicks.” (The Engineer Online, 18Feb08) http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/304647/USUK+fight+against+nuclear+threats.htm

 

Scientists expanding ways to trace lost or stolen nuclear materials

“Like CSI [Crime Scene Investigation] detectives, scientists around the world are combining their skills in a new field of ‘nuclear forensic’ to combat the threat of atomic terrorism. ‘Nuclear terrorism is a global threat, not local or regional,’ said Anita Nilsson, director of the office of nuclear safety at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria. […] Today, some 30 countries participate in the Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group, which designs scientific techniques and processes for tracking down and tracing radioactive materials, said David Smith of the global security directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The threat has changed from past years, Smith explained. Gross retaliation may not work with terrorists, so attention must turn to the supply of materials and keeping it in control.” (San Diego Union Tribune; 16Feb08; Randolph E. Schmid, AP) http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20080216-1348-nuclearsleuths.html

 

Study: Reactors pose terror risk; But others sharply disagree with conclusions of the Government Accounting [sic] Office

“A new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office warns that on-campus nuclear research reactors — such as one at Oregon State University [OSU] — may be the target of sophisticated terrorists. The weaknesses of the facilities and consequences of an attack have been underestimated, the report says. […] The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which governs 33 of America’s 37 research reactors, bristled at the report. And OSU officials insist that the university’s reactor […] is equipped with security safeguards that far exceed federal requirements. […] Eliot Brenner, director of public affairs for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, blasted the Government Accountability Office report. ‘This is a poor effort, and they ought to be embarrassed. It is unbalanced, misrepresents and excludes facts, and fails to acknowledge experts who disagree,’ he said.” (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 16Feb08, Kyle Odegard) http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2008/02/17/news/local/1aaa04_reax.txt

 

Bush Policies Undermine Science, Group Says

“The Bush administration’s persistent interference in the work of federal scientists has cut experts out of top-level discussions of bio terrorism and served to punish researchers who questioned one White House nuclear weapon initiative, a science watchdog organization said yesterday. During the first day of a major science conference here, the Union of Concerned Scientists issued a report accusing the executive branch of committing a host of abuses over the last seven years. Included among 17 distinct charges are allegations that federal officials misrepresented or simply fabricated scientific data, suppressed certain findings, and pressured scientists to change reports in favor of administration positions. ‘This interference in science threatens our nation’s ability to respond to complex challenges to public health, the environment and national security,’ states the report, Federal Science and the Public Good.”  (Global Security Newswire, 15Feb08, Chris Schneidmiller) http://www.nti.org/d_newswire/issues/2008_2_15.html#091DB6EC

An introduction to the Union of Concerned Scientists report is available at http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/restoring/federal-science.html

 

Chinese military steps up counter-terrorism preparations for Olympics

“Chinese troops are to step up anti-terrorism training to ensure the security of Beijing's Olympic Games in August, a senior military officer has said. ‘This year poses a challenging test. We have scheduled massive training programs before the Olympics to better prepare against any possible threat,’ an officer from the General Staff Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) was quoted as saying. The officer, who refused to be identified, said the troops participating in Olympics security were focusing on biochemical and nuclear threats, as well as emergency rescue operations.” (China View, 18Feb08, Xinhua) http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/18/content_7622174.htm

 

UK government forced to publish Iraq dossier draft

“An early version of a British dossier of prewar intelligence on Iraq did not include a key claim about weapons of mass destruction that became vital to Tony Blair's case for war, the newly published document showed Monday. The 2002 document insisted Saddam Hussein's regime had acquired uranium and had equipment necessary for chemical weapons, but does not contain a claim that Iraq could launch weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes -- an allegation crucial to Blair's push to back the 2004 U.S.-led invasion that later was discredited. Campaigners allege that the 45-minute claim was inserted into later drafts of the document on the orders of Blair's press advisers, who were seeking to strengthen the case for invasion -- a claim the government has strongly denied.” (CNN International, 18Feb08, AP) http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/18/iraq.dossier.ap/

 

CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

 
 
   
 

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