Hello Minority Report???

For those who haven't seen the movie Minority Report.  Minority Report is a 2002 American science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is set in the year 2054, where "PreCrime", a specialized police department, apprehends criminals based on foreknowledge provided by three psychics.  It seems a bit far-fetched that people (or a machine) could actually predict crime....however, it is happening.  Our technology, might not be quite as predictive as that shown in the movie, but it is still quite impressive.


A few intuitive developers reformulated the technology that was originally created to predict when and where aftershocks would occur following an earthquake.  This led to a new program called PredPol, which actually predicts where crimes are likely to occur in place-based prediction boxes as small as 500 feet by 500 feet. Officers are briefed at roll call on the highest-probability “hot spots” for that day and devote extra attention to those areas—as they see fit.  Unlike other programs that tell officers where crime has occurred, PredPol tells officers where crime is likely to occur.  It simply gives officers the tools they need to increase their odds of stopping a crime or being in the vicinity of a crime.


The program is remarkably easy to use.  The information that needs to be distributed to officers can be viewed from virtually any technological device or printed out on paper.  The program runs off-site through a cloud-based service, meaning there is no requirement for departments to bring on additional technical staff.  The program is also completely secure, and does not ever collect any information about officers or offenders.


Field use of the program has been successful.  It has been implemented in the Los Angeles Foothills and in the City of Santa Cruz.  The Los Angeles’ Foothill Division saw a decrease of 13% in crimes, compared to an increase of 0.4% in the rest of the city where the implementation had not yet happened.  In the City of Santa Cruz, burglaries were down 27% in July 2011 compared with July 2010.


Check out the following video from CBS News to view the program in action by the LAPD.


To learn more about this remarkable program, contact PredPol.

NuShield Screen Protectors

NuShield, Inc. is the nation’s leading manufacturer and distributor of screen protectors, screen protector kits, and touch screen overlays for electronic equipment. Their inventory is broad, and includes screen protection films for auto and GPS navigation devices, digital cameras and camcorders, electronic games, handheld computers, HDTV, industrial control devices, inventory control devices, laptops and tablets, LCD monitors, marine and aviation equipment, PDAs, Phones, POS displays, signature capture devices, Toughbooks and other electronic devices used in manufacturing and commercial applications. In all, they have screen protectors to fit over 6,000 electronic devices.

NuShield screen protection films are manufactured in the United States and are custom designed. These films are available to fit a wide variety of electronic devices and meet specific user needs.  The anti-glare and DayVue (antireflective) film can fit devices with screens up to 50 inch diagonal. NuShield screen protectors have undergone rigorous tests by the U.S. military to protect the LCD screens of their sensitive electronic equipment from scratching, chemicals, sea salt, dust, and sand.


NuShield screen protectors:

• protect LCDs from keyboard damage
• save LCD screens from scratches and sun glare
• hides fingerprints and reduces screen glare in cars
• installs easily and lasts indefinitely (with no adhesive film)
• are super thin
• can be cleaned easily and quickly without degrading anti-glare properties
• does not affect touchscreen capabilities
• are low cost (most are priced under $25.00)

Orders can easily be placed on the NuShield website.  Obtaining the proper screen for you unit is virtually fool-proof, as they are ordered based on make/model of the unit you are looking to protect.  When it comes time for installation, you simply need to follow the detailed installation directions posted on their site.

Rugged Keyboards from Man & Machine

Many departments prefer to mount Panasonic Toughbook CF-19's in their vehicles.  The reasoning behind it is relatively simple.  They are small, lightweight, fast, rugged, portable, and don't require a great deal of space.  However, a common complaint with many officers is the keyboard size on the CF-19.  Because it is a tablet unit, the keyboard on it is significantly smaller than standard-sized laptop keyboard.  Many departments mount the CF-19 as a tablet and then utilize a separate keyboard.


The issue that then arises is finding a keyboard that is going to stand up to the abuse that it will most likely receive in the vehicle.  There are the temperature fluctuations, the possible food/drink spills, and most importantly finding something that will easily work with the existing equipment in the vehicle.


That is where the So Cool keyboard by Man & Machine comes in!  Rugged, tough and built to take whatever the road dishes out.  So Cool is rattle-free, easy-to-clean and dependable as the day is long. 

You get advanced technology with multi-level backlight and great tactile feedback for a die-hard trooper you'll be proud to ride with.  The So Cool is a solid piece of silicone, meaning it is food/drink proof and has no parts to break.  It easily attaches to all major mounting systems, meaning it is an easy addition to the equipment you presently have in your vehicle.  This keyboard is a perfect in-vehicle solution for police, fire, and EMS vehicles.

This product is brand new and is releasing soon to the public safety sector.  You can follow Man & Machine on Facebook to stay up to date on when this product releases.

Product Review: Wired Blue's MyPD App

Wired Blue is dedicated to providing new and innovative solutions innovative solutions to police departments. They also aim to provide new and fiscally responsible pricing models for cities and towns.


Their first product, the MyPD app does just that. Police Departments are using this phone app to provide you with better service and improve communication.

With MyPD you can:

• Follow the latest tweets from your department
• Send Crime tips
• Commend an Officer
• Submit Feedback
• Ask Questions
• Get Directions to the Department
• Easily find the Police Officers Names and Numbers that you need
• These are just some of the tools that your Police Department is making available to you here. New features are always being added!

A growing number of Police Departments are utilizing this app for the citizens they serve!  Citizens of your community can use this app to connect with your department, by giving one-stop information from your websites, Facebook, and Twitter right on your smartphone. This puts information on services, contact information, and feedback all into one iPhone and Android app.


This app is completely free to the citizens of your community, and is available to departments at a low price.  to learn more, contact Wired Blue.

Police Security Expo 2012

June 26th & 27th, 2012 will be the 26th Annual Police Security Expo.  The expo is going to be held at the Atlantic City Convention Center.  The Police Security Expo is one of the nation’s largest, oldest, and best attended trade shows for Law Enforcement, Security, Government, Safety, First-Responder and Homeland Security Professionals.  The expo brings over 750 of the nation’s finest companies together to showcase thousands of products and services.  There are also multiple seminars and equipment demonstrations available throughout the two days of the show.

This expo has free admittance to anyone with law enforcement credentials, to include military and correction members.  With the multitude of vendors available, there are ample opportunities for those in law enforcement to learn about new services and products.

This expo gives departments the opportunity to:

• Visit hundreds of exhibits with thousands of products and services
• Meet representatives from some of the nation's finest companies, particularly those that focus primarily on emergency services personnel
• See the latest technological advances for law enforcement agencies.
• Save money with show only discounts and specials

Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff will be showcasing our discounted refurbished Panasonic Toughbooks in booth 1833.  We look forward to meeting you!

Radar Recorder: Know When And Where To Run Radar

Do you ever wonder if your citizens are becoming aware of your 'regular' places to run radar?  Do you think that people might be avoiding your speed traps?  Do you wonder if there are other places that people are routinely speeding?  Do you receive complaints from residents that people are routinely flying down their street?


If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you might want to check out JAMAR Technologies, Inc.  JAMAR Technologies has invented a radar recorder that allows you to easily gather traffic information and habits in various locations without dedicating man-hours to the location.  The radar recorder inconspicuously straps to a power-line pole or traffic sign pole, and when recording is complete it is easily removed.  Once installed, it can be set up to record volume data, binned information, or per vehicle data.

Volume data provides only a volume count of the vehicles recorded. It does not provide speed or length data.
Binned information gets its name from the fact that the Radar Recorder sorts the data as it is recorded in the field and stores the results in a specific numerical bin. In this format you can collect vehicle speed and\or length information along with volumes.  Per vehicle data stores speed and length information on every vehicle recorded. This data can be used to provide, volume, speed, length and gap information with the TRAXPro
software. Per vehicle data provides the greatest flexibility in working with your data and as such is the format recommended for data collection.

During any time during the data collection, you can connect the Radar Recorder to a laptop or tablet computer to download the information using the TRAXPro software.  This information is converted into easy-to-read data allowing you to easily determine what areas are in need of further reinforcement.

To learn more, check out the video from JAMAR Technologies.

The Radar Recorder - Complete Online Tutorial

Tri-State Law Expo - June 6-7, 2012

Kelly Simon Trade Shows is hosting the Tri-State Law Enforcement Expo on June 6-7, 2012.  The expo is being held at the Monroeville Convention Center (just outside of Pittsburgh, PA).  Doors are open from 9am-4pm both days of the show.  The location of this expo is relatively easily accessible for those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and even Western New York.


Entrance to this expo, the seminars, and the training sessions is free to law enforcement, security, corrections officers, federal agencies, state agencies, and military members with proper identification.  Persons looking to attend can register either at the door or online.


There are multiple training opportunities occurring throughout both days of the expo.  With the free admittance, this is a great opportunity to get some hands-on knowledge.  Training seminars are being held by MayoTec, GovDeals.com, PDA Safe, and Gang Unit Task Force members.  This is a great opportunity to get information ranging from weapons defensive tactics, to how to keep mobile data safe, and even how to identify street gang members.  A full list of training opportunities can be viewed online.



Along with the many training opportunities, there is a great opportunity to meet with various vendors and to view their products.  Where else can you gather information on everything from refurbished Panasonic Toughbooks to handcuffs to crime scene clean-up?  A full list of vendors can also be viewed online.


If you have time, this is definitely an expo that should take some time to check out!