Cracking a Computer Case

Criminals use computers for all manner of nefarious activities — this is not news — from arranging meetings between Johns and prostitutes, to distributing illegal pornography, to advertising the sale of goods which had been stolen from residences and businesses. PoliceOne Technology Help Correspondent last month wrote an article (the full text of which you can read here) that provides an excellent tip for investigators who are certified to gather digital information: invest in a hard drive duplicator.
They’re relatively cheap (well, some are relatively cheap, others cost thousands of dollars), they’re very reliable, and they can solve a host of problems created by trying to obtain digital data via other means such as “ghosting,” which can be tedious and time consuming.
The prices and complexity of operation vary, so you’ll need to research all your options and determine which solution best suits your department’s needs. To get you started, some of the top names in the market are StarTech, Voom Technologies, ICS (Intelligent Computer Solutions), and Logicube.
One last thing: As you do your “shopping” you should keep in mind that many of these types of devices can be written into any number of Federal and State grant programs. If you have any questions on using grant funding to support your department’s investigations unit, you should check out PoliceGrantsHelp.com.

10 Personal Protection Reminders

1. Make sure your home phone number is not publicly listed.

2. Avoid having obvious law enforcement-related deliveries (like law enforcement magazines or gear from Police Stuff, Inc. delivered in a Police Stuff logo-emblazoned box) sent directly to your home and make clear that you do not want your rank included on anything sent to your home. The safest option is to get a P.O. Box and have an alternative street address you can use for package deliveries (some private mail drop businesses let you use their street address for UPS, Fed. Ex. and other similar package delivery services).

3. If you take your squad home, avoid parking it in front of your house if possible.

4. Don’t wear your uniform in your private vehicle.

5. Watch what you wear in public. Hats, tee-shirts, jackets, etc. that announce the fact that you’re a cop could draw unwanted attention.

6. Vary your route to and from work and keep an eye on who’s behind you when you drive.

7. When you come in and out of your home, make a conscious effort to take a second and look around.

8. Consider the address you’re using on applications that require you to list your place of employment along with your home address. Whenever possible, avoid associating the two.

9. Think like someone who might want to figure out where you live and try to “look for yourself.” Is your home in your name and your address readily available through public property records searches? Does an Internet search for your name pull up personal information you might want to try and have removed?

10. Ask trusted neighbors to always tip you off if they see something or someone odd in the area. Have they noticed someone who has started driving by your house regularly and paying particular attention to your home?

Stay safe, on duty and off.

Build understanding and empathy

Want political representatives, community activists, and/or the media in your area to better understand the challenges, dangers, and difficulties you face as a police officer? Want to help decrease incidents of these individuals making wide-sweeping uneducated statements about police work and coming to ignorant conclusions? Be proactive and consider inviting them into “your world.”

• Make an effort to reach out to these people and invite them to participate in ride-alongs
• Suggest that they sit in on select training sessions and give them firsthand experience in real-world scenarios
• Keep yourself open and available to explaining the law enforcement side of things should they have questions (and be open to listening and learning)

As we all know, lack of understanding in the public sector can be dangerous to law enforcement. Taking steps to help build understanding and hopefully some empathy can go a long way... in a lot of ways.

Tip On Becoming A Harder Target

Submitted by: John D. Williams

"Be a hero, but not by yourself. Call for backup." This was one of the many excellent reminders in an email recently distributed by our friend John D. Williams of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. "Possess a survivor mentality," wrote Williams. "Mentally prepare yourself to expect the unexpected, be alert and prepared to fight and survive, and always be vigilant." With his permission, we reprint the entirety of his email here for PoliceOne Members who may not have seen the original circulation last week. Thanks John... Maintain Situational Awareness Attacks in Hemet included booby-trapping LE offices and placing an explosive device under an officer's car A) Vehicle (personal or agency vehicle) B) Office C) Residence Consider your Wardrobe A) Wear body armor on duty, whenever feasible B) Be vigilant when wearing clothing identifying self as LE when off-duty (gang conference shirts, agency polos, hats, etc) Be Predictable to Your Colleagues but Not to the Bad Guys A) Call in location B) Vary your routine — routes, timesd and exits When Approaching a Suspect A) Maintain professionalism and be respectful B) Look for concealed weapons — An FBI study found that cop attackers most often hid their guns on their person in the front waistband, either groin area or in the small of the back. C) Watch their hands — the same study found that offenders avoid using holsters and frequently touch a concealed gun with hands or arms “to assure themselves.” Such gestures are most noticeable when offenders change body positions, sitting, standing or exiting a vehicle. Watch for Attack Indicators A) Fake 911 calls to gauge police response (part of the Hutaree militia group’s plan of attack) B) Pre-attack surveillance and counter-surveillance C) Odd behavior or clothing on scene (i.e.: wearing a long coat on a hot summer day) D) Out-of-place vehicles If You Suspect that You Are Being Followed A) On foot, use store front windows (reflection) to look behind you and across the street. Also, “J-walk” across the street and see who else “J-walks” after you, in front or behind you. You can also drop a random piece of paper, if they pick it up, you are being followed. B) In a vehicle, make two right turns and a U-turn, if still behind you, you are being followed. C) If you suspect you are being followed, report it immediately and drive to a police station. DO NOT GO HOME! Maintain a Low Profile A) Shun unnecessary publicity B) Avoid public confrontations and disputes C) Keep personal/agency information secure and avoid divulging info on social media sites (i.e.: Facebook) D) Remove LE indicators from POV (stickers, visible LE equipment) Stay Informed of Trends A) Area familiarity B) Anticipate that some gangs commemorate significant dates (White gangs may commemorate Adolf Hitler’s birthday on 4/20 or his date of death on 4/30. C) Some gangs celebrate their “Hood Day” on a date coinciding with their street or gang names. i.e.: 6/10 for the Rollin’ 60’s. D) Some Hispanic gangs with the number “13” in their names, such as MS-13 and Florencia-13, celebrate “Hood Day” on Friday the 13th, the next of which occurs in August 2010.) E) Look for graffiti (OnMay 20th, graffiti attributed to the Florencia-13 Gang in South Gate, California was found in an area served by an injunction. The word “COPKILLA” had the word “COP” crossed out. F) Intelligence bulletins