Latest Homeland security and Police News

Nottingham Crime and Drugs Partnership treats 50,000th home in Nottingham with SmartWater
posted on 23/02/2010

SmartWater was first introduced into Nottingham homes in 2001 and since 2006 it has been a central part of the Nottingham CDP's neighbourhood anti-crime Week of Action programmes. The Nottingham Crime and Drugs Partnership (CDP) have treated their 50,000th home in Nottingham with SmartWater as part of an ongoing effort to drive down burglaries. The official milestone was reached at a house in Heathfield, Basford, as part of the Basford Week of Action. SmartWater works by assigning valuable items with a forensic signature which makes them uniquely identifiable. Once applied the liquid is virtually impossible to remove and can only be seen using a special UV light. SmartWater acts as a major deterrent to thieves looking to sell on stolen goods because it greatly increases the chances of detection and subsequent arrest by the police. Mary Mayers, 88, was given SmartWater in 2008 after thieves broke into her home and stole her husband’s war medals just months after he died. She said: "... [more]

Former Dorset security director fined for supplying unlicensed door staff and working without SIA licence
posted on 19/02/2010

By law, anyone working as a door supervisor must have and display a valid SIA licence. This means they have passed an approved training qualification and undergone vetting such as criminal record and identity checks. Directors and managers must have at least a non-front line licence. A former Dorset security director recently pleaded guilty to supplying unlicensed security operatives, and to not holding an SIA licence. Andrew Mark Lee, 40, who ran Trade Secret Security, was given a 12-month conditional discharge for supplying unlicensed door staff. He was also fined £1,000 plus a victim surcharge of £15 and ordered to pay costs of £500 for working without an SIA licence, during the hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court. During routine checks by Dorset Police licensing offers in Bournemouth in May last year, a door supervisor, who had been supplied to one venue by Lee, was found working with an expired SIA licence. The door supervisor later received a police caution. Lee, of Holly Clos... [more]

Wiltshire Police and CRiS target caravan thefts
posted on 16/02/2010

Wiltshire Police, working alongside CRiS, uncovered a host of criminal activities which yielded a total of £970,000 of stolen vehicles, cash and jewellery. The major crime operation which contributed to a significant number of caravan thefts in the last three years has been disbanded following the prosecution of a gang of four travellers. HPI provided key information from the NCC’s (National Caravan Council) Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme, CRiS. “The evidence for the court focused on around 50 offences relating to caravan theft but there were many other offences we considered and did not pursue due to insufficient evidence”, comments Detective Inspector Matt Davey of Wiltshire Police. “We started the investigation after a spate of local offences but it soon became apparent there were further thefts throughout the United Kingdom”. Valuable details of the stolen caravans provided by CRiS, assisted the police in attributing a small number of local caravan-related of... [more]

OmniPerception teams up with BAE Systems to conduct research into biometric recognition technology
posted on 12/02/2010

OmniPerception has teamed up with BAE Systems to conduct cutting edge research into the development of biometric recognition technology. The project which started last year is part of BAE Systems’ Investment In Innovation (I3) programme, set up two years ago to encourage and support innovative small and medium sized enterprises in the development of innovative security solutions. The company believes that collaborations between major companies and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will lead to greater innovation in the field of biometrics. Stewart Hefferman, CEO of OmniPerception said there were clear benefits to collaborative working for the SME. “It gives us access to resources of a large company like BAE Systems, reduces time-to-market and enhances our accessible markets,” he explained. “It also provides us with access to other businesses within the BAE systems group.” He explained that larger companies can also benefit from the agility of the SME to react to demands of co... [more]

TRU650 Biometric Access Control System receives Lenel factory certification
posted on 10/02/2010

Integrated Biometrics' TRU650 Biometric Access Control System (BACS) secures physical access to enterprise environments with a centralized database providing real-time control and record of activity. Integrated Biometrics has announced that its TRU650 fingerprint biometric access control solution has received Lenel factory certification. As part of this certification, Integrated Biometrics is now a partner member of the Lenel OpenAccess Alliance Program. “Integrated Biometrics has completed required factory testing at Lenel to validate the functionality of its interface to OnGuard. We look forward to their continued involvement in the Lenel OpenAccess Alliance Program,” said Raffaele Ceravolo, Director of Strategic Alliances for Lenel. With synchronized user management, customers are now able administer both the TRU650 and OnGuard by using the Lenel System’s management interface. Each time a user is created or changed in the system, a fingerprint enrollment screen is present... [more]

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