The recent spate of articles and commentaries about the "Minuteman" group that, without invitation, helped the U.S. Border Patrol apprehend over 300 illegal migrants is a timely reminder that other citizen groups have provided significant homeland-defense
Crime-fighting goes high-tech with the introduction and increasing use of affordable, relatively compact, and user-friendly OCR and ALPR technology. Today, speeders are the most likely target. Tomorrow and the day after it will be known criminals and/or s
The war against bioterrorism moves forward - at less than flank speed - from the water-based decon agents of the 1990s to faster and much more effective peroxide-based solutions that can be used to deactivate biological pathogens and TICs as well as the CW agents.
The handgun, the shotgun, and the rifle - each has its advantages and disadvantages. But today's law-enforcement officer needs at least one effective weapon not only to carry out his duties but also to protect himself and the thousands of innocent people
An all-hands effort is needed to set up and staff a decon line. Hoods and rubber gloves also are required, but the first essential step is gaining approval from upper management.
With a high percentage of the U.S. active-duty forces, and Reserve and National Guard units as well, now deployed overseas, the nation's governors may be hard-pressed to cope with in-state disasters. The SDFs provide a quick-response, low-cost, experience
The new crop of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) programs are compact, affordable, and immensely useful. The local patrol car can use them to check property records, the underground infrastructure, and even the names and breeds of neighborhood dogs.
Tomorrow's fire departments will still fight the flames first. But then they will have other burning problems to cope with - chemical spills, for example; and a fast-growing spectrum of biological hazards now available over the counter or at the local ter
