A while ago, we first broke the news to our readers that the NYPD was developing a technique for crime video and picture submission directly to the police. The delivery system is now fully operational. However, these report hotlines and avenues are not for criminal activity alone. Quality of life issues can also be reported (potholes, poor parks conditions….) At the end of the News article, however, we ask questions regarding how this information can then be used in the private sector.
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Now you can send images and videos from your phone to cops regarding crimes, and to 311 regarding quality of life issues. Picture this: You e-mail a photo of a fleeing crook that you took with your cell phone to cops, who use it to bust the bad guy in a flash.
Now it can happen.
Callers to 911 can send photos and videos to NYPD’s Real Time Crime Center, where images are used to crack crimes or respond to emergencies, Mayor Bloomberg said Tuesday.
“This technology should scare every would-be criminal because the chance of getting caught in the act is now better than ever,” said Bloomberg.
All callers have to do is tell the dispatcher that they have a picture that could be useful in the emergency. The information is provided to cops, who contact the callers and give them an e-mail address to send the photo to.
Bloomberg, however, warned aspiring crime stoppers to exercise common sense when taking pictures. “As helpful as your photo or video image is, do not put yourself in harm’s way to obtain them,” he said. “Your safety is paramount.”
When callers say they have a crime photo, the 911 dispatcher enters a special code in the NYPD’s internal system that provides cops with the good Samaritan’s phone number.
“It’s another building block in our partnership with the public,” said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, noting that last month, the NYPD started accepting text-message tips.
But photos aren’t just for combatting crime.
New Yorkers can also send photos and videos – to 311 or http://www.nyc.gov – concerning quality-of-life issues like potholes, dirty parks or broken pay phones.
As with the protocol for 911, callers to 311 have to alert operators that they have a photo of the offense. Callers are directed to http://www.nyc.gov, where they can directly send up to three photos.
“All of these things add to the quality of life in this city,” said Bloomberg.
Bloomberg said he wasn’t worried about the system being flooded with photos, but urged the public not to “cry wolf”. I think the problem is reverse,” he said. “That people don’t call us enough.”
From our perspective, the quality of life reports (potholes, dangerous intersections, cracked sidewalks…) raises all sorts of issues re: notice to the City. And, will these reports, if founded, be channeled to private organizations such as Big Apple? Can copies of these reports be FOILed? Viz. the criminal reports: can we now identify high-crime areas that should have been more aggressively patrolled? It will be interesting to see if this data can be accessed in preparation of litigation and if so, how it may be used in such capacity.
With 72 hours of the above video’s YouTube posting, the vicious assailant on the video was identified and is now being actively sought for the horrific assault he perpetrated on his helpless, elderly female victim. Now, these types of videos can be submitted directly to the City’s police. Coming to you soon, the NYPD’s video submission network: BlueTube.
Blue Tube
Scenario: Average Joe/Jane is minding his/her own business (or not), filming around town and captures potentially criminal activity on video. He or she may be aware of the video’s contents at the time or connect it with a news report.
Quandary: What to do with the video??
Solution(s): a)Delete it, b) show it to the retired cop neighbor, and follow his/her advice, c) wait and see if a reward is mentioned or d)submit it to the NYPD and let them determine the vid’s use and viability.
We’re hoping most people will go with at least response (d). The NYPD is putting the technology in place to receive the public’s videos as noted in this recent NY Post article.
Until the official NYPD site is up and running, we suggest dropping off videos of potential criminal activity (with relative information, i.e., time, location, focus of video) to: NYPD, One Police Plaza, New York, NY 10038. Mark the package “Video Evidence”.
When the official site does become available, we will bring you that information. It is our hope that this information will be available for the public under FOIL. Perhaps that activism should begin now through local bar and community board associations.
BNI Operatives: Street Smart; Web savvy.
As always, stay safe,
Lina
Please visit our new, proprietary information company: www.geopointdata.com, where we specialize in the toughest locates, searches and other must-have case information.
The task most often assigned to investigators is tracking down subjects. The proverbial papertrail: telephone records, address histories, voter registrations, professional licenses, , civil and criminal court filings, Motor Vehicle Department records, credit card records, Social Security data…, will, in a majority of circumstances, return with the subject’s current and valid contact information. But what do you do if the subject is simply not in the mainstream – for whatever reason: joblessness, homeless, mental illness, “on the run”…. What then?
The success of such a search depends on several factors including the information provided to the investigator and the investigator’s own skills and tenacity.
We’ve put together a checklist for locating transient witnesses that has generally worked:
1. Interview family and friends. (Request last known contact, any indication of location…)
2. Upon developing location leads, check with local and adjoining police departments.
3. Check with area hospitals and morgues.
4. Call the local Salvation Army center.
5. Contact the YMCA, YWCA.
6. Call privately funded charity organizations in the area.
7. Reach out to local plasma centers (many transient subjects give blood for money)
8. Identify local day worker locations.
9. Recon area bus and train stations.
and finally, you can go digital:
10. YouTube a video, or Flickr a picture of the subject, if family and or friends can provide such.
Most importantly, though, when a case first enters a law firm, as much personal information. contact and emergency contact info should be obtained as possible. Our experience has borne out that someone always knows something.
(For a variety of reasons, video recording becomes necessary at times. This week’s video displays a new “stealth cam” that is often used in businesses or as a nanny cam. We do, however, caution people to become familiar with the laws in their state regarding such video taping.)
Last week, in Part 1 of our series on tape-recording rules and regs., we specifically covered audio taped conversations. This week, in the second and final part of Tape-Recordings, Dos and Don’ts, we focus on video taped recordings.
Generally, one may record, film, broadcast or amplify any conversation with all of the parties’ consent. It is always legal to tape or film a face-to-face interview when your camera is in plain view. The consent of all parties is presumed in these instances.
The use of hidden cameras is covered only by the wiretap and eavesdropping laws if the camera also records an audio track.
The exceptions:
Expectation of privacy. A number of states have adopted laws specifically banning the use of video and still cameras where the subject has an expectation of privacy. Maryland’s law on this matter, for example, bans the use of hidden cameras in bathrooms and dressing rooms.
Criminal purposes. Federal law explicitly does not protect the taping if it is done for a criminal or tortious purpose. Many states have similar exceptions. Case: Employees of a “psychic hotline” who were secretly recorded by an undercover “Primetime” reporter sued ABC for violation of the federal wiretapping statute, arguing that the taping was done for the illegal purposes of invading the employees privacy. (Sussman v. American Broadcasting Co.)
Trespass. A party whose conversation is recorded, with consent, may raise a claim of trespass and intrusion, if he or she was unaware of the true intent of the recording. For example, an undercover reporter, posing as a patient, leaves a reocrder in plain sight, during a medical visit. The doctor examining the “patient’ is aware of the recording but is told it is for personal use (to better enable explanation of the “illness or medical findings” to family…). Had the doctor known the true intent of the reporter, to broadcast this recording, it may have casued him to revoke his consent.
Other consent issues. Whether a recording device is in plain view may be an issue. A small camera protruding from a briefcase may not be enough to validate presumed consent by the party being taped.
It is always advisable for the investigative specialist to ensure his/her awareness of taping permissions in the state of operation.
At one point or other, we have all experienced “breakthrough” conversation on our cell phones and perhaps fleetingly pondered the ease of bugging a mobile phone device. The primary reasons hackers tap into unsuspecting victims’ phones are simply to not have to pay for the service or to transmit data that will not be traceable to the hacker.
There are basic events that occur if your cell phone is bugged:
1. When the phone is operating as a bug, regular calls can’t be taking place in almost all cases. (With very few exceptions: i.e. military, governmental or research devices.)
2. Your phone seems to be running out of power too quickly.
3. Your phone feels unusually warm.
4. You are not on a call yet your phone emits a “buzz” when it nears speakers.
Please take a moment to view the above video on this topic. The video contains a more comprehensive review of cell phone bugging that you may find interesting and helpful.
BNI Operatives: Street smart: Net Savvy.
Stay safe,
Lina
Lina M. Maini Editor, The Beacon Bulletin Owner, Beacon Network Investigations, Inc.
We recently experienced the necessity to recover tons of lost, deleted, virused-out and buggy data. Backstep: Allow me to preface today’s Bulletin with “I’m writing this issue instead of our resident IT expert, Jonathan Caspian.” (When IT guys insist on NO COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE breaks, perhaps it should give us all a heads up to disconnect from our tech-driven world every so often.) Nonetheless, my writing this tech-specific issue should boost the credit given to this week’s recommended product.
RECUVA. (Pronounced recover. We’re not certain but that name smacks of having come from east of Mineola.) Recuva.com is a fanastic little find. This FREE Windows-based application restores files that have been accidently deleted or lost due to a virus or whacky bug. (And, while I’m sure the telecoms will disagree, be very careful with DSL installations. This type of broadband connection seems to inherently come with weird glitches that are responsible for destabilizing Windows OSs and wiping out key data. )
The audio on the vid clip may be somewhat difficult to follow, but it is accompanied by tight visual instructions.
Kelly Chang, an LA-based family and divorce lawyer, our featured Clip of the Week focus, has figured out how to leverage YouTube to promote her practice. You Tube is free, easy and ultimately, the success of your marketing effort in this venue depends entirely on you – how you portray yourself and your skills and experience. You do not have this level of control utilizing traditional advertising avenues. Aside from the obvious costs involved, print, tv and radio advertising all require an ad designer; almost always not the client. YouTube allows for consumer-control and provides effective distribution with deep market penetration potential.
Quick ground rules for making a YouTube video:
1. Do NOT hire a film crew. Unnecessary. A good handheld digicam will do- especially one that is HD-enhanced. Canon and Sony are good choices.
2. Flesh out a brief script for yourself. Try not to be rigid; but stick to your main selling points – for your practice and even more importantly, your character.
3. Allow for viewer comments. (It’s risky but not as much as looking overly controlling.)
The one thing we would have done differently would have been to insert a scrolling I.D. banner along the bottom of the video. There are tons of video editing apps (such as Video Edit Magic) that you can use: some free; most easy to use. Try cnet.com for well tested suggestions.
Turned into an office and/or family project, advertising your practice on YouTube or similar internet venue, can also be an empowering and loyalty-inspiring group project.
A fixed outdoor camera in New York City capturing the big steam explosion of several weeks ago.
Sometimes you just want to know what is around you and feel a sense of security… especially if it is an area of Manhattan you don’t often frequent. It’s easy to find the official NYC DOT camera locations online; not so the private cameras – online or on site. Over the past several years, our BNI researchers have developed an exclusive compilation “CamStat/NYC” which identifies – by map and by text – all DOT, public and private camera locations in each of Manhattan’s Community Boards. Over the course of the next few days, we will direct you to a site containing this information and we will have other borough and city maps available shortly. Representative of CamStat is the below camera listings for
Community Board 1, Manhattan.
364 Total Cameras
Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park: 4 globe cameras
South Street and FDR: 1 stationary camera, NW corner
State and Bridge Streets: 2 globe cameras, NE corner
Pearl Street between State and Whitehall Streets: 5 stationary cameras on lamposts, south side
Bridge Street between State and Whitehall Streets: 3 globe cameras, 1 stationary camera, north side
South and Whitehall Streets: 1 stationary camera, SE corner
Pearl and Whitehall Streets: 2 stationary cameras, north and south side
Whitehall and Bridge Streets: 2 globe cameras, NW corner
South Street and Broad Street: 1 stationary camera, NW corner
Water and Broad Streets: 6 stationary cameras, 3 NW corner, 3 NE corner
Bridge and Broad Streets: 2 stationary cameras
Broad Street between Bridge and Pearl Streets: 7 stationary cameras, north side
Pearl and Broad Streets: 2 stationary cameras, NW corner
South Street and Vietnam Veterans Plaza: 1 stationary camera, NW corner
Water Street and Coenties Alley: 1 stationary camera, SE corner
Pearl Street and Coenties Slip: 1 stationary camera, NE corner
Pearl and Hanover Streets: 3 stationary cameras, NE corner
Broadway and Beaver Street: 1 globe camera, SE corner
Broadway and Battery Place: 4 globe cameras, SW corner
Greenwich Street between Battery Place and Morris Street: 1 stationary camera, east side
?Washington Street and Battery Place: 1 rotational camera Stone Street and Mill Lane: 2 stationary cameras, 1 NW corner, 1 SW corner
South William Street and Mill Lane: 1 stationary camera, SE corner
Water and Old Slip: 1 stationary camera
South Street and Gouverneur Lane: 6 stationary cameras, 5 NW corner, 1 SW corner
Water Street and Gouveneur Lane: 1 stationary camera, NW corner
New Street between Beaver Street and Exchange Place: 7 stationary cameras, 4 east side, 3 west side
Trinity Place between Exchange Alley and Morris Street: 3 stationary cameras
Exchange Place between Broad and William Streets: 2 globe cameras, 2 stationary cameras, north side
Exchange Place and New Street: 5 stationary cameras
Broadway and Exchange Place: 2 stationary cameras, 1 NE corner, 1 NW corner
Trinity Place and Exchange Alley: 2 stationary cameras, 1 NE corner, 1 NW corner
Washington and Joseph P. Ward Streets: 2 stationary cameras, NW corner
West Street between Joseph P. Ward and Rector Street: 1 stationary camera, east side
South End Avenue and West Thames Street: 1 stationary camera
W Thames Street: 5 stationary cameras at Battery Park City Authority building
Trinity Place between Thames and Rector Streets: 1 globe camera, west side
Broad Street between Exchange Place and Wall Street: 2 stationary cameras, west side, 1 globe camera, east side
New Street between Wall Street and Exchange Place: 3 stationary cameras, 2 east side, 1 west side
Rector Street between Trinity Place and Greenwich Street: 3 stationary cameras, north side
Rector Place: 1 stationary camera
Wall Street between Hanover and Pearl Streets: 3 stationary cameras, north side
Hanover Square: 2 stationary cameras
Wall and Pearl Streets: 3 stationary cameras, NW corner
Wall Street between Nassau and William Streets: 1 globe camera
Nassau and Wall Streets: 3 stationary cameras
Wall Street between New and Nassau Streets: 1 stationary camera, south side
Pine Street between William and Pearl Streets: 2 stationary cameras, south side
Pine Street between Nassau and William Streets: 2 stationary cameras, north side
Broadway and Thames Street: 1 stationary camera, NW corner
Thames Street between Broadway and Trinity Place: 2 stationary cameras, south side
Greenwich and Thames Streets: 1 globe camera, NE corner
Greenwich and Albany Streets: 3 stationary cameras
Albany and Washington Streets: 2 stationary cameras
Albany Street between Washington and West Streets: 1 stationary camera, south side
William Street between Cedar and Pine Streets: 1 stationary camera, east side
Washington Street between Albany and Cedar Streets: 3 stationary cameras, east side
Cedar Street between Broadway and Trinity Place: 2 stationary cameras
Cedar Street between Trinity Place and Greenwich Street: 1 stationary camera, south side
Cedar Street between Washington and West Streets: 1 stationary camera
Washington Street between Liberty and Cedar Streets: 1 rotational camera
William and Liberty Streets: 2 stationary cameras, 1 NE corner, 1 SE corner
Liberty Street between William and Nassau Streets: 6 stationary cameras, north side, 1 globe camera, 1 rotational camera, 1 stationary camera, south side
Liberty and Nassau Streets: 2 stationary cameras, SW corner
Liberty Street between Nassau Street and Broadway: 2 stationary cameras, south side
Broadway and Liberty Street: 1 stationary camera, SE corner
Liberty and Trinity Streets: 1 stationary camera
Liberty and Greenwich Streets: 2 stationary cameras, SW corner
Washington and Liberty Streets: 2 stationary cameras
West and Liberty Streets: 1 globe camera
Chase Manhattan Plaza, between Pine and Liberty Streets, and William and Nassau Streets: 4 stationary cameras
William Street between Liberty Street and Maiden Lane: 2 stationary cameras, east side
Nassau Street between Maiden Lane and Liberty Street: 2 stationary cameras, east side
Liberty Place between Maiden Lane and Liberty Street: 1 stationary camera
Pearl Street and Maiden Lane: 2 stationary cameras, NE corner
Maiden Lane between Nassau and William Streets: 10 stationary cameras
Maiden and Nassau Streets: 2 globe cameras, SE corner, 1 stationary camera, NE corner
Fletcher and Water Streets: 2 stationary cameras
Fletcher and Front Streets: 1 rotational camera
Fletcher Street between Water and Front Streets: 1 stationary camera, north side
Fletcher Street between Water and Pearl Streets: 2 stationary cameras, south side
Platt Street between Pearl and Gold Streets: 2 stationary cameras, north side
Gold and Platt Streets: 2 stationary cameras, SW corner
Platt Street between Gold and William Streets: 1 stationary camera
Pearl Street between John and Platt Streets: 2 stationary cameras, west side
William Street between John and Platt Streets: 1 stationary camera
John Street between Cliff and Pearl Streets: 1 stationary camera, north side
John Street between Gold and William Streets: 2 stationary cameras, south side
John and William Streets: 2 stationary cameras, NE corner
John Street between William and Nassau Streets: 4 stationary cameras, south side
John and Nassau Streets: 1 stationary camera, NW corner
Dey Street between Church Street and Broadway: 1 rotational camera, north side
Pearl Street between John and Fulton Streets: 1 stationary camera
Fulton and Nassau Streets: 2 stationary cameras, NW corner
Fulton Street between Broadway and Nassau Street: 1 stationary camera
Fulton Street between Broadway and Church Street: 3 stationary cameras, 2 north side, 1 south side
Nassau Street between Ann and Fulton Streets: 1 stationary camera, east side
Ann and Nassau Streets: 2 stationary cameras, SE corner
Ann Street between Nassau Street and Theatre Alley: 1 stationary camera, south side
Ann Street between Park Row and Theater Alley: 3 stationary cameras, 1 north side, 2 south side
Vesey Street between Church Street and West Broadway: 3 stationary cameras, 1 south side, 2 north side
?Vesey Street and West Broadway: 2 stationary cameras
Vesey Street between West Street and W Broadway: 2 stationary cameras, north side
(7 World Trade Center): 3 stationary cameras, south side
West and Vesey Streets: 4 stationary cameras, SE corner
William Street between Ann and Beekman Streets: 1 stationary camera, west side
Nassau Street between Ann and Beekman Streets: 2 stationary camera, east side
Theater Alley between Beekman and Ann Streets: 3 stationary cameras: 1 west side, 2 east side
Beekman Street between Gold and William Street: 1 stationary camera, south side
Beekman and Nassau Streets: 1 stationary camera
Beekman Street and Park Row: 1 stationary camera
Barclay and Church Streets: 2 stationary cameras, 1 NE corner, 1 SW corner
Barclay Street and W Broadway: 2 stationary cameras, SE corner
Barclay and Washington Streets: 3 stationary cameras, SE corner
Barclay Street between Washington and West Streets: 2 stationary cameras in alley, north side
Park Place between Church Street and Broadway: 1 stationary camera, south side
Park Place between W Broadway and Church Street: 3 stationary cameras, 2 north side, 1 south side
Park Place between Greenwich Street and West Broadway: 3 stationary cameras, north side
Greenwich Street between Park Place and Murray Street: 1 rotational camera, east side
Spruce Street and Park Row: 1 stationary camera, SE corner
Front and Dover Streets: 1 globe camera, 1 stationary camera
Gold and Frankfurt Streets: 1 rotational camera
Murray Street between W Broadway and Greenwich Street: 1 stationary camera, south side
Murray Street between Greenwich and West Streets: 1 rotational camera
Warren and Church Streets: 1 stationary camera
Warren Street between W Broadway and Church Street: 3 stationary, north side
Warren Street between Greenwich Street and W Broadway: 2 stationary cameras, 1 north side, 1 south side
Pearl and Madison Streets: 1 stationary camera, 4 rotational cameras
Pearl Street between Madison Street and Park Row: 5 stationary cameras
Joseph Doherty Court between Park Row and Pearl Street: 6 stationary cameras
Chambers Street between West and Greenwich Streets: 1 rotational camera
Reade Street between Hudson and Greenwich Streets: 2 stationary cameras, north side
Broadway between Reade and Duane Streets: 2 stationary cameras, east side
Duane Street and Cardinal Hayes Place: 16 cameras
Duane Street between Broadway and Elk Street: 1 stationary camera, south side
Duane Street between Hudson Street and W Broadway: 1 stationary camera, north side
Staple Street between Jay and Harrison Streets: 1 stationary camera, west side
Hudson Street between Jay and Harrison Streets: 1 stationary camera
Worth Street between Broadway and Park Row: 1 stationary camera, south side
Lafayette between Franklin and Leonard: 1 stationary camera
W Broadway between Leonard and Franklin: 1 stationary camera
N Moore Street between West and Greenwich Streets: 3 rotational cameras, 1 north side, 2 south side
Harrison and West Streets: 2 stationary cameras
Sixth Avenue and W Broadway: 1 stationary camera
Greenwich Street between N Moore and Beach Streets: 1 rotational camera, west side
West Street between Hubert and N Moore Streets: 3 rotational cameras, east side
York Street between Sixth Avenue and St John’s Lane: 1 stationary camera, south side
Ericsson Place and Varick Street: 1 stationary camera
St John’s Lane between Ericsson Place and York Street: 2 stationary cameras, east side
Greenwich Street between Hubert and Beach Streets: 2 stationary cameras, 1 east side, 1 west side, 1 rotational camera, west side
Hubert Street between Collister and Greenwich Streets: 2 stationary cameras, 1 north side, 1 south side
Hubert Street between West and Greenwich Streets: 4 rotational cameras, south side, 1 stationary camera, north side
Varick and Laight Street: 2 rotational cameras
Greenwich and Laight Streets: 1 stationary camera
Laight Street between Greenwich and Washington Streets: 1 stationary camera, south side
Vestry and Canal Streets: 3 rotational cameras
Vestry Street between Varick and Hudson Streets: 2 stationary cameras, south side
Washington Street between Vestry and Desbrosses Streets: 1 stationary camera, west side
Watts Street between Greenwich and Canal Streets: 1 stationary camera
Canal Street and Cortlandt Alley: 2 stationary cameras
Canal Street between Washington and Greenwich Streets: 1 stationary camera
Police Plaza: 2 stationary cameras, 1 rotational camera
Chambers Street between Greenwich and Hudson Streets: 1 stationary camera, north side
Pearl Street between Peck Slip and Dover Street: 2 stationary cameras, east side
2 Ave @ 36 St-Midtown Tunnel 2 Ave @ QBB (btwn 59 & 60 Street) 5 Ave @ 42 Street 6 Ave @ 34 Street 8 Ave @ Columbus Cr Amsterdam Ave @ 178 Street Bowery @ Canal Street Broadway @ 46 Street Brooklyn Bridge @ Centre Street FDR DR @ Catherine St
Still Image Camera Locations
2 Ave @ 125 St 5 Ave @ 23 Street 5 Ave @ 49 Street 6 Ave @ 42 Street 6 Ave @ 49 Street 6 Ave @ Canal Street 7 Ave @ 125 Street 7 Ave @ 145 Street 8 Ave @ 34 Street 8 Ave @ 42 Street 8 Ave @ 110 Street 9 Ave @ 34 Street 11 Ave @ 42 Street Amsterdam Ave @ 181 St Broadway @ 169 St Central Park S @ Columbus Cr Central Park W @ 96 St Church Street @ Vesey E 57 Street @ QBB (btwn 1 & 2 Ave) E 63 Street @ QBB (btwn 1 & 2 Ave) FDR Dr @ 36 Street FDR Dr @ 78 Street FDR Dr @ 96 Street FDR @ 135 St FDR @ 155 St FDR Dr @ Old Slip Henry Hudson Pkwy @ 72 St The Holland Tunnel The Lincoln Tunnel Riverside Dr @ 135 St-H Hudson Pkwy Riverside Dr @ 153 St-H Hudson Pkwy Trinity @ Brooklyn Battery Tunnel West St @ Canal St West St @ The Intrepid West St @ Murray St
For the trial law and legal community from a NY private investigator's perspective.
The Beacon Bulletin is the weekly newsletter authored and published by our parent company, Beacon Network Investigations, Inc. (BNI) and will shortly be combined with The MainPower Post, of our new company, MainPower Investigations, Inc., (MPI). (BNI will be involved in the development end of investigative and informational services and products. MPI will carry on with traditional private detective services.)
We're a private investigation company. We DON'T dispense legal advice, respond to anonymous queries or black hat your enemies for you. (Internally, however, points are alloted to our favorite subtly phrased compliments.)
We DO hope to inform. That's our business.
