LYNN DISTRICT COURT PROBATION UNVEILS NEW TECHNOLOGY
TO TRACK DOWN OFFENDERS

          Lynn District Court Probation Officers will employ a new high-tech device to capture offenders who have defaulted, according to Chief Probation Officer Donald January.

          Thanks to the Lynn Police Block Grant, Lynn Probation Officers will go into the community to track down scofflaws with hand-held computers containing their photos or "photo warrants." The Blueberry IMAC, a hand-held computer manufactured by MacIntosh, has the capacity to hold hundreds of photos. In the past, Probation Officers relied on arrest sheets. Some of these sheets had photos, some did not.

          "We owe a debt of gratitude to Lynn Police Chief John Suslak and to Mayor Chip Clancy for their generosity and the successful partnership that probation has forged with the city in combating crime," said January.

          The Probation Department will purchase six Blueberries and digital photo equipment with the $3,800 block grant monies. The department is in the third year cycle of the five-year block grant. In the first year, January purchased two-way phones and bikes for the department's bike patrol in the second year. Lynn District Probation was among the first probation departments in the northeast to establish a bike unit.

          "This computer will enable us to identify the offender. Before, a person could walk the street or enter a building and we did not know who they were because we did not know what they looked like," said January.

          January said every default will be entered in the Blueberry. When the photo is called up, the Probation Officers contact the probation department via two-way phone, also purchased with money from the National Block Grant. A Warrant Management System check can be done in 1 ½ minutes, according to January.

          Lynn District Probation averages 15-20 warrants per month, according to January. The photo warrant system will be fully implemented at the beginning of the year, he said.

          The Massachusetts Probation Service is a department of the Massachusetts Trial Court. There are 12 Superior Court, 70 District Court and 12 Probate and Family Court probation offices throughout the Commonwealth. Probation's Juvenile Court system includes 11 divisions which represent every county in the state. The Office of the Commissioner of Probation (OCP) serves as the central administrative office for the state Probation service and the Office of Community Corrections which operates 21 Community Corrections Centers throughout the state.