|
January 2012
|
|
The Use of Technology to Stalk
By Sheriff Ted Mink
 Stalking
has always been a frightening crime. For a victim, it means constant fear,
anxiety and self-doubt. One in six women and one in 19 men are stalked in
their lifetime, most often by a current or former intimate partner.*
Unfortunately, stalking has changed with the times. Today a stalker may be
empowered by a variety of easily-accessible gadgets and online tools.
Elements of the Crime
Stalking involves a man or woman knowingly and repeatedly following,
approaching, contacting or surveilling you or someone close to you, causing
you to fear for your safety. When this threatening behavior causes serious
emotional distress for the victim, it may be considered stalking -- a
felony with a sentence of up to 8 years.**
For a victim, no place feels safe. You feel like you're
being hunted or spied upon. A stalker may show up unexpectedly in places
he/she shouldn't know you are, or know things about you he/she shouldn't
know. If you notice some of this behavior but can't understand how another
person could be learning so much about you, consider that a stalker may be
using some of these technologies. Get familiar with the technology so you
can identify when it's being used by a stalker.
Spyware and Keylogging
Computer spyware allows someone to track all your actions on your computer,
including websites visited, e-mails sent and received, images of your
screen, and even passwords entered. Spyware may be installed remotely using
an e-mail attachment, or on-site if the stalker has access to your
computer. Keylogging software can be installed the same way -- it records
all of the user's keystrokes, revealing much of the same information as
spyware.
If you think your computer has been compromised, try to use
a safer computer at a public library or community center.
Cell Phones
For years, stalkers have had the opportunity to send relentless text
messages, or call nonstop. Now, dangers related to cell phones are more
sinister. "Spoofing" allows a stalker to call you while displaying
an altered phone number on your caller ID. That new number could be a
random number, or the number of someone you know. Spoofing may also allow a
stalker to digitally change the sound of his/her voice -- even making a
man's voice sound like a woman's, and vice versa.
Phone spyware may be installed on your cell phone without
your knowledge by anyone with temporary access to it. Using the spyware, a
stalker can listen in on your conversations and monitor your text messages.
Installing or activating GPS on your phone can allow him/her to track the
movements of the phone. (Some of these features are offered outright with
certain phone plans, usually targeted at parents tracking their children.
If both your phone and the stalker's phone are on the same phone plan,
change your provider now.)
If you buy a new cell phone, make sure you properly dispose
of your old one. Your old phone contains a mountain of data about you and
should not fall into the wrong hands. Your cell phone company can destroy
the data for you.
Social Media
Social media is a double-edged sword and one that can pose major problems
for victims of stalking. While they connect you with your support system of
family and friends and give you some sense of normalcy, social media sites
can also be a gold mine for your stalker. In the social media companies'
quest to make us all as "connected" as possible, basic privacy
settings are becoming less and less effective. A stalker may view your
Facebook posts, for example, by "friending" your friends, using
another person's account, or hacking into your account. The more you share,
the more there is "out there" to be found by a stalker.
GPS and Video Surveillance
You may be baffled when your stalker shows up where you are, when you
hadn't seen anyone following you. In this instance the stalker could be
tracking you via GPS on your phone, or may have attached a small GPS
tracking device to your car. Another surveillance method is the use
of tiny video cameras placed in your home, car or workplace. Some are even
made to resemble a pen. The footage from these cameras can often be
streamed and viewed via an Internet site.
What You Can Do
Stalking is a serious crime. If you believe you are being stalked, call the
Sheriff's Office at 303-277-0211 (or 911 in an emergency). As best you can,
relay all examples of stalking to investigators. Keep a log of these
events. Your documentation of obvious (or suspected) incidents involving
the stalker is critical to building a case against him/her. In addition to
reporting the crime, you can contact our Victim Services Unit at
303-271-5339 for resources that may be available to you as a stalking
victim. More information is available from the National Network to
End Domestic Violence at nnedv.org.
*Statistics are from the Centers for Disease Control's
National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 2010.
**For the complete definition of stalking, view the Colorado
State Statutes, section 18-3-602, available on the Colorado.gov website.
|
|
Coyotes Active in South Jeffco
|
|
|
|
Coyote
in Colorado
|
Coyotes are active
throughout Jeffco and the Denver metro area. In early January, in a neighborhood
near Kipling Street and Bowles Avenue, a coyote jumped over a 4-foot fence
into a backyard. It attacked a small dog -- the second coyote attack on the
same dog in a year.
This is a reminder that "urban" coyotes are active and can be
quite brave. Please report aggressive/unusual coyote behavior to Jeffco
Animal Control at 303-271-5070. Visit our website for more information
about coyotes in our area. Below are some tips for homeowners and pet
owners.
How can you protect
your pet?
Coyotes may view domestic pets as a food source, and large dogs as a threat
or possible mate. Coyotes have taken pets from backyards, open spaces and
even right off the leash. Keep your pet current on vaccinations.
Reduce the risk to your pet by following these guidelines:
Cat Owners:
The only way to guarantee your cat's safety is to keep it indoors. Outdoor
cats also face potential death from cars, diseases, foxes, parasites,
raccoons, dogs and birds of prey such as owls.
Dog Owners:
Always supervise your pet
outside, especially at dawn and dusk. Keep your dog on a short leash while
recreating -- avoid retractable leashes.
- Do not allow your dog off leash.
- Do not allow your dog to play or interact with a
coyote.
- If possible, pick up your dog when coyotes are
visible.
- Avoid known or potential den sites and thick
vegetation. Like domestic dogs, coyotes will defend their
territory and their young.
- If you must leave your dog outside, secure it in a
fully enclosed kennel.
- Remove "food" from your yard, including
pet food or water, birdseed, garbage or compost, and fallen fruit or
berries
|
|
Winter is Wildfire Season Too
|
|
|
|
|
A
wildland firefighter monitors the Indian Gulch Fire on Hwy. 6 (March
2011)
|
Nearly a year ago, Jeffco
experienced a large winter wildfire: the Indian Gulch Fire near Golden
(1,500 acres, March). Other winter fires have occurred in Jeffco and
neighboring counties over the years. Most winter fires are human-caused
(this includes fallen power lines, welding, etc.). Most ignite grass fuels
and are driven by wind. During this time of year all grasses should be
considered susceptible to fire unless they are wet or covered in snow.
Colder temperatures alone do not prevent wildfires.
This winter has been
dominated by periods of intense wind and higher-than-average temperatures,
punctuated with more snow along the Front Range than last year. As the
"Chinook" (warm) winds continue to return and dry out the
grasses, these grasses become available once again until the next snowfall.
Wildfire Prevention
Throughout winter's warmer, drier, windier times, be careful with any
potential fire sources (i.e., ash buckets from fireplaces, campfires,
torches, welders, grinders, etc.) to help prevent wildfires. It is not too
early to start mitigating by mowing any leftover tall grasses along fence
lines or around structures, and removing pine needles and litter from
roofs, gutters and decks. More mitigation information is available from the
Colorado State Forest Service Cooperative Extension Publication "Creating Wildfire-Defensible Zones."
The Jefferson County
Sheriff's Office and the Colorado State Forest Service's Golden district
monitor fuel and weather conditions year-round to identify times for
greater fire potential and notify the public of the heightened possibility
for fire. A remote automated weather station was established in 2009 to
provide a historical picture of weather in the Front Range and provide
year-round weather measurements for wildfires and prescribed fires. We are
researching methods to identify "extreme fire days" by looking at
historical fires and weather conditions and using the latest analysis tools
to predict these days.
|
|
