NewzIntel.com

Category: Law Enforcement

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special traffic and transport arrangements for triathlon event in Central and Wan Chai districts this weekend

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Transport Department (TD) today (October 9) reminded members of the public that the following special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in phases this weekend (October 12 and 13) to facilitate the holding of the triathlon event in Central and Wan Chai districts:
     
    1. Road closures

    From 10am on Saturday (October 12) to 6pm on Sunday (October 13), the section of Expo Drive between Legislative Council Road and Expo Drive Central will be temporarily closed; and
    From 1am on Sunday to about 6pm, road closure and diversion measures will be implemented in the vicinities of the Central Harbourfront and Wan Chai North (including Yiu Sing Street, Lung Wo Road, Lung Hop Street, Lung Tat Path, etc).

    2. Public transport arrangements
         To tie in with the road closure arrangements in the vicinities of Central and Wan Chai North, cross-harbour bus route No. H2 (to Central (Star Ferry)) will be temporarily diverted to operate via Connaught Road Central from 12.30pm on Sunday until the closed road is reopened to traffic at about 6pm.
     
         Members of the public are advised to make use of public transport services as far as possible to avoid traffic congestion and unnecessary delays. During the event, the TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation. The Police may adjust the traffic arrangements subject to the prevailing crowd and traffic conditions in the areas. Members of the public should pay attention to the latest traffic news through radio, television or the “HKeMobility” mobile application.
          
         For details of the special traffic and public transport arrangements, members of the public may visit the TD website (www.td.gov.hk), its mobile application “HKeMobility” or passenger notices issued by the relevant public transport operators.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama Alerts Public to Charity Scams Involving Hurricane Relief Efforts

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

                Montgomery, Alabama – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson issued a public safety alert today advising the public to be vigilant to hurricane relief fraud attempts in the wake of Hurricane Helene and future storms.

                “Criminals will use any situation, including natural disasters, to profit from the kindness and generosity of others,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “I encourage all Alabamians to be mindful as they consider participating in donation requests for disaster relief. Using the suggestions listed below will help ensure that donations reach their intended recipient and do not get diverted to those who seek only to enrich themselves.”

                On Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend Region and quickly caused major devastation there and across states including Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and others. Currently, Hurricane Milton is making its way across the Gulf of Mexico and will impact Florida’s west coast this week. As we have seen in the wake of previous national disasters, fraudsters will target victims of the storm along with citizens across the country who want to do what they can to assist individuals affected by the storm. Unfortunately, criminals exploit disasters for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating deceiving websites designed to solicit contributions.

                The public should exercise diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to assist those affected by Hurricane Helene or any other natural disaster. Solicitations can originate from phone calls, texts, social media, e-mail, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, and other similar methods. Before making a donation to benefit victims of a disaster, individuals should adhere to certain guidelines, including:

    • Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
    • Do not be pressured into making contributions as reputable charities do not use such tactics.
    • Do not respond to any unsolicited communications (e.g., e-mails and texts), and never click links contained within those messages because they may be targeting your personal information, to include bank and credit card account information, and other identifiers such as dates of birth and social security numbers.
    • Rather than clicking on a purported link to a charity, verify its legitimacy by utilizing various internet-based resources that may assist in confirming whether the organization is a valid charity.
    • Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities.
    • Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.
    • Know that legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services, and their website will normally end in .org rather than .com.
    • Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.

                The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to deter, investigate, and prosecute fraud in the wake of disasters. More than 50 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Complaints of fraud may be reported online at http://www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm. Complaints may also be reported to the NCDF at (866) 720-5721, a hotline that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CJ to attend 19th Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific in Malaysia

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
     
         Chief Justice Andrew Cheung, Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, will leave Hong Kong tomorrow (October 10) to attend the 19th Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

         The Conference will be held from October 11 to 14. It is a biennial event which seeks to provide the Chief Justices and senior judges of the Asia and Pacific region with a forum to discuss various issues of common interest to judiciaries in the region. It will cover a number of legal and judicial issues, including the rule of law, cross-border judicial co-operation and use of technology in court. Chief Justice Cheung will be the moderator-cum-speaker of a discussion session on international co-operation and cross-border issues. He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 37th LAWASIA Conference (Note), which will be held in Kuala Lumpur on October 13.

         Chief Justice Cheung will return to Hong Kong on October 14. During his absence, Mr Justice Roberto Alexandre Vieira Ribeiro, Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal, will be the Acting Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal.
     
    Note: LAWASIA, or the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific, is a regional association of lawyers, judges, jurists and legal organisations. It holds annual conferences to provide a platform to facilitate the discussion of regional developments in various legal issues. All Chief Justices participating in the Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific are, in line with tradition, invited to join part of the LAWASIA Conference.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Improved support for crime victims

    Source: Scottish Government

    New Victim Contact Team to be set up.

    Victims of crime will receive improved support, advice and information as part of planned reforms to the Victim Notification Scheme (VNS).

    Under proposed changes to the scheme – which entitles victims or close relatives of victims to certain information about the person responsible for the crime – a new Victim Contact Team will be set up to give personalised support to victims, based on their individual needs.

    Victims will automatically be referred to the team for a trauma-informed discussion about their options for registering for the VNS and for an explanation of their rights. The amount of information available to victims about the offender(s), which includes information about their release, will also be expanded.

    The Scottish Government will introduce the reforms as part of its response to recommendations in the Independent Review of the Victim Notification Scheme, which heard directly from victims about their experiences of the justice system and the VNS. Recent experiences with how the VNS operated in relation to measures to manage the prison population have also informed the response to the Review.

    The Scottish Government has agreed the majority of the Review’s recommendations, including the central proposal of creating a Victim Contact Team, with plans developed following discussions with justice and victim support organisations. Legislation to underpin the creation of the Contact Team will be progressed through the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, which is continuing its passage through Parliament.

    Victims Minister Siobhian Brown said:

    “These reforms will put the needs of victims firmly at the heart of the Notification Scheme. By increasing the information available to victims, improving communication across justice agencies and making the system more accountable, we can ensure the scheme continues to be as effective and trusted as possible.

    “We have already begun work to implement the Independent Review’s recommendations, including to create a Victim Contact Team to provide personalised support for victims. Each victim has different needs that deserve to be handled sensitively and victims will automatically be referred to the team, who will explain their rights and provide support.

    “This is a priority for the Scottish Government and we will use the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill already progressing through Parliament to ensure the reforms are taken forward at pace.

    “I am grateful to all those who shared their experiences during the Independent Review, particularly victims and their families. We will continue to listen to their voices as we continue strengthening support for them and progress these latest reforms to the Victim Notification Scheme.”

    VNS Independent Review Chair Alastair MacDonald and Vice Chair Fiona Young said:

    “The agreement to establish a Victim Contact Team to help victims understand what information they may receive and to get that information in a way that helps them is welcome. It is hoped that implementation of other recommendations will also be prioritised.”

    Ann Fehilly, of domestic abuse court advocacy service ASSIST, said:

    “ASSIST has long advocated for the Victim Notification Scheme to be victim-centred, trauma-informed and responsive to the needs of victims.

    “We welcome the Scottish Government’s acceptance of almost all of the Review recommendations and look forward to working collaboratively with them to put into effect the plan. We are pleased that choice for victims is at the heart of the process, alongside a commitment to work with organisations which support victims to access the right information timeously. It is crucial that victims of domestic abuse are kept informed to ensure they are safe from further harm.”

    Background

    Scottish Government response to the Independent Review of the Victim Notification Scheme

    Victim Notification Scheme: Independent Review

    The Independent Review made recommendations in relation to the three victim notification/information schemes. In the Independent Review and the Scottish Government response, the term VNS refers to all three schemes, unless otherwise specified.

    Victim notification/information schemes:

    • the VNS provides victims of offenders sentenced to more than 18 months’ imprisonment with the right to certain information (such as when an offender is released) and in some cases with the right to make representations when a decision is being made to release an offender on licence
    • the Compulsion Order and Restriction Order VNS provides victims of offenders subject to a Compulsion Order and Restriction Order with similar rights to information, and to making representations
    • the Victim Information Scheme is available for victims of offenders who are sentenced to less than 18 months’ imprisonment.

    The planned reforms will be implemented in partnership with victim support organisations and justice agencies. The Scottish Government will produce an annual report to review progress of the key VNS reforms.

    Victim Notification Scheme: guidance for victims of crime

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detectives appeal for help to find murder victim’s next-of-kin

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives are appealing for help from the public to identify family members or next-of-kin for a murder victim.

    The victim, 51-year-old Anthony Marks, was attacked in the early hours of Saturday, 10 August in Cromer Street, WC1.

    Anthony was a member of the homeless community and is understood to have been sheltering in a nearby bin shed prior to his assault.

    A 17-year-old boy from Dagenham was arrested on Friday, 4 October and was charged on Sunday, 6 October with Anthony’s murder.

    He appeared at Highbury Magistrates’ Court where he was remanded into custody to next appear on Wednesday, 9 October at the Old Bailey.

    Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “Despite someone having been charged, our investigation is ongoing with a number of active lines of enquiry.

    “Sadly, despite our best efforts, we have been unable to identify next-of-kin for Anthony and I urge anyone who can help to contact the investigation team.

    “I am also very keen to hear from anyone who witnessed this incident but has not yet spoken with police. There were a number of people in the area at the time of the murder and we know that some of those people tried to help Anthony. If you are one of those people please do get in touch with us.”

    Anyone with information should contact the incident room direct on 0208 358 0300, dial 101 or post on X @MetCC quoting CAD 1428/10AUG24.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Chief Minister opens Countering Financial Crime Conference

    Source: Isle of Man

    Chief Minister Alfred Cannan MHK highlighted the importance of public-private sector collaboration as he opened the flagship Countering Financial Crime Conference at the Villa Marina today, Wednesday 9 October.

    Addressing an audience of almost 600 people, he called on everyone to play their part in maintaining the integrity of the Island’s financial services sector.

    ‘Combatting the scourge of financial crime requires a robust and co-ordinated national response,’ the Chief Minister said. ‘We must keep pace with developments, maintain high standards and work together to protect the Island from those who seek to exploit our financial systems.

    ‘Maintaining the Island’s reputation as a first-class international finance centre is a political priority. I am determined to lead from the front to ensure the Isle of Man can look forward to a vibrant, diverse and sustainable future.’

    Today’s conference brings together a diverse group of experts, practitioners, and policymakers to share their professional insight and highlight best practice.

    The line-up of speakers includes:

    • Eric van der Schild of Europol, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation
    • Donald Toon, Head of Financial Crime Threat Mitigation for the Natwest Group
    • Kathryn Westmore, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Finance and Security at the Royal United Services Institute
    • Ruth Dearnley OBE of Stop the Traffik, a campaign coalition which aims to bring an end to human trafficking
    • Zoe Warren and John Tanagho of the International Justice Mission
    • Scott Johnston, Head of Public Sector Operations at Chainalysis
    • Cindy van Niekerk of IOM Fintech Innovation Challenge winners Umazi

    The speakers will explore a range of financial crime topics and challenges, including work aimed at countering money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing, human trafficking and modern slavery.

    Panel discussions focus on data and innovation, the importance of collaboration, and how the Isle of Man can make a positive difference as a small jurisdiction with a big financial footprint.

    The conference will also see the official launch of the Financial Crime Partnership, a public-private sector initiative coordinated by the Isle of Man Financial Intelligence Unit.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Mayor Announces Completion of Kadashevskaya Embankment Improvement

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Sergei Sobyanin inspected the results of the comprehensive improvement work on Kadashevskaya Embankment.

    “One of the oldest embankments of the Moscow River is the Kadashevskaya Embankment, historical, and now it’s its turn. We connected the Ovchinnikovskaya Embankment, the Yakimanskaya Embankment, creating a single walking route. We widened the sidewalks, planted trees, installed new lamps, removed the wires. So you can really walk and enjoy the city,” said Sergei Sobyanin.

    In recent years, 50 embankments of the Moscow River have been improved or built in the city. Their total length is about 77 kilometers.

    Kadashevskaya Embankment, approximately 800 meters long, is located in Zamoskvorechye, on the bank of the Vodootvodny Canal between Yakimanskaya and Ovchinnikovskaya Embankments.

    Work on the comprehensive improvement of the embankment, as well as the nearby Staromonetny and Pyzhevsky lanes, was carried out in May – October 2024. The total area of the territory where the improvement was carried out is 3.9 hectares.

    As a result, the pedestrian sidewalks on Kadashevskaya Embankment became more convenient for walking – they were widened and paved with granite tiles. The total area of paving is 8.5 thousand square meters.

    As part of the Clean Sky program, overhead cable lines were moved to underground collectors. Thanks to this, a panorama of the embankment opened up, and the operation of power lines became more reliable and safer. To prevent flooding, more than 100 linear meters of drainage network were additionally laid.

    For the comfort and safety of pedestrians, 113 lanterns with energy-saving lamps, 114 lamps and 100 benches and urns were installed on the embankment and in the alleys. 35 parking lots were equipped for cycling enthusiasts.

    As part of the landscaping work, more than 1.6 thousand square meters of lawns were laid out, 41 trees and 15 lilac bushes were planted.

    Thus, another comfortable walking space near the water has been created in Moscow.

    “This year’s landmark improvement project has been completed — Kadashevskaya Embankment in Zamoskvorechye. This is one of the oldest embankments in the capital. It is located on the bank of the Vodootvodny Canal between the Yakimanskaya and Ovchinnikovskaya embankments. Another place for recreation and walks has appeared next to the new building of the Tretyakov Gallery. At the same time, the embankment has retained its transit function,” the Moscow Mayor wrote.

    in his telegram channel.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

    Bicycle parking and wide sidewalks: how Kadashevskaya embankment is being improved

    Improvement of the Moscow River embankments

    The total length of the Moscow River coastline within the Moscow Ring Road is about 200 kilometers.

    As of 2010, the capital’s embankments did not meet modern requirements for accessibility and comfort. The central granite embankments were used as highways and were inconvenient for pedestrians. Due to the deterioration of the infrastructure, the few pedestrian embankments remained inconvenient. A significant part of the coastal areas, especially in the lower reaches, were ordinary, unimproved river banks.

    Since 2011, the Moscow Government has been implementing a comprehensive improvement program for the embankments of the Moscow River. During this time, 50 embankments (including Kadashevskaya) with a total length of about 77 kilometers have been put in order, including almost all the historical granite embankments in the city center. Thus, today 40 percent of the Moscow River coastline meets modern standards of accessibility and comfort.

    The first to be improved was the Crimean embankment, which became one of the main promenades of the capital.

    A single comfortable pedestrian route has been created in the city center from Moscow-City to Taganskaya Square, including Krasnopresnenskaya, Novodevichya, Kremlevskaya, Moskvoretskaya and other embankments. In addition, a route has appeared from the House of Music to Vorobyovy Gory along Ozerkovskaya, Ovchinnikovskaya, Krymskaya, Pushkinskaya and Andreyevskaya embankments. The total length of these routes is more than 27 kilometers.

    In the upper reaches of the river, historical parks and beaches near the water have been landscaped – these are “Northern Tushino”, Northern River Terminal, Fili Park, Stroginskaya Poima and others.

    In the lower reaches, new landscaped parks have been created near the water, including the park in the Kapotnya district, the 850th Anniversary of Moscow Park, the Brateyevskaya Poima Park, and others.

    The plans include the improvement of 36 embankments with a total length of over 80 kilometers by 2030.

    In addition, Moscow has begun to build new embankments in areas previously inaccessible to city residents – mainly in reorganized industrial zones. They are built according to modern rules with a significant retreat of the roadway from the water, which allows for maximum use of the recreational potential of coastal areas.

    The largest new embankment in Moscow is the Marc Chagall Embankment on the territory of the former ZIL. In addition, construction work is underway on the Krutitskaya, Shelepikhinskaya, Simonovskaya, Karamyshevskaya embankments, as well as embankments in the southern part of ZIL and the Novinki backwater, on sections from the Fili Park to the Pyotr Fomenko Workshop Theatre and from the Kursk direction railway bridge of the Moscow Railway to the Brateevsky Cascade Park with a total length of about 21 kilometers.

    Improvement of city facilities in 2024

    In 2024, it is planned to improve more than 2.5 thousand objects. Among them are large city parks, including Gorky Park, Sokolniki and the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve. The first stage of work is ongoing in all of them. The embankments of the Yauza and more than 20 large public spaces in the center and other administrative districts of the capital will also be put in order, including the Kadashevskaya Embankment with Staromonetny and Pyzhevsky Lanes, the section of the embankment from the Moscow Ring Road to the Stroginsky Bridge, the territories of the Bolshoy and Maly Stroginsky Backwaters.

     

    In addition, two sections of the Yauza Park along Tenisty Proezd and Selskokhozyaistvennaya Street (the work is already in the second stage), the Lokomotiv Stadium, the Rosbiotech territory, the Aquarium Garden (Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, Building 14), the park near the Church of St. Euphrosyne (Nakhimovsky Prospekt, Building 8), the territory of the All-Russian Museum of Decorative Arts (Delegatskaya Street, Building 3), the park of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University in front of the Lefortovo Palace and other iconic sites will be improved. New tram lines will run along Sergiya Radonezhskogo Street and Akademika Sakharov Avenue.

    Improvements will also be made to around 700 streets, over 1,700 courtyards, the territories of over 120 educational facilities, over 20 water bodies, including the 2nd Nikolo-Khovansky Pond (TiNAO), Olenyi Ponds (VAO), the pond on Chernomorsky Boulevard (South Administrative District), and the Bykovo Boloto Pond (ZelAO).

    Attention will also be paid to the territories of about 41 transport facilities, including 10 Moscow Metro stations, 10 Moscow Central Diameters stations, five transport hubs and others.

    In addition, the implementation of the lighting improvement program continues. Within its framework, it is planned to install 15 thousand new lamps in courtyards, on children’s and sports grounds.

    Sobyanin: A green embankment without cars will appear in the area of the “Yuzhny Port”

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/major/themes/11875050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The training program for the participants of the “Aerobatics” competition starts on October 10

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Registration for the All-Russian competition of research and project works of schoolchildren is ongoing.Aerobatics“, which is being held for the tenth time this academic year. The number of people who have registered for the qualifying round of the competition in a remote format has already exceeded 11 thousand people. The organizing committee invites you to a series of educational webinars, which will begin on October 10.

    The “Top Aerobatics” competition is held for students in grades 8-11 who are taking their first steps in science and project activities and who want to receive a professional expert assessment of their work. It consists of two stages – a qualifying and a final one. As part of the qualifying stage, you can choose either a distance or regional track. Regional competitions will be held in person at the venues 30 basic schools University educational district of the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

    “Research and project activities require special skills and competencies from schoolchildren. Therefore, as part of the “Higher Aerobatics” competition, a free program of educational events will be implemented for its participants: university teachers and competition partners will tell you how research and a project differ, how to choose a topic for a competition entry, what points to pay attention to when preparing it, and how to avoid typical mistakes,” notes Tamara Protasevich, Director for Work with Gifted Students at HSE.

    How to prepare work for the “Top Aerobatics” will be available from October 10 to November 19 at webinars on all 25 directions competition.

    On October 10, the first webinar (“Aerobatics of biological research: from choosing a topic to presentation”) is expected for participants in the “Biology” direction, on October 15 — for the “Technical and engineering sciences” direction, on October 16 — for the “Law” and “Psychology” directions, on October 17 — for orientalists, etc. The full version of the schedule is available Here.

    This year, the support of the “Higher Aerobatics” participants will be expanded by mentors — students with experience in research and project activities, ready to share their experience and knowledge. Mentoring support will be provided in 13 areas (those that are not included in the school curriculum) compared to 6 last year. To receive a consultation, a participant should select from the list of mentors the one to whom he would like to address his questions and fill out the form. Registration is available from October 10, detailed information is posted Here.

    In the direction of “Development of the state and society,” you can, for example, contact Vladislava Verzunova, a second-year student in the bachelor’s program “State and municipal administration” Already in her first year, she became a research intern Institute of Social Policy HSE University, participates in various projects and grants, has published articles and a patent.

    Those who have chosen the Philosophy major will be advised by Olga Anasyeva, a second-year student of the Master’s program.Modern journalism“, a graduate of the bachelor’s program “Philosophy“Having a lot of experience in philosophical research behind me, I will be happy to share what I can do myself, and help to implement ideas in the most creative way that meets the requirements of the competition,” says Olga.

    To assist the participants, members of the expert commissions for the competition areas prepared and published methodological recommendations.

    You can register and upload your competition work until January 24, 2025; in the category “Satellite Construction and Geoinformation Technologies: Terra Notum” the deadline for submissions will be ten days earlier.

    Registration includes two steps. In the first step, the participant receives a login and password for the personal account, in the second step, he/she enters the personal account and selects the competition areas in which he/she wants to participate. Each participant can submit no more than three individual or group works in different areas.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.hse.ru/nevs/edu/972149090.html

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: SECOND REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022, Section II – European Council and Council – A10-0003/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    1. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

    on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022, Section II – European Council and Council

    (2023/2131(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022[1],

    – having regard to the consolidated annual accounts of the European Union for the financial year 2022 (COM(2023)0391 – C9‑0250/2023)[2],

    – having regard to the Council’s annual report to the discharge authority on internal audits carried out in 2022,

    – having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the implementation of the budget concerning the financial year 2022, together with the institutions’ replies[3],

    – having regard to the statement of assurance[4] as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors for the financial year 2022, pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to its decision of 23 April 2024[5] postponing the discharge decision for the financial year 2022, and the accompanying resolution,

    – having regard to Article 314(10) and Articles 317, 318 and 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012[6], and in particular Articles 59, 118, 260, 261 and 262 thereof,

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the second report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0003/2024),

    1. Refuses to grant the Secretary-General of the Council discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Council and of the Council for the financial year 2022;

    2. Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

    3. Instructs its President to forward this decision and the resolution forming an integral part of it to the European Council, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

     

    2. MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    with observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022, Section II – European Council and Council

    (2023/2131(DEC))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2022, Section II – European Council and Council,

    – having regard to Rule 102 of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the second report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A10-0003/2024),

    A. whereas in the context of the discharge procedure, the discharge authority wishes to stress the particular importance of further strengthening the democratic legitimacy of the Union institutions by improving transparency and accountability, and implementing the concept of performance-based budgeting and good governance of human resources;

    B. whereas, under Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the Parliament has the sole responsibility of granting discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the Union, and whereas the budget of the European Council and of the Council is a section of the Union budget;

    C. whereas, pursuant to Article 15(1) of the Treaty on European Union, the European Council is not to exercise legislative functions;

    D. whereas, under Article 317 TFEU, the Commission is to implement the Union budget on its own responsibility, having regard to the principles of sound financial management, and whereas, under the framework in place, the Commission is to confer on the other Union institutions the requisite powers for the implementation of the sections of the budget relating to them;

    E. whereas, under Articles 235(4) and 240(2) TFEU, the European Council and the Council (the ‘Council’) are assisted by the General Secretariat of the Council, and whereas the Secretary-General of the Council is wholly responsible for the sound management of the appropriations entered in Section II of the Union budget;

    F. whereas, over the course of almost twenty years, Parliament has been implementing the well-established and respected practice of granting discharge to all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, and whereas the Commission supports that the practice of giving discharge to each Union institution, body, office and agency for its administrative expenditure should continue to be pursued;

    G. whereas, according to Article 59(1) of the Financial Regulation, the Commission shall confer on the other Union Institutions the requisite powers for the implementation of the sections of the budget relating to them;

    H. whereas, since 2009, the Council’s lack of cooperation in the discharge procedure has compelled Parliament to refuse to grant discharge to the Secretary-General of the Council;

    I. whereas the European Council and the Council, as Union institutions and as recipients of the general budget of the Union, should be transparent and democratically accountable to the citizens of the Union and subject to democratic scrutiny of the spending of public funds;

    J. whereas the recommendation of the European Ombudsman (the ‘Ombudsman’) in strategic inquiry OI/2/2017/TE on the transparency of the Council legislative process indicated that the Council’s practice with regard to transparency in the legislative process constituted maladministration and should be addressed in order to enable citizens to follow the Union legislative process;

    K. whereas the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union confirms the right of taxpayers and of the public to be kept informed about the use of public revenue and that the General Court in in its judgment of 25 January 2023 in Case T-163/21[7], De Capitani v Council, stated on transparency within the Union legislative process that documents produced by the Council in its working groups are not of technical nature but legislative and are therefore subject to access to documents requests;

    1. Deeply regrets that since 2009, and again for the financial year 2022, Council continues to refuse to cooperate with Parliament on the discharge procedure, preventing Parliament from taking an informed decision based on a serious and thorough scrutiny of the implementation of the Council’s budget and thereby compelling Parliament to refuse discharge;

    2. Notes that on 28 September 2023 the relevant Parliament services, on behalf of the rapporteur for the discharge procedure, forwarded a questionnaire to the Secretariat of the Council containing 74 important questions from Parliament in order to enable a thorough scrutiny of the implementation of the Council budget and of the management of the Council; further notes that similar questionnaires were sent to all other institutions, all of which have provided Parliament with thorough answers to all questions;

    3. Regrets that, on 12 October 2023, the General Secretariat of the Council informed Parliament once again that it would not be answering Parliament’s questionnaire and that the Council would not be participating in the hearing which was arranged for 25 October 2023 as part of the discharge procedure and in which all other invited institutions participated;

    4. Emphasises Parliament’s prerogative to grant discharge pursuant to Article 319 TFEU, as well as the applicable provisions of the Financial Regulation and Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, in line with current interpretation and practice, namely the power to grant discharge in order to maintain transparency and to ensure democratic accountability towards Union taxpayers;

    5. Underlines that Article 59(1) of the Financial Regulation states that the Commission shall confer the requisite powers on the other Union Institutions for the implementation of the sections of the budget relating to them and, therefore, finds it incomprehensible that the Council believes it appropriate that discharge should be granted to the Commission for the implementation of the Council budget;

    6. Stresses the well-established and respected practice followed by Parliament over the course of almost twenty years of granting discharge to all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies; recalls that the Commission has declared its inability to oversee the implementation of the budgets of the other Union institutions; stresses the reiterated view of the Commission that the practice of giving discharge to each Union institution for their administrative expenditure should continue to be pursued by Parliament;

    7. Stresses that the current situation allows the Parliament to check only the reports of the Court and of the Ombudsman as well as the publicly available information on the Council’s website, because the Council continues its malpractice of non-cooperation with the Parliament which makes it impossible for Parliament to carry out its duties properly and make an informed decision on granting discharge;

    8. Deplores that the Council, for more than a decade, has shown that it does not have any political willingness to collaborate with Parliament in the context of the annual discharge procedure; underlines that this attitude has had a lasting negative effect on both institutions, has discredited the management and democratic scrutiny of the Union budget and has damaged the trust of citizens in the Union as a transparent entity;

    9. Reaffirms its deep frustration regarding the Council’s attitude towards the discharge procedure, which conveys an inappropriate message to Union citizens at a time when greater transparency is essential; underlines that the Council must adhere to the same standards of accountability it expects from other Union institutions;

    10. Emphasises that all other Union institutions acknowledge and comprehend the principle that, given the delegation of power concerning budget implementation, Parliament holds both the right and the obligation to scrutinise their budgets and their execution as part of the discharge procedure; in light of this, expresses its strong disapproval that the Council persists in its refusal to cooperate with Parliament in this regard;

    11. Recalls that the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union supports the right of taxpayers and the public to be kept informed about the use of public revenues; demands, therefore, full respect for Parliament’s prerogative and role as guarantor of the democratic accountability principle; calls on the Council to duly follow up on the recommendations adopted by Parliament in the context of the discharge procedure;

    12. Stresses that a revision of the Treaties could render the discharge procedure clearer and more transparent by giving Parliament the explicit competence to grant discharge to all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies individually; underlines, however, that pending such a revision, the current situation must be improved through better interinstitutional cooperation within the current framework of the Treaties and urges the Council to actively engage with the Parliament in addressing the current situation;

    13. Calls on the Council to resume negotiations with Parliament at the highest level as soon as possible, involving the Secretary-Generals and the Presidents of both institutions, in order to break the deadlock and find a solution while respecting the respective roles of Parliament and the Council in the discharge procedure and ensuring transparency and proper democratic control of budget implementation;

    14. Regrets that the Council did not prepare to avoid a Council Presidency led by a Member State subject to an Article 7 procedure, with the consequence that the Council Presidency is being abused by the Hungarian government, and the principle of sincere cooperation violated;

    15. Stresses that Parliament’s observations concerning political priorities – included the lack of binding guidelines regarding corporate sponsorships of the rotating Council presidencies -, budgetary and financial management, internal management, performance and internal control, human resources, equality – such as gender imbalance – and staff well-being, ethical framework and transparency, digitalisation, cybersecurity and data protection, buildings, environment and sustainability, interinstitutional cooperation and communication from its discharge resolution of 23 April 2024 are still valid;

    16. Reiterates that the use of the unanimity voting procedure in the Council in certain policy areas is paralysing the Union’s decision-making process and therefore making it prone to blackmailing by Member States, especially those who fail to respect the rule of law.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: CIRA and Commissionaires join forces to close cybersecurity gaps for Canadian small businesses

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As malicious actors wreak havoc on organizations of all sizes across the country, Canadian businesses are struggling to improve their cybersecurity posture leading to an increased risk of losing customers. Today, CIRA and Commissionaires announce a partnership that will help make cybersecurity training and protection readily available to small businesses regardless of their budget so they can keep their data, networks and customers safe.

    With over 120 years of combined expertise in physical and online security, and a common goal to keep Canadians safe, both not-for-profit organizations have been working together to offer affordable, easy-to-deploy cybersecurity solutions tailored to the Canadian market to a wider range of businesses.

    “It felt like a really good fit; we’re non-profit. We’re all about supporting Canadians and Canadian veterans, and it made a lot of sense for us to work with a company that had shared values,” said Rolland Winters, Director of Cybersecurity at Commissionaires.

    Commissionaires, Canada’s largest private sector employer of veterans and the only national not-for-profit security company, is responding to the increased sophistication and frequency of human engineering attacks by reinforcing businesses’ human cybersecurity layer: employees. This ensures employees receive the regular training they need to stay engaged while teaching them to view digital content critically.

    This partnership with CIRA will kick off with two flagship solutions:

    • CIRA Cybersecurity Awareness Training: designed to reduce human cybersecurity risks, this all-in-one platform leverages end-user gamification to include Canadian stories, privacy laws and institutions while providing risk assessment tools and bilingual courses. Over 200,000 Canadians at more than 400 organizations already trust the platform to affect positive behavioural changes.
    • CIRA DNS Firewall: the cost-effective, low-maintenance layer of protection analyzes the DNS traffic of enterprises while also blocking users’ devices and applications from accessing malicious domains, preventing phishing attacks and stopping malware in its tracks. Located in Canadian data centres and peered to Canadian internet exchange points, CIRA DNS Firewall is powered by world-class threat intelligence. 

    “Helping businesses strengthen their cybersecurity posture requires robust software, streamlined operations and talented people. Partnering with Commissionaires, a fellow Canadian not-for-profit, is an opportunity to drive a synergy between CIRA’s expertise in developing tailored solutions for the Canadian market and Commissionaires’ capabilities to train skilled workers,” said Jon Ferguson, Vice President, Cybersecurity & DNS, CIRA. “Together we will be able to reach and protect more Canadians while developing cybersecurity talent in Canada.”

    By leveraging CIRA’s solutions, Commissionaires plans to train thousands of Canadian workers on good security hygiene starting later this month and hopes to reach many more in the coming years.

    CIRA and Commissionaires will attend the Colloque Cybersécurité et protection des données personnelles in Québec City on October 10 to discuss the partnership with local ministries, public, parapublic and private organizations.

    Additional resources

    About CIRA

    CIRA is the national not-for-profit best known for managing the .CA domain on behalf of all Canadians. As a leader in Canada’s internet ecosystem, CIRA offers a wide range of products, programs and services designed to make the internet a secure and accessible space for all. CIRA represents Canada on both national and international stages to support its goal of building a trusted internet for Canadians by helping shape the future of the internet.

    About Commissionaires

    Celebrating its centennial in 2025, Commissionaires is a self-funded not-for-profit company with a social mandate to provide employment to veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as well as contribute to the well-being of their families. Commissionaires is Canada’s premier security provider and the largest private-sector employer of veterans. Founded on core military values of dedication, responsibility and sense of mission, Commissionaires employs 23,000 people across the country. It offers a wide range of security services, including professional guarding, monitoring and surveillance, threat risk assessment, non-core policing, by-law enforcement, digital fingerprinting, criminal and employee background screening, investigations, and security training.

    Media contacts
    Delphine Avomo Evouna
    Communications Manager, CIRA
    613.315.1458
    delphine.avomoevouna@cira.ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Byrna Technologies Reports Fiscal Third Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Q3 Revenue Hits New Record of $20.9 Million, a 194% Increase from Q3 2023

    Gross Margin Improves to 62.4% as Manufacturing Scales

    ANDOVER, Mass., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Byrna Technologies Inc. (“Byrna” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: BYRN), a personal defense technology company specializing in the development, manufacture, and sale of innovative less-lethal personal security solutions, today reported select financial results for its fiscal third quarter (“Q3 2024”) ended August 31, 2024.

    Fiscal Third Quarter 2024 and Recent Operational Highlights

    • Continued to generate a highly accretive return on ad spend (ROAS) of 5.0X through the celebrity endorsement program, even as Byrna’s advertising spend grew from $800,000 per month in Q2 to $1.0 million per month in Q3, fueling record quarterly results and strong year-over-year growth.
    • Added Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas, to its roster of high-profile celebrity endorsers, and has signed agreements with two additional prominent celebrities, which will kick-off in December.
    • Secured earned media placements to date on over two dozen news programs, including ABC, Fox, Newsmax, NewsNation, and numerous other local radio and television news shows. Total media coverage continues to grow, with the celebrity endorsement program playing a key role in driving this earned media for Byrna, helping build significant brand awareness and contributing to the continued normalization of the less-lethal industry.
    • Reached national account status with Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, expanding Byrna’s presence from 42 stores to 137 stores nationwide and demonstrating the growing awareness around Byrna launchers.
    • Expanded Byrna’s sales reach into Mexico following a successful partnership with the Secretaría de Trabajo y Previsión Social (STPS) of Mexico to create a federally certified training program allowing civilians to legally carry the Byrna.
    • Secured an initial order with the Ministry of the Interior of Uruguay for 400 Byrna launchers and over 100,000 rounds of less-lethal ammunition for the Uruguayan National Police.
    • Deployed 1,000 launchers across airports in Argentina with the Policía de Seguridad Aeroportuaria.
    • Transferred its 51% stake in Byrna LATAM S.A. to its joint venture partner, enabling Byrna to earn royalty income and recognize revenue directly from sales to Byrna LATAM. Additionally, by selling its stake, the Company no longer needs to report Byrna LATAM’s losses in its financial statements.
    • Repurchased $3.0 million of stock at an average price of $10.25 as part of a new $10 million stock repurchase program commenced in August.

    Fiscal Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results
    Results compare Q3 2024 to the 2023 fiscal third quarter ended August 31, 2023 unless otherwise indicated.

    Net revenue for Q3 2024 was $20.9 million, compared to $7.1 million in the fiscal third quarter of 2023 (“Q3 2023”). The 194% year-over-year increase is primarily due to the transformational shift in Byrna’s advertising strategy implemented in September of last year and the resulting normalization of Byrna and the less-lethal space generally. For the first nine months of 2024, revenue was $57.8 million, compared to $27.0 million in the prior year period, an increase of 114% year-over-year.

    Gross profit for Q3 2024 was $13.0 million (62.4% of net revenue), up from $3.2 million (44.6% of net revenue) in Q3 2023. The increase in gross profit was driven by the increase in the proportion of sales made through the high-margin direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels (Byrna.com and Amazon.com), a reduction in component costs driven through an intensive cost reduction effort focused on “design for manufacturability” spearheaded by Byrna’s engineering team, and the economies of scale resulting from increased production volumes. For the first nine months of 2024, gross margin was 60.9%, compared to 54.1% for the same period in 2023.

    Operating expenses for Q3 2024 were $12.2 million, compared to $7.3 million for Q3 2023, an increase of 67%. The increase in operating expenses was driven by an increase in variable selling costs (such as freight and third-party processing fees), increased marketing spend tied to the Company’s celebrity endorsement strategy, and higher payroll expenses in marketing and engineering as the Company has added personnel to handle the higher sales and production volumes. For the first nine months of 2024, operating expenses were $32.6 million compared to $21.5 million in 2023, a 52% increase year-over-year.

    Net income for Q3 2024 was $1.0 million compared to a loss of $(4.1) million for Q3 2023, a $5.1 million improvement. For the first nine months of 2024, net income was $3.1, compared to a loss of $(7.4) million in 2023, a $10.5 million year-over-year improvement.

    Adjusted EBITDA1, a non-GAAP metric reconciled below, for Q3 2024 totaled $1.9 million, compared to $(2.4) million in Q3 2023. For the first nine months of 2024, adjusted EBITDA totaled $6.3 million, an $8.5 million improvement over the loss of $(2.2) million in the prior year period, ahead of the traditionally strong fourth quarter.

    Cash and cash equivalents at August 31, 2024 totaled $20.1 million compared to $20.5 million at November 30, 2023. Inventory at August 31, 2024 totaled $19.8 million compared to $13.9 million at November 30, 2023. The Company has no current or long-term debt.

    Management Commentary
    Byrna CEO Bryan Ganz stated: “In the third quarter, we generated $20.9 million in revenue while also improving our gross margin and operating leverage. This performance underscores the continued impact of our celebrity influencer strategy, which has driven increasing brand recognition and contributed to the growing normalization of our product category.

    “Since launching the celebrity advertising program in Q4 of last year, we’ve consistently maintained a highly accretive 5.0X ROAS, driving profitable growth throughout the year. Today, over ten celebrities are actively evangelizing Byrna’s less-lethal mission, helping to normalize less-lethal as a legitimate alternative to lethal force, build brand awareness, and drive both consumer and institutional demand. The continued success of this program is evident in our September sales, which came in at $8.3 million—averaging just over $275,000 in sales per day during what is traditionally our weakest month of the seasonally strong fourth quarter.

    “As we continue to post record sales, we remain focused on scaling up production to meet this increasing demand. In Q3, production totaled over 55,000 units as we build inventory to support current sales growth, the anticipated holiday season surge, and the upcoming launch of the Compact Launcher.

    “To further increase capacity, we are introducing a partial second shift in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024, with plans to operate a full second shift by the end of the first quarter next year. Additionally, we are adding a third production line dedicated to the Byrna Compact Launcher. We are also preparing to scale domestic ammunition production, enabling us to meet growing demand and position Byrna to support future product lines. This will also allow us to offer a full range of ammunition that is Made in America. These measures will ensure we can keep up with current launcher demand while building inventory for the Compact Launcher, slated for release in Summer 2025.

    “With this continued growth, Byrna is now a self-sustaining, profitable, and cash-flowing enterprise. As we scale, we are strategically investing in initiatives that will drive growth while we continue to focus on returning value to shareholders. In the third quarter, we authorized a $10 million buyback, and, to date, have repurchased $3 million of shares at an average price of $10.25, demonstrating our confidence in Byrna’s long-term strategy and growth potential.

    “In addition to expanding production, we are also investing in our retail footprint. We have recently signed leases for Byrna-owned stores in key markets, including Nashville, Tennessee; Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Salem, New Hampshire. We are also finalizing a lease for a proposed Pasadena, California location. These new stores, which build on the successful proof-of-concept from our Las Vegas location—launched two years ago and running at a $1 million annual revenue rate with a 60%+ gross profit margin—will provide valuable market data for future expansion. Each store will feature a shooting range for customers to experience our products firsthand, supporting both revenue growth and brand awareness, complementing our continued success in DTC sales.

    “Internationally, we are seeing strong momentum in Latin America, with a string of recent law enforcement deployments reinforcing our optimism for the region’s growth potential. Our strategic divestment of our stake in Byrna LATAM allows us to fully recognize revenue from future sales to Byrna LATAM and earn a royalty on every launcher produced in Argentina. Additionally, we no longer have to report Byrna LATAM’s losses in its financial statements, improving our reported income and enabling us to focus on our core markets.

    “We are confident that our growth will continue into 2025 and beyond, driven by increased advertising, which will result in both direct and indirect sales as less-lethal weapons become normalized, alongside new retail stores, mobile trailers, and the launch of our anticipated Compact Launcher. The Compact Launcher, set for release in mid-2025, will strengthen our product lineup by enhancing accessibility and ease of use, allowing for broader market penetration and increased consumer adoption. As we scale and expand production, we expect further improvements in manufacturing efficiency, which will enhance both gross and net margins. With these initiatives, Byrna is positioned for sustained growth and success well into 2025 and 2026.”

    Conference Call
    The Company’s management will host a conference call today, October 9, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time (6:00 a.m. Pacific time) to discuss these results, followed by a question-and-answer period.

    Toll-Free Dial-In: 877-709-8150
    International Dial-In: +1 201-689-8354
    Confirmation: 13748618

    Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time of the conference call. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Gateway Group at 949-574-3860.

    The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay here and via the Investor Relations section of Byrna’s website.

    About Byrna Technologies Inc.
    Byrna is a technology company specializing in the development, manufacture, and sale of innovative less-lethal personal security solutions. For more information on the Company, please visit the corporate website here or the Company’s investor relations site here. The Company is the manufacturer of the Byrna® SD personal security device, a state-of-the-art handheld CO2 powered launcher designed to provide a less-lethal alternative to a firearm for the consumer, private security, and law enforcement markets. To purchase Byrna products, visit the Company’s e-commerce store.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. All statements contained in this news release, other than statements of current and historical fact, are forward-looking. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” and “believes” and statements that certain actions, events or results “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “might,” “occur,” or “be achieved,” or “will be taken.” Forward-looking statements include descriptions of currently occurring matters which may continue in the future. Forward-looking statements in this news release include but are not limited to our statements related to our expected sales during the fourth quarter, our ability to scale production, add shifts and production lines, the expected timing for the launch of the Compact Launcher, Byrna’s ability to remain self-sustaining, profitable and cash flow positive, Byrna’s ability to open new retail locations and realize revenue growth from them, continued momentum in the Latin American market, expected increases in gross and net margins, and Byrna’s positioning for sustained growth in 2025 and 2026. Forward-looking statements are not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Forward-looking statements are based on, among other things, opinions, assumptions, estimates, and analyses that, while considered reasonable by the Company at the date the forward-looking information is provided, inherently are subject to significant risks, uncertainties, contingencies, and other factors that may cause actual results and events to be materially different from those expressed or implied.

    Any number of risk factors could affect our actual results and cause them to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this news release, including, but not limited to, disappointing market responses to current or future products or services; prolonged, new, or exacerbated disruption of our supply chain; the further or prolonged disruption of new product development; production or distribution disruption or delays in entry or penetration of sales channels due to inventory constraints, competitive factors, increased transportation costs or interruptions, including due to weather, flooding or fires; prototype, parts and material shortages, particularly of parts sourced from limited or sole source providers; determinations by third party controlled distribution channels, including Amazon, not to carry or reduce inventory of the Company’s products; determinations by advertisers or social media platforms, or legislation that prevents or limits marketing of some or all Byrna products; the loss of marketing partners; increases in marketing expenditure may not yield expected revenue increases; potential cancellations of existing or future orders including as a result of any fulfillment delays, introduction of competing products, negative publicity, or other factors; product design or manufacturing defects or recalls; litigation, enforcement proceedings or other regulatory or legal developments; changes in consumer or political sentiment affecting product demand; regulatory factors including the impact of commerce and trade laws and regulations; and future restrictions on the Company’s cash resources, increased costs and other events that could potentially reduce demand for the Company’s products or result in order cancellations. The order in which these factors appear should not be construed to indicate their relative importance or priority. We caution that these factors may not be exhaustive; accordingly, any forward-looking statements contained herein should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. Investors should carefully consider these and other relevant factors, including those risk factors in Part I, Item 1A, (“Risk Factors”) in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K and Part II, Item 1A (“Risk Factors”) in the Company’s most recent Form 10-Q, should understand it is impossible to predict or identify all such factors or risks, should not consider the foregoing list, or the risks identified in the Company’s SEC filings, to be a complete discussion of all potential risks or uncertainties, and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

    Investor Contact:
    Tom Colton and Alec Wilson
    Gateway Group, Inc.
    949-574-3860
    BYRN@gateway-grp.com

    -Financial Tables to Follow-

    BYRNA TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
    (Amounts in thousands except share and per share data)
    (Unaudited)
                                     
        For the Three Months Ended
    		     For the Nine Months Ended
    		  
        August 31,
    		     August 31,
    		  
          2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net revenue   $ 20,854     $ 7,085     $ 57,777     $ 27,004  
    Cost of goods sold     7,842       3,927       22,566       12,402  
    Gross profit     13,012       3,158       35,211       14,602  
    Operating expenses     12,184       7,267       32,633       21,522  
    INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS     828       (4,109 )     2,578       (6,920 )
    OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)                
    Foreign currency transaction loss     (103 )     (54 )     (381 )     (238 )
    Interest income     281       239       883       525  
    Loss from joint venture     (62 )     (287 )     (42 )     (625 )
    Other income (expense)     3       (7 )     7       (270 )
    INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES     947       (4,218 )     3,045       (7,528 )
    Income tax benefit     78       124       75       165  
    NET INCOME (LOSS)   $ 1,025     $ (4,094 )   $ 3,120     $ (7,363 )
                     
    Foreign currency translation adjustment for the period     381       585       410       (641 )
    COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)   $ 1,406     $ (3,509 )   $ 3,530     $ (8,004 )
                     
    Basic net income (loss) per share   $ 0.05     $ (0.19 )   $ 0.14     $ (0.34 )
    Diluted net income (loss) per share   $ 0.04     $ (0.19 )   $ 0.14     $ (0.34 )
                     
    Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding – basic     22,758,155       21,960,163       22,509,018       21,895,815  
    Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding – diluted     23,410,159       21,960,163       23,072,498       21,895,815  
                     
                     
    BYRNA TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
                     
        August 31,
    		     November 30,
    		  
         2024      2023  
        Unaudited
    		      
    ASSETS        
    CURRENT ASSETS        
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 20,077     $ 20,498  
    Accounts receivable, net     2,128       2,945  
    Inventory, net     19,797       13,890  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     1,983       868  
    Total current assets     43,985       38,201  
    LONG TERM ASSETS        
    Intangible assets, net     3,401       3,583  
    Deposits for equipment     1,927       1,163  
    Right-of-use asset, net     2,404       1,805  
    Property and equipment, net     3,481       3,803  
    Goodwill     2,258       2,258  
    Loan to joint venture     —       1,473  
    Other assets     1,548       28  
    TOTAL ASSETS   $ 59,004     $ 52,314  
             
    LIABILITIES        
    CURRENT LIABILITIES        
    Accounts payable and accrued liabilities   $ 11,124     $ 6,158  
    Operating lease liabilities, current     596       644  
    Deferred revenue, current     818       1,844  
    Total current liabilities     12,538       8,646  
    LONG TERM LIABILITIES        
    Deferred revenue, non-current     28       91  
    Operating lease liabilities, non-current     1,899       1,258  
    Total liabilities     14,465       9,995  
             
             
    STOCKHOLDERS‘ EQUITY        
    Preferred stock     —       —  
    Common stock     24       24  
    Additional paid-in capital     132,364       130,426  
    Treasury stock     (20,747 )     (17,500 )
    Accumulated deficit     (66,456 )     (69,575 )
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (646 )     (1,056 )
             
    Total Stockholders’ Equity     44,539       42,319  
             
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 59,004     $ 52,314  
             

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    In addition to providing financial measurements based on generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP), we provide an additional financial metric that is not prepared in accordance with GAAP (non-GAAP) with presenting non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA. Management uses this non-GAAP financial measure, in addition to GAAP financial measures, to understand and compare operating results across accounting periods, for financial and operational decision making, for planning and forecasting purposes and to evaluate our financial performance. We believe that this non-GAAP financial measure helps us to identify underlying trends in our business that could otherwise be masked by the effect of certain expenses that we exclude in the calculations of the non-GAAP financial measure.

    Accordingly, we believe that this non-GAAP financial measure reflects our ongoing business in a manner that allows for meaningful comparisons and analysis of trends in the business and provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results, enhancing the overall understanding of our past performance and future prospects.

    This non-GAAP financial measure does not replace the presentation of our GAAP financial results and should only be used as a supplement to, not as a substitute for, our financial results presented in accordance with GAAP. There are limitations in the use of non-GAAP measures, because they do not include all the expenses that must be included under GAAP and because they involve the exercise of judgment concerning exclusions of items from the comparable non-GAAP financial measure. In addition, other companies may use other non-GAAP measures to evaluate their performance, or may calculate non-GAAP measures differently, all of which could reduce the usefulness of our non-GAAP financial measure as a tool for comparison.

    Adjusted EBITDA

    Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net (loss) income as reported in our condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income excluding the impact of (i) depreciation and amortization; (ii) income tax provision (benefit); (iii) interest income (expense); (iv) stock-based compensation expense, (v) impairment loss, and (vi) one time, non-recurring other expenses or income. Our Adjusted EBITDA measure eliminates potential differences in performance caused by variations in capital structures (affecting finance costs), tax positions, the cost and age of tangible assets (affecting relative depreciation expense) and the extent to which intangible assets are identifiable (affecting relative amortization expense). We also exclude certain one-time and non-cash costs. Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net (loss) income, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, is as follows (in thousands):

        For the Three Months Ended   For the Nine Months Ended
        August 31,   August 31,
         2024     2023     2024     2023 
    Net Income (Loss)   $ 1,025     $ (4,094 )   $ 3,120     $ (7,363 )
                     
    Adjustments:                
    Interest income     (281 )     (239 )     (883 )     (525 )
    Income tax benefit     (78 )     (124 )     (75 )     (165 )
    Depreciation and amortization     263       333       1,113       897  
    Non-GAAP EBITDA   $ 929     $ (4,124 )   $ 3,275     $ (7,156 )
                     
    Stock-based compensation expense     819       1,738       2,615       4,691  
    Impairment loss     –       –       –       176  
    Severance/Separation/Officer recruiting     196       30       431       82  
    Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA   $ 1,944     $ (2,356 )   $ 6,321     $ (2,207 )
                     

    1 See non-GAAP financial measures at the end of this press release for a reconciliation and a discussion of non-GAAP financial measures.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fines of £660 for Nottinghamshire anglers found fishing illegally

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Three men have been found guilty at Northampton Magistrates Court in cases brought by the Environment Agency on Monday 23 September 2024.

    Fisheries enforcement officers on patrol

    • Fishing in the close season has cost an angler from Nottingham £220 plus costs and victim surcharge
    • Two Nottinghamshire anglers found guilty of fishing without a licence receive fines of £220 each plus costs and victim surcharge
    • Fisheries enforcement officers clamp down on illegal angling to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable

    Stelica Serban, 47, of Exeter Road was found guilty in absence of fishing in the close season at Embankment, River Trent, Nottingham on 20 April 2024. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £88. 

    Close season

    The annual close season (from 15 March – 15 June) prevents fishing for coarse fish in rivers and streams across England, helping to protect fish when they are spawning and supporting vulnerable stocks.

    Fishing without a licence

    Troy Stevenson, 34, of Belsay Road, Nottingham, was found guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at Hallcroft, Retford on 31 March 2024.  He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £88. 

    David Thompson, 45, of Laurel Avenue, Forest Town, Mansfield, was found guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at A1 Fishery (South Muskham), Newark on 29 March 2024. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £88. 

    A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: 

    We hope the penalties these illegal anglers have received will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of breaking the laws and byelaws we have in place across England. 

    Fishing illegally can incur a fine of up to £2,500 and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized. We inspect rod licences 24/7, seven days a week to check on cases of illegal fishing and for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute. 

    We urge anglers to respect the close season to help reduce pressures on our fisheries, benefitting fish and the wider environment.

    Illegal fishing undermines the Environment Agency’s efforts to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable.  Money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries for the benefit of legal anglers.  

    Fishing licences

    Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence to fish. A 1-day licence costs from just £7.10, and an annual licence costs from £35.80 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 – 16-year-olds.  

    Licences are available from http://www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. 

    Fisheries enforcement

    The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported. 

    Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency incident hotline 24/7 on 0800 807060 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.  

    The charges  

    Stelica Serban was charged with the following offence: 

    On the 20th day of April 2024 at Embankment, River Trent, Nottingham fished for freshwater fish in the close season contrary National Byelaw 2 of the Environment Agency Byelaws made on the 12th July 2010 and contrary to National Byelaw 6 confirmed 23rd March 2010 made pursuant to sections 210 and 211 Schedule 25 of the Water Resources Act 1991.

    Troy Stevenson was charged with the following offence:

    On the 31st day of March 2024 at Hallcroft, Retford in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line.  Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. 

    David Thompson was charged with the following offence:

    On the 29th day of March 2024 at A1 Fishery (South Muskham), Newark in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line.  Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Fortinet Expands Its Cloud-Native Security Offerings with the Introduction of Lacework FortiCNAPP

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    News Summary
    Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced the general availability of Lacework FortiCNAPP, a single unified, AI-driven platform to secure everything from code to cloud all from a single vendor.

    “Lacework FortiCNAPP is based on Lacework’s proven cloud-native application protection platform with tight integration with the Fortinet Security Fabric,” said John Maddison, Chief Marketing Officer at Fortinet. “We’re pleased to expand our cloud-native security offerings and provide the industry’s most comprehensive, full-stack cloud security platform that empowers teams to seamlessly eliminate risk across their multi-cloud environments.”

    The introduction of Lacework FortiCNAPP offers additional benefits that extend beyond Lacework’s leading offering, such as automated remediation and blocking of active runtime threats, as well as enhanced visibility into FortiGuard Outbreak Alerts, which provide key information about new and emerging threats and the risk they pose within an organization’s environment.

    Challenges Disrupting Cloud Adoption
    As customers continue to adopt cloud infrastructure and services, they are quickly realizing that traditional security tools simply lack the native capabilities required to address the scale, velocity, and dynamic nature of the cloud. Security teams are fundamentally challenged by the lack of time to address cloud security at scale due to limited cloud security knowledge, a proliferation of cloud security products that do little to help customers resolve issues, and an overwhelming number of security and compliance alerts.

    Fortinet Helps Accelerate Customers’ Cloud Journeys
    With Lacework FortiCNAPP, Fortinet simplifies and strengthens cloud security with a unified platform from a single vendor that brings together multiple tools to significantly cut down the time to detect, prioritize, investigate, and respond to cloud-native threats. Lacework FortiCNAPP introduces a unique AI approach that never stops learning, maximizing cloud security with minimal time and effort for development, operations, and security teams by automatically connecting risk insights with runtime threat data, and ensuring that the most critical issues are prioritized and addressed.

    Fortinet enables customers to address all their cloud security needs by delivering key features such as:

    • A unified platform: Fragmented tools create complex, expensive, and limited protection. As a platform, Lacework FortiCNAPP provides full visibility from code to cloud and correlates build and runtime risk and threat data to prioritize what matters most.
    • AI-based anomaly detection: Given that cloud threats evolve as quickly as the cloud itself, creating rules for every potential attack scenario is nearly impossible. Lacework FortiCNAPP’s AI-based anomaly detection allows security analysts to detect previously undefined attack patterns that traditional rules-based systems cannot accomplish.
    • Integrated code security: Code security integrated with cloud security empowers teams to address issues at the earliest and most cost-effective stage in the application life cycle. By offering code security as an integral capability within the platform, customers can save time and money by fixing security issues, and reduce the risk of vulnerable applications and infrastructure while maintaining developer productivity and innovation velocity.
    • Composite alerts: Lacework FortiCNAPP is unique in detecting early signs of active attacks by automatically correlating various signals into a single, high-confidence composite alert. The platform uses behavioral analytics, anomaly detection, in-house threat intelligence, and insights from cloud service provider activity logs and threat services to identify active attacks, including compromised credentials, ransomware, and cryptojacking.
    • Integrations with the Fortinet Security Fabric: Integrations with Fortinet solutions such as FortiSOAR enable customers to streamline their response to active runtime threats, such as compromised hosts and compromised access keys, through automated remediation playbooks. Additionally, its integration with FortiGuard Outbreak Alerts helps teams understand how Lacework FortiCNAPP delivers enhanced visibility and deeper insights into the latest threats and where the solution can disrupt potential attacks.
    • Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM): Lacework FortiCNAPP provides CIEM for complete visibility into cloud identities and their permissions. It automatically discovers identities, assesses net-effective permissions, and highlights excessive ones by comparing granted versus used permissions. Each identity is assigned a risk score based on more than 30 factors, helping prioritize high-risk identities. Lacework FortiCNAPP also offers automated remediation guidance for right-sizing permissions, ensuring least-privileged access.

    Third-Party Validation

    Lacework FortiCNAPP is based on the industry-recognized technology from Lacework, which is consistently recognized as a leader and Representative Vendor in CNAPP and Cloud Workload Security by leading analyst firms, including Frost and Sullivan, Gartner®, GigaOm, and KuppingerCole.

    Supporting Quotes

    “Lacework FortiCNAPP helped us deal with the massive amount of information that we were getting out of all the different systems, from the native security tools and logging and alerting tools that came from cloud providers to third-party tools that we had purchased to help solve these problems.”
    – John Turner, Senior Security Architect, LendingTree

    “Lacework FortiCNAPP automatically discovers and catalogs users, services, security groups, and secrets that are active within LawnStarter’s AWS environment and compares them against industry frameworks and compliance requirements. LawnStarter can quickly pull customized reports created by Lacework FortiCNAPP to see which resources are compliant. As a result, LawnStarter has seen a 75% decrease in compliance violations over the past year, saving the company significant time and money. LawnStarter now has a robust compliance practice that is essential to earning and maintaining trust with customers, providers, investors, and advisors.”
    – Alberto Silveira, Head of Engineering, LawnStarter

    Additional Resources

    *Gartner, Gartner Market Guide for Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms, Dale Koeppen, Charlie Winckless, Neil MacDonald, Esraa ElTahawy, 22 July 2024

    GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally. All rights reserved.

    Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

    About Fortinet
    Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere you need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including CERTs, government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs. 

    Copyright © 2024 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiEDR, FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSEC, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM and FortiXDR. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cole Harbour — RCMP arrests two impaired drivers following a hit and run

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment arrests two impaired drivers following a hit and run in Cole Harbour.

    On September 25, at approximately 11:48 p.m., RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment responded to a hit and run that occurred in a parking lot on Merrimac Dr. While at the scene RCMP officers observed the vehicle of interest return to the scene and collide with a dumpster.

    RCMP officers completed a traffic stop on the Hyundai Elantra. The driver, a 25-year-old Dartmouth woman, exhibited signs of impairment and provided roadside breath samples into an approved screening device (ASD), which resulted in a “fail”. The driver was arrested for impaired driving.

    From the information and evidence gathered at the scene, it was determined that the rear passenger of the vehicle, a 28-year-old Cole Harbour woman, was the driver at the time of the hit and run. She also showed signs of impairment, and provided a breath sample into an ASD resulting in a “fail”. The woman was arrested for impaired driving.

    Both individuals were transported to the Cole Harbour RCMP Detachment and provided breath samples. The 28-year-old woman provided breath samples of 300 mg% and 280 mg%. and the 25-year-old woman, who struck the dumpster, provided breath samples of 200 mg% and 220 mg%.

    They were both later released and will appear in court at a later date.

    File # 24-132068

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Join Us on 10/29 for a Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar on What’s in a Legal Gender? A Guide to European Gender Determination Laws

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    Earlier this year, a new self-identification act for transgender, intersex, and nonbinary persons was enacted in Germany. The law adds to the growing number of European jurisdictions that have recently enacted self-identification laws for legal gender purposes, including Sweden. The legal landscape is not uniform, however. Other European jurisdictions are curbing the right to change one’s gender, most recently Georgia, which has forbidden the reassignment of one’s gender, and Bulgaria, where the courts have determined that a person cannot change his or her legal gender from that assigned at birth.

    Please join us on October 29, 2024, at 2 p.m. EDT for our next foreign, comparative, and international law webinar titled, “What’s in a Legal Gender? A Guide to European Gender Determination Laws.“ This webinar is the latest installment in the Law Library’s Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar Series.

    This webinar will describe and discuss the regulation of gender self-determination in select jurisdictions in Europe. In particular, the webinar will focus on the existence of gender self-determination laws, the possibility of identifying as a third gender, the rules for changing legal gender, and the use of “X” as a gender marker in passports, among other topics. Similarities and differences in the countries’ approaches will be highlighted.

    Please register here.

    Please request ADA accommodations at least five business days in advance by contacting (202) 707-6362 or [email protected].

    The webinar will be presented by Jenny Gesley and Elin Hofverberg, foreign law specialists in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. Jenny holds a Master of Laws from the University of Minnesota Law School, a Juris Doctor equivalent from the Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany, and a doctorate in law. Her doctoral dissertation on “Financial Market Supervision in the United States: National Developments and International Standards” (in German) was awarded the Baker & McKenzie Award in 2015. Dr. Gesley is admitted to the New York State Bar and is qualified to practice law in Germany. Elin holds a Master of Laws in international and comparative law from The George Washington University Law School and a Juris Doctor equivalent (Jur. kand.) from Uppsala University Law School. Elin is a member of the New York State Bar and is qualified to practice law in Sweden.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Turkey’s plan to recycle more has made life hard for its informal waste pickers

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tulin Dzhengiz, Lecturer in Sustainability, Manchester Metropolitan University

    A waste picker towing his cart through a street in Antalya, Turkey. Evgeny Haritonov/Shutterstock

    Turkey’s 500,000 or so informal waste pickers carry out around 80% of the recycling in the country. These workers, who are also known as çekçekçi, are essential for separating out waste in a country where this is rarely done at source.

    But their lives are precarious. Most of them are unregistered, lack social security, and have no access to basic services such as healthcare. And now they find themselves affected by efforts that formalise Turkey’s waste management system.

    Many of the workers are migrants. But large-scale immigration over recent years, particularly from conflict zones such as Afghanistan and Syria, has contributed to a rise in nationalistic sentiment throughout the country.

    This has seen immigrants – and particularly waste pickers – portrayed in a negative fashion. Waste pickers have, for instance, been labelled “şehir eşkıyası” (urban bandits) by the media. And many people have argued that Turkiye’s informal waste-picking practices should come to an end.

    Yavuz Eroğlu, the president of a non-profit organisation called PAGÇEV that promotes plastic recycling in Turkey, pointed out recently that the country’s “real problem” is its informal waste collection system. In Eroğlu’s view, informal waste picking impedes the effective scaling of recycling initiatives and prevents Turkey from improving its position in the global recycling market.

    Recycling facilities in Turkey require a steady and substantial supply of raw waste materials to function efficiently. But, according to the Turkish Statistics Institution, a mere 12% of the country’s municipal waste was recovered in 2018 – and it is not clear how much of this was actually recycled. This is not nearly enough to keep recycling companies afloat.

    So, in an effort to improve Turkey’s domestic waste management, the Turkish government launched an initiative in 2022 to regulate and formalise waste collection. The legislation requires that local authorities work exclusively with licensed recyclers and registered pickers to sort through and sell waste.

    Resistance movements have subsequently emerged within the çekçekçi community that advocate for the rights and recognition of informal waste pickers in Turkey. These movements have either reinforced the importance of existing waste picker collectives, or led to the creation of new non-profit organisations and cooperatives.

    In Istanbul, for example, the Şişli municipality launched an environmental waste collectors cooperative in 2023 in an attempt to formally integrate informal waste pickers into the municipal waste management system.

    This has involved registering waste pickers, issuing official identification cards, and providing them with access to designated waste collection zones. Similar models have also emerged in different parts of the country. But many of Turkey’s waste pickers remain locked out of the new formal system.

    The framing of informality as the problem is not new, nor is it limited to representatives of Turkey’s plastic recycling industry. In August 2021, the governor of Istanbul’s office ordered a crackdown on informal waste collection activities.

    Police carried out raids on nearly 100 waste collection depots and seized 650 collection carts. More than 200 people were detained in the raids, including 145 Afghan migrants who were sent to a deportation centre.

    The governor’s office justified the action by citing environmental and public health concerns, as well as the unregulated nature of employment in informal waste picking. In a statement, the office argued that unauthorised waste collection leads to unfair profits and announced that inspections would continue.

    Waste workers responded by criticising the governor’s claims and expressed frustration over being labelled as benefiting from unfair profits while living in precarious conditions without social security or a stable income.

    Importing more waste

    In fieldwork carried out between March and April 2024, I spoke with representatives of waste collectors, junk shop owners and waste traders in Istanbul.

    Some reported that there had been a decline in waste-picking rates since the crackdown of 2021. Waste collectors and their representatives expressed concerns that this decline could lead to a further reduction in domestic recycling rates and increase the reliance of recycling facilities on imported waste.

    Turkey is already one of the largest importers of waste from Europe. In 2022, for example, Turkey accounted for 39% of Europe’s waste exports, which included around 400,000 tonnes of plastic.

    Turkiye is a major importer of waste from Europe.
    Sahan Nuhoglu / Shutterstock

    This waste has serious consequences for the environment and human health. A Greenpeace report published in 2022 found that toxins released from Turkey’s plastic waste end up in the fruit and vegetables produced in the Çukurova valley, one of the most fertile valleys in the world.

    A continued decline in domestic waste collection in Turkey would create a vicious cycle. The value of Turkey’s own waste will decrease, further impoverishing informal waste pickers, all while the country’s reliance on imported waste grows to sustain its recycling infrastructure.

    The future of informal waste picking in Turkey remains uncertain. But as the country continues to formalise its waste management system, the challenges facing the sector’s informal workers must not be ignored.

    Tulin Dzhengiz receives funding from Manchester Metropolitan University’s Research Accelarator Grant to carry out this research.

    – ref. Turkey’s plan to recycle more has made life hard for its informal waste pickers – https://theconversation.com/turkeys-plan-to-recycle-more-has-made-life-hard-for-its-informal-waste-pickers-238661

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Battleford  — Battlefords RCMP investigating serious assault

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On October 6, 2024 at approximately 12:15 p.m., Battlefords RCMP were conducting proactive patrols and observed an adult male who was seriously injured, running on the 900th block of 106th street in North Battleford, SK. The man entered the hospital before officers could approach him. Due to the severity of the man’s injuries, officers followed and ultimately assisted medical staff with initial life-saving efforts. The man remains in hospital.

    As a result of continued investigation, 33-year-old Adam Wright is charged with:

    • one count, aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code;
    • two counts, fail to comply with probation order, Section 733.1(1), Criminal Code; and
    • one count, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, Section 88(1), Criminal Code.

    A warrant has been issued for Adam Wright’s arrest. Battlefords RCMP continue work to locate and arrest Adam Wright and ask members of the public to report all sightings and information about his whereabouts.

    Adam Wright is described as 5’11” tall and 192 lbs. He has brown eyes and is believed to have long black and blonde hair. He has a scar on his left elbow. A photo of him is attached (his hair may not be as it appears in the photo).

    Battlefords RCMP continue to investigate.

    If you see Adam Wright, do not approach him. Report all sightings and information about his whereabouts to Battlefords RCMP at 310-RCMP (7267). Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or http://www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: European court ruling finds just cause to award soccer players greater freedom of movement

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stefan Szymanski, Professor of Sport Management, University of Michigan

    A ruling that Harry Kane may be happy about? James Gill/Danehouse via Getty Images

    Many of us have quit a job at some point in our lives – but how many have wondered if they had “just cause” to do so? Were you acting on a whim? Did your departure make life difficult for your employer? And did your desire to move on really outweigh the loss this meant for your boss?

    Just cause can be a real problem for professional soccer players who want to change teams. Under the soccer transfer system created and operated by FIFA, the sport’s world governing body, players who quit without showing just cause – that is, who fail to show that their employer treated them in manner that is demonstrably unfair – can be subject to significant financial and disciplinary penalties.

    But that could soon change. On Oct. 4, 2024, the European Court of Justice took a major step toward dismantling an employment system that placed undue burden on employees and, thankfully, was dispensed with for the rest of us long ago.

    As a sports economist, I have written about this subject for several years now, and I know of no system outside of sports that restrains the rights of the employee to a comparable extent.

    An object lesson for FIFA

    The legal case is complicated, but the essence of it is that Lassana Diarra, a star player for Lokomotiv Moscow back in 2014, got into a dispute with the Russian club while under contract and quit. He then got a job offer from a Belgian club but was unable to take it because of the FIFA transfer regulations.

    Europe’s top court ruled in favor of former French international Lassana Diarra.
    Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

    Under the governing body’s rules, not only was Diarra expected to pay damages to Lokomotiv amounting to US$11.5 million plus interest, but he was unable to take a job with any club until the dispute was settled. A formal suspension was not enforced, because Diarra had already been unable to work for 11 months.

    But Diarra countersued, claiming the regulations of FIFA unreasonably restricted his employment rights. The case has passed through many stages, until the highest court in Europe finally delivered its decision.

    The court struck down two specific parts of FIFA’s regulations: the rule that an International Transfer Certificate, required by a player to move from one country to another, cannot be issued until the dispute is settled; and the stipulation that any new employer of the player is jointly and severally liable for any damages against the player due to the old club, regardless of whether that employer played a role in the dispute.

    The court, which has historically been deferential toward sports governing bodies and their regulations, was highly critical of FIFA’s transfer system. It declared the rules anti-competitive “by object” and not just “by effect.” In the view of the court, the rules were not merely aimed at ensuring an orderly market for soccer player services, but amounted to a “non-poaching agreement,” arguing that they were intended to restrain competition for players in order to benefit the clubs.

    An end to transfer fees?

    The decision means that FIFA will have to rewrite its transfer rules in a way that demonstrates that the system has a clear and legal purpose. The regulations will be deemed legitimate, the court said, for the purposes of guaranteeing “contractual stability” and ensuring that clubs have the right to receive compensation when there’s breach of contract.

    A player who quits while under contract will still need to demonstrate just cause – unfair treatment by the club – or else be liable to pay a fine or penalty. But the new system will look very different, and it is hard to see how the payment of transfer fees can survive.

    Last summer alone, clubs in the top five European leagues spent around $5 billion on player transfers. Frequently, there are moves between clubs in each direction, and so cash transfers are smaller than the big money moves that grab the headlines.

    The system deprives some star players of substantial potential earnings.

    Take England national team captain Harry Kane, for example. In 2023, German club Bayern Munich paid London-based Tottenham around $100 million to buy Kane out of the last year of his contract. Kane was being paid about $13 million a year at Tottenham, and he got a four-year contract at Bayern, paying him around $27 million a year.

    While his salary doubled, Kane received only half of what Bayern was prepared to pay to obtain his services, thanks to the FIFA regulations. The rest went to his former club.

    Here is what one might expect to happen from now on: Kane would unilaterally announce that he wanted to leave, and then a club like Bayern could make an offer. Tottenham would no longer have any enforceable claim over Bayern and so no transfer fee would be paid, and Bayern would offer to pay Kane something like $52 million a year.

    Kane would have to pay damages to Tottenham for breach of contract, and the court suggested that these damages might reasonably equal the wages that the club would have paid him for the remainder of the contract – so in the case of Kane, $13 million.

    Clearly Kane would have been much better off if the judgment had arrived a year or two ago.

    Don’t fall for the trickle-down myth

    Soccer fans will be worried that this means financial ruin for their club and increases inequality as the big clubs poach the big stars.

    But I see no reason to think that the sky will fall. As recent research has shown, the transfer system has a negligible effect on the distribution of resources among the clubs. Rather, transfer fee spending is more likely the source of financial instability than its remedy, as some clubs spend extravagantly with unrealistic expectations.

    It is true that club owners hoping to grow rich by developing young players and trading them in the market will believe that they now have fewer opportunities, but for most clubs, this has always been an illusion.

    Big clubs tend to tie up the potential stars in their teens, leaving few opportunities for small clubs to find diamonds in the rough.

    Major League Soccer, the U.S. professional league, for example, has ambitions to one day match the big European leagues and has committed significant resources to developing player talent.

    But recent figures suggest that the league is still a net importer of players – and not just superstars such as Lionel Messi.

    In fact, MLS might actually benefit from the end of the transfer system. There are plenty of talented players who might fancy a year or two in the U.S. if they are not unduly tied down by transfer regulations.

    Blowing the whistle on unfair practices

    But perhaps the biggest impact of the ruling will be on the mass of professional players who do not live in the spotlight.

    FIFA estimates there are around 130,000 professional players worldwide, and most of them earn little in comparison to the super-salaried stars of the world’s biggest clubs.

    Yet, these journeymen and -women players have been bound by the same restrictive system and are often denied the opportunity to change teams – not because they are being offered great riches, but because they want a change of scene, or to be closer to their families.

    FIFPro, the players’ union, has documented numerous cases of onerous employment conditions, which were possible under the repressive transfer system.

    Thanks to the European Court of Justice, those days may soon be over.

    In 2015 I wrote a report for FIFPro on the economic consequences of the transfer system

    – ref. European court ruling finds just cause to award soccer players greater freedom of movement – https://theconversation.com/european-court-ruling-finds-just-cause-to-award-soccer-players-greater-freedom-of-movement-240403

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Devolving justice and policing to Wales would put it on par with Scotland and Northern Ireland – so what’s holding it back?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Clear, Lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law, and Public Procurement, Bangor University

    Ceri Breeze/Shutterstock

    Devolution is “a process, not an event”, according to the then-secretary of state for Wales, Ron Davies, in 1997. But it is unclear what may come next for Wales in that process under the new UK Labour government, despite the same party now being in charge in both London and Cardiff.

    One ongoing debate among politicians and experts for several years has been whether Westminster should and will devolve more powers to Wales, including justice and policing.

    It wasn’t until the passing of the Government of Wales Act 1998 that the then National Assembly was established. It allowed Wales to make decisions over issues such as education, housing and agriculture. Further primary law-making powers were subsequently granted to the now Senedd (Welsh parliament).

    But Wales doesn’t have control over all matters and some are reserved for the UK parliament. A number of these are consistent across all UK nations, including fiscal policy, foreign affairs, nuclear policy and national security. But others are different for Wales when compared to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

    One of the most obvious examples is in the area of justice and policing. Unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland, Wales is not a separate legal jurisdiction with its own system of law, policing and courts. While there are increasing areas of divergence between England and Wales, technically speaking, Wales is part of a single jurisdiction with England due to decisions made during Henry VIII’s reign in the 16th century.

    The issue of devolving justice and policing has cropped up consistently over the past 25 years. It has been the subject of a variety of debates in the Senedd, Westminster and in the media. It has also been analysed by a number of official reports and independent or cross-party commissions.

    In 2011, the Silk commission was established by the UK government to explore the issue. In its 2014 report, it recommended devolving policing and youth justice to Wales by 2017. That never happened.

    The Thomas commission, set up by the Welsh government in 2019, also recommended devolving justice to Wales, including youth justice and policing. Earlier this year, the independent commission on the constitutional future of Wales called on the UK government to agree to the devolution of responsibility for justice and policing to the Senedd and Welsh government.

    In 2023, Keir Starmer said that a Labour government would introduce a “take back control bill”, to devolve new powers to communities from Westminster. Those intentions were echoed in Labour’s election manifesto ahead of July’s general election.

    But the issue of devolving justice to Wales was absent from Labour’s manifesto. And in an interview in June, the now-secretary of state for Wales Jo Stevens described such a move as “fiddling around with structures and systems”. It is therefore unclear whether devolution to regions of England will take place in parallel to further devolution to Wales and the other nations.

    And while this issue may not be at the forefront of UK Labour policy, it is an ongoing commitment of Welsh Labour. The latter commissioned even further research in August into the devolution of justice.

    What are some of the potential challenges?

    One significant issue is the age of criminal responsibility, currently set at ten in England and Wales. The Thomas commission recommended raising this to 12, aligning Wales with Scotland and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

    But this raises logistical questions. For example, what would happen when a case crosses borders or involves children just above or below the age threshold? These practical challenges need to be addressed if justice is to be devolved smoothly.

    The Thomas Commission also laid out detailed proposals for reforms to youth justice, prisons and probation services. The Welsh youth courts have already started implementing a more preventive and restorative approach, but a jurisdictional overlap with England has slowed progress. While children’s services are devolved, youth justice remains under UK government control.



    Read more:
    Crown estate: why it’s time to devolve it and put Wales on par with Scotland

    Issues like transport to courts, funding and jurisdictional boundaries need careful consideration too. For example, how would authorities determine whether a crime committed near the Wales-England border falls under Welsh or English law?

    Of course, this is an issue which already exists between England and Scotland, and there are complex rules in place. Dependent upon the nature and circumstances of the crime, “jurisdiction” is typically dependent on where it was first initiated. In turn, further challenges arise surrounding police force cooperation, as well as mechanisms for sharing different types of evidence. There are also legally-protected agreements regarding powers to arrest people in each other’s territories.

    Ironing out these types of issues is particularly important in respect of female offenders, as Wales has made progress in providing better support for them.

    Disparities in legal expertise may also become more of a challenge. Legal experts have noted that as Welsh laws become more distinct, judges in England may lack the relevant expertise to handle Welsh cases. This concern has already arisen in Welsh tribunals, where appeals are sometimes directed to England’s Upper Tribunal, raising doubts about how well English judges can handle increasingly Wales-specific laws.

    Cooperation

    While these issues are very real, they shouldn’t block progress. With cooperation between Cardiff and Westminster, the devolution of justice could happen without major disruption. Instead of having endless debates and reviews, time and resources could be better spent acting on existing expert recommendations.

    For instance, both governments could agree on a ten-year timeline – as recommended by the independent commission – to devolve justice, starting with policing. It’s an area which already has strong ties to devolved services at the local level. Youth justice and probation could then follow.

    Despite the potential challenges, the new Labour UK government has a chance to bring about meaningful change. Devolving justice may take time, but it could bring Wales closer to achieving the legal autonomy many believe it deserves.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Devolving justice and policing to Wales would put it on par with Scotland and Northern Ireland – so what’s holding it back? – https://theconversation.com/devolving-justice-and-policing-to-wales-would-put-it-on-par-with-scotland-and-northern-ireland-so-whats-holding-it-back-238634

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First deadline approaches for crime procurement process

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    There are two weeks to the deadline for the first stage of the procurement process for the 2025 crime contract.

    If you want your contract to commence on Wednesday 1 October 2025 and to join duty schemes from that day, you must submit your tender by Tuesday 22 October 2024.

    If you submit your tender after this date but before Wednesday 30 April 2025, your contract will start on Wednesday 1 October 2025. However, you will be unable to join a duty rota until January 2026.

    Tenders received from Thursday 1 May 2025 to Monday 30June 2025 will be opened in early July 2025 and any tenders received from Tuesday 1 July 2025 onwards will be opened the month following submission.

    How do I tender?

    Tenders must be submitted using the LAA’s eTendering system.

    For full details of the procurement process please read the Application Guide which is available at Crime Contract 2025 Tender – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Man ordered to clear illegal waste site

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A man has been ordered to clear illegally dumped waste from a site near Saltburn in a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency. 

    Images shows dumped waste on the site.

    Martin Booker, 60, of Woodside in Brotton, operated an illegal waste site on unregistered land, burnt it and ignored warnings from the Environment Agency to stop.

    He appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court last month for sentencing and having previously denied the allegations, changed his plea to guilty to three offences of operating a waste site without an environmental permit.

    The court heard the land, which is at the end of Gladstone Street in Brotton, is next to council-owned allotments and does not have an environmental permit or a registered exemption, which are required by law to manage waste operations.

    Booker was fined £648 and will pay a victim surcharge of £259. A remediation order was made against Brooker for him to clear the site of all waste. If he fails to comply he could be subject to further action.

    Booker ‘largely ignored’ warnings

    Gary Wallace, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency, said:

    Environmental permits are in place to protect the public and environment and we told Booker a number of times that he must stop his activities and clear the waste from the site.

    He largely ignored these warnings, showing a disregard for law.

    Illegal activity such as this undermines legitimate businesses that work hard to operate within the regulations, as well as putting the environment at risk and impacting on the local community.

    In February 2022 an Environment Agency officer visited the land and saw waste including scrap electricals such as fridges and washing machines, as well as shopping trollies and scrap vehicle parts. There were clear signs of burning.

    Enquiries led the officers to Booker, and a letter was sent instructing him to cease all activity and clear the site.

    By May 2022 most of the waste had been cleared, but Boooker resumed waste activity on the land. By October the same year waste was again strewn across the site and the pathway access to the allotments – including a pram, a three piece suite and a TV.

    In January 2023 the Environment Agency gave Booker one month to clear the site, but a month later it was still full of waste – again with evidence of burning.

    When he was interviewed in May 2023 Booker said he’d owned two garages on the land that he knocked down.

    He said he’d brought rubble to the land to develop it, but that people fly tipped the plot and he cleared it by putting it into residents’ bins or throwing it in the allotments.

    He denied being responsible for disposing and burning waste. He also claimed not to have a vehicle but evidence from the council confirmed he was seen in a scrap van in Saltburn in October 2023.

    A final visit on 19 March 2024 saw the site still had waste present, with evidence of burning.

    Law is there to protect communities

    Cllr Adam Brook, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said:

    Our officers work closely with colleagues in the Environment Agency and other partner agencies every day to protect the public.

    The decision to go to court is never taken lightly. However, if the law which is clearly there to protect our residents, visitors, businesses and the environment we all share is disregarded in this way this action must be taken and I fully support the EA.

    I would like to thank the Environment Agency and everyone else involved for their hard work on this case.

    Illegal waste activity can be reported to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta, Attorney General James Lead Coalition Suing TikTok for Exploiting Young Users, Deceiving Public

    Source: US State of California

    Platform designed to promote excessive, compulsive, and addictive use

    SAN FRANCISCO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a bipartisan coalition of 14 attorneys general in filing separate enforcement actions against TikTok for violations of state consumer protection laws. Filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court, Attorney General Bonta’s action alleges that TikTok exploits and harms young users and deceives the public about the social media platform’s dangers. The action seeks significant penalties, as well as injunctive and monetary relief, to address TikTok’s misconduct.

    “Our investigation has revealed that TikTok cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits. TikTok intentionally targets children because they know kids do not yet have the defenses or capacity to create healthy boundaries around addictive content,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “When we look at the youth mental health crisis and the revenue machine TikTok has created, fueled by the time and attention of our young people, it’s devastatingly obvious: Our children and teens never stood a chance against these social media behemoths. TikTok must be held accountable for the harms it created in taking away the time — and childhoods — of American children.” 

    “Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “TikTok claims that their platform is safe for young people, but that is far from true. In New York and across the country, young people have died or gotten injured doing dangerous TikTok challenges and many more are feeling more sad, anxious, and depressed because of TikTok’s addictive features. Today, we are suing TikTok to protect young people and help combat the nationwide youth mental health crisis. Kids and families across the country are desperate for help to address this crisis, and we are doing everything in our power to protect them.”

    Use of TikTok is pervasive among young people in the United States. In 2023, 63% of all Americans aged 13 to 17 who responded to a Pew Research survey reported using TikTok, and most teenagers in the U.S. were using TikTok daily; 17% of American teens said that they were on TikTok “almost constantly.”

    In today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta alleges TikTok violated California’s consumer protection statutes, the Unfair Competition Law (UCL), and the False Advertising Law (FAL).

    According to the complaint, TikTok’s misconduct arises from its underlying business model that focuses on maximizing young users’ time on the TikTok platform so as to enable the company to boost revenue from selling targeted advertising space. TikTok’s misconduct includes: 

    Deploying a content-recommendation system designed to be addictive in order to maximize the time young users spend on the platform. TikTok’s algorithmic features are designed to keep minors on the platform as long as possible and as often as possible, despite the dangers of compulsive use.

    Using manipulative features to addict young users and maximize their time on its platform. These features exploit children’s psychological vulnerabilities and are deployed to keep kids and teens on the platform for longer. 

    BEAUTY FILTERS

    Beauty filters and effects are deeply harmful to young users; they foster unrealistic beauty standards, harm self-esteem, and can induce negative body image issues and related physical and mental disorders. TikTok knows these filters and effects significantly increase platform use, particularly among young users, and retains these features despite their harms.

    AUTOPLAY

    To manipulate users into compulsively spending more time on the platform, TikTok does not allow them to disable Autoplay. TikTok uses Autoplay to continuously play new and temporary posts; this exploits young users’ novelty-seeking minds and eliminates their autonomy to choose to stop.

    ENDLESS/INFINITE SCROLL

    Endless scrolling compels young users to spend more time on the platform by making it difficult to disengage. It strips away a natural stopping point or opportunity to turn to a new activity and distorts users’ perception of time.

    TIKTOK STORIES AND TIKTOK LIVE

    Content on these features is only available temporarily — users must tune in immediately or lose the opportunity to interact. These time-sensitive features are designed to encourage young users to compulsively return to the platform by exploiting their uniquely sensitive fear of missing out. 

    PUSH NOTIFICATIONS

    Push notifications unfairly entice young users by overloading and overwhelming them to return to the platform. Some pushes are designed to keep young users from quitting the platform altogether, and others encourage young users to open the application. TikTok has even used fake notifications to manipulate users into opening its platform. 

    LIKES AND COMMENTS

    At key development states it can be overwhelmingly important for children and teens to be accepted by their peers. TikTok’s design and display of highlighting “likes” as a form of social validation has an especially powerful effect on young users and can neurologically alter teenagers’ perception of online posts, in addition to driving compulsive use.

    Engaging in a scheme that deceptively markets the platform and platform features as promoting young users’ safety and well-being. TikTok employs a coordinated array of features, tools, content moderation efforts, community guidelines, and public assurances intended to promote a public narrative that the platform is appropriate and safe for young users and that TikTok prioritizes user safety. In truth, such features and efforts do not work as advertised, the harmful effects of the platform are far greater than acknowledged, and TikTok does not prioritize safety over profit.

    Exploiting children’s data without parental notice or consent. Despite knowing certain users are under 13 years old and despite the platform being directed toward children, TikTok has collected and used personal information from children’s accounts without parental consent or notice. Doing so is both unfair and fails to satisfy TikTok’s obligations under federal law. 

    Attorneys general from the following states join Attorney General Bonta today in filing separate enforcement actions against TikTok to hold it accountable for its role in the children’s mental health crisis: New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. As of today, 23 attorneys general have filed actions against TikTok for its conduct toward youth, including existing actions filed by the attorneys general of Utah, Nevada, Indiana, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas. 

    Attorney General Bonta is a steadfast leader in protecting children against the mental health harms of using social media. In March 2022, Attorney General Bonta announced a nationwide investigation into TikTok, and in March 2023, he filed an amicus brief demanding TikTok comply with state investigations. In October 2023, Attorney General Bonta co-led a bipartisan coalition of 33 attorneys general in filing a federal lawsuit against Meta alleging the company designed and deployed harmful features that addict children and teens to their mental and physical detriment, and in November 2023, he announced the public release of a largely unredacted copy of the federal complaint. Last month, Attorney General Bonta issued a statement after Senate Bill 976 (SB 976) was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. SB 976 provides important new protections for young people in California by resetting the defaults on social media platforms to disfavor addictive algorithmic feeds, notifications, and other addictive design features that lead children and teens to spend hours and hours on their platforms. 

    A copy of the redacted complaint can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: R&D tax incentive transparency reports

    Source: Australian Department of Revenue

    About the transparency reports

    We’re required by law to publish certain data about Research and Development (R&D) tax incentive claims reported to us by companies (R&D entities). Publishing this information will:

    • provide transparency on the benefits received by R&D entities
    • encourage voluntary compliance with the requirements of the R&D tax incentive (R&DTI) program
    • increase public awareness of which companies have claimed the tax incentive.

    Publication of this report is a legal requirement under section 3H of the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (TAA). It came into effect in July 2021, following reforms to the policy and administration of the R&DTI program, as a result of Treasury Laws Amendment (A Tax Plan for the COVID-19 Economic Recovery) Act 2020External Link.

    Each year, the transparency report will be made up of 2 parts. These are:

    When we’ll publish the report

    We’re required to publish the R&D data 2 years after the end of the financial year that the data relates to. The delay in publishing this information is designed to address any perceived commercial sensitivity of the data.

    We’ll publish the first data report in early October 2024. It will include R&D entities:

    • that claimed the R&DTI in their 2022 company tax return, and
    • whose income year commenced on or after 1 July 2021.

    What R&D data we’ll publish

    The data we’ll publish in the data report is specific and limited to the:

    • name of the R&D entity claiming the R&DTI
    • entity’s Australian business number (ABN) or Australian company number (ACN)
    • ‘total R&D expenditure’ – total notional deductions claimed (label Z in Part A of the R&DTI schedule) less any feedstock adjustments (label B in Part B of the R&DTI schedule).

    We’ll base this on what the R&D entity provided in its company tax return.

    If an R&D entity amended its company tax return, we’ll report both the original information provided by the entity and the last client-initiated amendment lodged with us – including any voluntary disclosures provided during a review or audit.

    Commissioner-initiated amendments won’t be published. If, during a review or audit, the Commissioner amended the labels, we’re required to publish the total expenditure on R&D based on the company return lodged before the Commissioner-initiated amendment.

    You’re unable to opt out of having your R&D information published in the report. There are no exclusions.

    Due to tax law confidentiality provisions in the TAA, we can’t disclose any further information beyond what will be published in the report.

    Data notes

    Labels in the data report

    There will be 5 labels in the data report on data.gov.au:

    • Name – this is the name of the R&D entity on the date we extracted the data.
    • ABN or ACN – if the R&D entity had a valid ABN when we extracted the data, then we’ve published the ABN; if not, we’ve published its ACN.
    • Total R&D expenditure – this is based on the first information the R&D entity provided to the Commissioner and is the total notional deductions (label Z at Part A on the R&D schedule) less feedstock adjustments (label B at Part B on the R&D schedule).
    • Adjusted total R&D expenditure – this is based on the last amendment the R&D entity provided to the Commissioner and is the total of notional deductions (label Z at Part A on the R&D schedule) less feedstock adjustments (label B at Part B on the R&D schedule).
    • Income year – this is the income year for the R&D claim.

    Notes about the total R&D expenditure amounts

    We’ve generally rounded the total R&D expenditure amounts in the data report, so you may see differences between the totals in the data report and the amounts we’ve used in the information and charts in our analysis.

    There are also R&D entities that we’ve reported a ‘Nil’ dollar amount for. This could be because:

    • feedstock adjustments are more than the notional deductions
    • the R&D entity adjusted the amount in their tax return
    • the R&D entity did not provide information regarding total R&D expenditure.

    Consolidated groups

    Where an R&D entity is part of an income tax consolidated group or multiple entry consolidated (MEC) group, the subsidiary members are treated as part of the head company for income tax purposes, for as long as they remain part of the group for income tax purposes.

    The published total R&D expenditure amounts are those disclosed by the head company of the consolidated group or MEC group.

    Data sources

    We’ll get the data for the data report from the company tax return and R&D schedule labels.

    Company tax return

    We’ll include the entity in the data report if they’ve reported an amount at label 21A or 21U.

    R&D schedule

    The total R&D expenditure in the data report is the amount of total notional deductions less any feedstock adjustments. If notional deductions less feedstocks adjustments are negative or zero, the figure is reported as Nil.

    We’ll use Part A label Z to obtain the total notional R&D deduction amounts we include in the data report – this amount is worked out by adding together items 1 to 9 in Part A of the R&D schedule for both Australian-owned R&D (label X) and foreign-owned R&D (label Y).

    We’ll use Part B label B to obtain the feedstock adjustment amount.

    Amendments

    If you’ve reviewed your R&D claims and believe that there’s an error in the information that we’ll publish, you’re able to correct any errors by lodging an amendment with us in writing.

    If you’ve submitted an amendment and it’s not processed before we extract the data, we’ll publish the updated information in the next year’s report. If you’ve amended your R&DTI claim, we’ll publish both the original R&D expense amount and the amended R&D expense amount. If you’ve withdrawn your claim in full, we’ll publish the original R&D expense amount with the amended R&D expense amount published as Nil.

    Data assurance process

    In preparing the data for publishing, we’ve reviewed and confirmed the data in accordance with the information contained on our systems as at the date we extracted the data.

    If you are an R&D entity (or their nominated representative) with data included in the report and there is an error, you can contact us.

    What’s not in the report

    The information in the transparency report will not include:

    The report won’t contain information collected by Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) on behalf of Industry Innovation and Science Australia (IISA) as authorised under the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.

    Communication approach

    Since September 2023, ahead of the release of the first report, we’ve been:

    • engaging with key external stakeholders to inform them of the new reporting requirement and to get their input into our approach
    • communicating directly with all affected R&D entities and their registered tax agents (in October 2023, February 2024 and July 2024), to inform them of the new reporting requirement and encourage them to review their information and amend any errors
    • communicating directly with those R&D entities that lodged an amendment, to let them know that both their original and amended amounts will be published
    • communicating directly with those R&D entities that had their claim amended by the Commissioner, to let them know we’re unable to publish the Commissioner-amended amount; we’ll only be publishing the original amount they claimed
    • issuing broader communications to the community to inform them about the new data report and provide them with access to comprehensive information about the data report.

    Visibility for future applicants

    To ensure future applicants are aware that the data they lodge in their R&DTI schedule will be included in R&DTI transparency reporting, we’ve added a notice to the R&DTI schedule 2024 (paper version) (PDF, 536KB)This link will download a file and digital version as well as the R&DTI calculator.

    Administration of the R&DTI program

    The R&DTI program is jointly administered by the:

    • Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR on behalf of IISA)
    • ATO.

    DISR manages the registration process for the R&DTI program and we review the eligibility of the expenditure incurred on the registered activities. We leverage the skills of each agency to:

    • reduce compliance costs for business
    • increase certainty while maintaining program integrity.

    The ATO and DISR regularly conduct engagement activities, including compliance reviews and audits of R&D entities to safeguard the integrity of the R&DTI program. Information in relation to these activities is not included in this report.

    The R&DTI program is a self-assessment regime. Receiving a registration number from DISR doesn’t mean the R&D activities meet the eligibility requirements. A registration number means the application has been received and is complete. R&D entities may still be subject to compliance action by DISR and the ATO.

    About the R&D program contains further details, including the aim of the program and our joint charter with DISR.

    Innovation success stories

    DISR provides information on its website about the innovation success storiesExternal Link the program has supported.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Carbajal, Lawler Introduce Bill to Strengthen Protections for Rail Workers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

    Today, Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) introduced legislation to strengthen protections for rail yardmasters by giving them the same protections as other rail yard workers. 

    “Yardmasters serve a critical role in our nation’s railroad network. They oversee the operations of a rail yard and manage the duties of various rail workers” said Congressman Carbajal. “They not only direct the activities of their fellow workers but also passenger and freight trains when they arrive and depart. But currently, there are no limitations to the number of hours a yardmaster can work in a day, week, or month. This is not only dangerous for the well-being of the yardmasters but the safety of workers on the yard and train passengers.” 

    “Railroad incidents have sparked major concerns here in my district and across America,” said Congressman Lawler. “Ensuring safe conditions for those who operate our railways is essential to ensuring the safety not only of these workers but also of the communities in which these railways operate. Unfortunately, yardmasters are exempt from existing hours of service laws despite the integral rial they play. The Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act will ensure safe conditions for these essential workers and I’m proud to join Congressman Carbajal in introducing this critical common sense legislation.”

    The bipartisan Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act would include railroad yardmasters under federal hours of service requirements which currently cover safety-sensitive rail workers such as locomotive engineers, conductors, switchmen, dispatchers, and signal employees.

    The bill ensures that a yardmaster may not be required or allowed to remain on duty for more than a total of 12 hours, and then must receive a minimum of 10 hours off duty.

    First introduced in 2019, the Railroad Yardmaster Protection Act passed the House in 2020 as part of the INVEST in America Act. 

    The bill has also been endorsed by SMART, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.

    The full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Springdale — Impaired driver arrested by Springdale RCMP

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A 23-year-old man was arrested by Springdale RCMP for impaired driving on October 5th, 2024.

    At approximately 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, police observed a vehicle on Little Bay Road with a burnt-out headlight and conducted a traffic stop. The driver showed signs of alcohol impairment, failed a roadside breath test, and was arrested. Back at the detachment, the man provided breath samples that were above the legal limit.

    He was released from custody and is set to appear in court at a later date to answer to charges of impaired operation of a motor vehicle.

    The vehicle was seized and impounded and the man’s driver’s licence was suspended.

    RCMP NL continues to fulfill its mandate to protect public safety, enforce the law, and ensure the delivery of priority policing services in Newfoundland and Labrador.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Durham, North Carolina, to End Discriminatory Hiring Practices in City’s Fire Department

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with the City of Durham (City), North Carolina, to resolve the department’s claim that the hiring process for firefighters in the Durham Fire Department (DFD) violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Specifically, the department alleges that the City’s fire department screens applicants with a written test that discriminates against Black candidates.

    Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin and religion. Title VII prohibits not only intentional discrimination but also employment practices that result in a disparate impact on a protected group, unless such practices are job related and consistent with business necessity.

    The settlement agreement resolves a civil pattern or practice investigation the Civil Rights Division opened in February 2020. As part of the investigation, the division conducted an in-depth review of DFD’s hiring practices, applicant data and other information received from the DFD. The division concluded that the fire department was using a written test that does not meaningfully distinguish between applicants who can and cannot perform the job of a firefighter. The test also disqualified Black applicants from employment at significantly disproportionate rates. The department thus concluded that the test violates Title VII.

    “Discriminatory employment tests do more than cost applicants a fair chance to compete for public service jobs like firefighting; they also prevent communities from being served in these crucial positions by the most qualified candidates for the job,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The under-representation of Black people in the fire department workforce in Durham, and across the country, undermines public safety efforts. This settlement agreement requires the Durham Fire Department to reform its unlawful hiring process and provide monetary and other relief to those already harmed. The Justice Department will continue to work to ensure that all qualified applicants have a fair and equal opportunity to serve their communities.”

    “Employers should identify and eliminate practices that have a disparate impact based on race,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The Justice Department will continue to work to eliminate discriminatory policies that deprive qualified applicants of a fair chance to compete for employment opportunities.” 

    The complaint, filed yesterday in the Middle District of North Carolina, alleges that the City’s uses of the written test called the Comprehensive Examination Battery (CEB) disproportionately exclude Black candidates from employment as firefighters. The department further alleges that DFD’s uses of the CEB are not job-related and consistent with business necessity, and thus violate Title VII.

    Under the terms of the consent decree also filed yesterday, DFD will:

    • Adopt a written test that does not discriminate in violation of Title VII and provide data to the department on the administration of the new test to ensure compliance;
    • Pay $980,000 in back pay to applicants who were disqualified by DFD’s uses of the challenged test; and
    • Hire up to 16 applicants who were unfairly disqualified by the challenged test and who successfully complete the new firefighter selection process.

    The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. The division has issued a fact sheet on combating hiring discrimination by police and fire departments to help applicants for public safety jobs understand their rights to be free from discriminatory hiring processes. More information about the Civil Rights Division can be found at http://www.justice.gov/crt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Durham, North Carolina, to End Discriminatory Hiring Practices in City’s Fire Department

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with the City of Durham (City), North Carolina, to resolve the department’s claim that the hiring process for firefighters in the Durham Fire Department (DFD) violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Specifically, the department alleges that the City’s fire department screens applicants with a written test that discriminates against Black candidates.

    Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin and religion. Title VII prohibits not only intentional discrimination but also employment practices that result in a disparate impact on a protected group, unless such practices are job related and consistent with business necessity.

    The settlement agreement resolves a civil pattern or practice investigation the Civil Rights Division opened in February 2020. As part of the investigation, the division conducted an in-depth review of DFD’s hiring practices, applicant data and other information received from the DFD. The division concluded that the fire department was using a written test that does not meaningfully distinguish between applicants who can and cannot perform the job of a firefighter. The test also disqualified Black applicants from employment at significantly disproportionate rates. The department thus concluded that the test violates Title VII.

    “Discriminatory employment tests do more than cost applicants a fair chance to compete for public service jobs like firefighting; they also prevent communities from being served in these crucial positions by the most qualified candidates for the job,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The under-representation of Black people in the fire department workforce in Durham, and across the country, undermines public safety efforts. This settlement agreement requires the Durham Fire Department to reform its unlawful hiring process and provide monetary and other relief to those already harmed. The Justice Department will continue to work to ensure that all qualified applicants have a fair and equal opportunity to serve their communities.”

    “Employers should identify and eliminate practices that have a disparate impact based on race,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The Justice Department will continue to work to eliminate discriminatory policies that deprive qualified applicants of a fair chance to compete for employment opportunities.” 

    The complaint, filed yesterday in the Middle District of North Carolina, alleges that the City’s uses of the written test called the Comprehensive Examination Battery (CEB) disproportionately exclude Black candidates from employment as firefighters. The department further alleges that DFD’s uses of the CEB are not job-related and consistent with business necessity, and thus violate Title VII.

    Under the terms of the consent decree also filed yesterday, DFD will:

    • Adopt a written test that does not discriminate in violation of Title VII and provide data to the department on the administration of the new test to ensure compliance;
    • Pay $980,000 in back pay to applicants who were disqualified by DFD’s uses of the challenged test; and
    • Hire up to 16 applicants who were unfairly disqualified by the challenged test and who successfully complete the new firefighter selection process.

    The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. The division has issued a fact sheet on combating hiring discrimination by police and fire departments to help applicants for public safety jobs understand their rights to be free from discriminatory hiring processes. More information about the Civil Rights Division can be found at http://www.justice.gov/crt.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Middle Hainesville — Missing 60-year-old man

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Keswick RCMP is asking for the public’s help to locate a missing 60-year-old man from Middle Hainesville, N.B.

    Glendon Smith was last seen on October 4, 2024, at approximately 6 p.m., on Highway 104, near Middle Hainesville. He was reported missing to police on October 7. Police have followed up on several leads to try and locate him, but have so far been unsuccessful. Police and his family are concerned for his wellbeing.

    Glendon Smith is described as being approximately 5 feet 3 inches (160 centimetres) tall, and weighing approximately 152 pounds (69 kilograms). He has blue eyes, and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a dark hoodie, blue jeans, blue and white sneakers and a red hat with a brown trim.

    Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Keswick RCMP at 506-357-4300.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Indiana Police Lieutenant Convicted of Federal Civil Rights Violation and Obstruction of Justice

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A federal jury convicted a former New Castle, Indiana, police lieutenant last Friday on multiple counts of using excessive force against people in custody and one count of obstruction of justice by witness tampering.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Aaron Jason Strong, 47, while a lieutenant at the New Castle Police Department, physically abused a suspect and two pretrial detainees and made false statements to an Indiana State Police detective who had been assigned to investigate an allegation against him.

    “Aaron Strong is a repeat offender who defied his oath and abused his law enforcement authority to violently and unlawfully assault multiple individuals,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant put his fellow officers in danger and grievously injured people in his custody, whose wellbeing and rights he had a legal and moral duty to protect. Strong betrayed the law enforcement profession when he told lie after lie in an effort to cover up his crimes and derail an independent investigation. This unanimous jury verdict makes clear a core principle in our country – law enforcement officers are not above the law and will be held accountable for their crimes.”

    “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to serve our communities. Their jobs are difficult, dangerous and noble,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “Aaron Strong is not noble. He repeatedly and unlawfully abused his position of authority to inflict violence, injury and pain — with no lawful justification. He then lied to cover it up. Our community deserves better. Together with our partners at the Justice Department, the FBI and Indiana State Police, our federal prosecutors will continue to seek accountability for police who illegally assault those they are sworn to protect.”

    Evidence showed that, in August 2019, then-Lieutenant Strong responded to another officer’s report of a foot chase. As Strong arrived, the suspect stopped running, put his hands up, said “I’m done” and lowered himself to the ground. As another officer approached to take the suspect into custody, Strong ran up and struck the suspect at least 12 times with a metal police baton, nearly striking a fellow officer. The incident was promptly reported by other involved officers, and the Indiana State Police were called in to conduct an independent criminal investigation. During a meeting with the State Police investigator, Strong gave a false account of the incident in which he minimized his own use of force and exaggerated the danger posed by the suspect.

    Evidence also showed that, in July 2017, Strong, while acting in his capacity as the commanding officer of the Henry County, Indiana, SWAT Team, had abused two men being held in pretrial detention at the Henry County Transition Center, a low-security annex of the Henry County Jail. The SWAT Team had been requested to assist jail officers with moving a small number of inmates who had become intoxicated on contraband alcohol from the Transition Center to the main jail. While inside the Transition Center, Strong stomped on the head of a detainee who was complying with commands to lie on the ground. A few moments later, Strong approached a second inmate, who was kneeling, not moving, with his back to Strong, and shot him point-blank in the back with a less-lethal “beanbag” round, which Strong knew could cause death or serious bodily injury when used at short ranges. The impact from the round fractured the detainee’s spine.

    Numerous current and former New Castle and Henry County law enforcement officers testified for the prosecution.

    Strong was convicted of three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of witness tampering. A co-defendant, Strong’s nephew, was found not guilty of one count of witness tampering.

    Strong is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Indianapolis Field Office and Indiana State Police investigated the case, with assistance from the New Castle Police Department.

    Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former Indiana Police Lieutenant Convicted of Federal Civil Rights Violation and Obstruction of Justice

    Source: US State of Vermont

    A federal jury convicted a former New Castle, Indiana, police lieutenant last Friday on multiple counts of using excessive force against people in custody and one count of obstruction of justice by witness tampering.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Aaron Jason Strong, 47, while a lieutenant at the New Castle Police Department, physically abused a suspect and two pretrial detainees and made false statements to an Indiana State Police detective who had been assigned to investigate an allegation against him.

    “Aaron Strong is a repeat offender who defied his oath and abused his law enforcement authority to violently and unlawfully assault multiple individuals,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant put his fellow officers in danger and grievously injured people in his custody, whose wellbeing and rights he had a legal and moral duty to protect. Strong betrayed the law enforcement profession when he told lie after lie in an effort to cover up his crimes and derail an independent investigation. This unanimous jury verdict makes clear a core principle in our country – law enforcement officers are not above the law and will be held accountable for their crimes.”

    “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to serve our communities. Their jobs are difficult, dangerous and noble,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “Aaron Strong is not noble. He repeatedly and unlawfully abused his position of authority to inflict violence, injury and pain — with no lawful justification. He then lied to cover it up. Our community deserves better. Together with our partners at the Justice Department, the FBI and Indiana State Police, our federal prosecutors will continue to seek accountability for police who illegally assault those they are sworn to protect.”

    Evidence showed that, in August 2019, then-Lieutenant Strong responded to another officer’s report of a foot chase. As Strong arrived, the suspect stopped running, put his hands up, said “I’m done” and lowered himself to the ground. As another officer approached to take the suspect into custody, Strong ran up and struck the suspect at least 12 times with a metal police baton, nearly striking a fellow officer. The incident was promptly reported by other involved officers, and the Indiana State Police were called in to conduct an independent criminal investigation. During a meeting with the State Police investigator, Strong gave a false account of the incident in which he minimized his own use of force and exaggerated the danger posed by the suspect.

    Evidence also showed that, in July 2017, Strong, while acting in his capacity as the commanding officer of the Henry County, Indiana, SWAT Team, had abused two men being held in pretrial detention at the Henry County Transition Center, a low-security annex of the Henry County Jail. The SWAT Team had been requested to assist jail officers with moving a small number of inmates who had become intoxicated on contraband alcohol from the Transition Center to the main jail. While inside the Transition Center, Strong stomped on the head of a detainee who was complying with commands to lie on the ground. A few moments later, Strong approached a second inmate, who was kneeling, not moving, with his back to Strong, and shot him point-blank in the back with a less-lethal “beanbag” round, which Strong knew could cause death or serious bodily injury when used at short ranges. The impact from the round fractured the detainee’s spine.

    Numerous current and former New Castle and Henry County law enforcement officers testified for the prosecution.

    Strong was convicted of three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of witness tampering. A co-defendant, Strong’s nephew, was found not guilty of one count of witness tampering.

    Strong is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Indianapolis Field Office and Indiana State Police investigated the case, with assistance from the New Castle Police Department.

    Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –