Much has been said about the impact of technology in the worlds of business and education, but government is also being reshaped by technology. More specifically, local law enforcement is one field that is seeing major changes as technology continues to evolve and be more accessible to all. We’ve taken a look at how technology is helping to revolutionize the way local law enforcement agencies do their job, and we’ve shared them below. In many ways, technology is making officers more successful in their work, more efficient in how they get it done and safer overall.
Digital Forensics
Digital forensics might be having the most significant impact on the way that local law enforcement agencies do their jobs. In the past, evidence was a matter of obtaining and maintaining physical traces of a crime. This meant collecting physical materials from a crime scene or a suspect’s home. With more and more crimes being committed that involve the use of a computer, digital forensics has become a major factor in helping local law enforcement.
Unlike in popular TV shows, most digital forensics can be performed with basic recovery tools. These tools are capable of recovering deleted data off of PCs and mobile phones, and it means that digital evidence can rarely be permanently destroyed. The field is quickly reshaping the way officers perform their jobs.
Cameras Make Things Safer
The work of a police officer is inherently dangerous. Whether an officer is approaching a vehicle that’s just been pulled over or responding to an emergency call at a person’s home, there is always an unknown element. This unknown element represents a great deal of danger to an officer’s safety, and it’s a constant in that line of work.
Mobile cameras, though, are changing the landscape here. One such camera called the Recon Scout Throwbot is being used by law enforcement agencies to assess a situation before officers step in. These types of cameras have the ability to move around and explore an area while what they record is observed remotely by officers. Cameras such as the Throwbot are being praised because they take away some of the dangers that officers routinely deal with.
Tablets Make For a Mobile Desk
Everyone knows that the tablet market is changing the way that people interact with computers, but one would be mistaken to think that they’re limited to being toys. Businesses have started to integrate iPads into their daily tasks, and now local law enforcement agencies have caught on as well.
Tablets bring a new level of portability to officers’ jobs. Officers can perform basic tasks such as writing speeding tickets or filing accident reports. In essence, the tablet can replace a desk. However, it also brings about a new level of connectivity: Now, using tablets, officers can have quick accesses to valuable resources such as Google Maps. With the introduction of the tablet to the law enforcement world, local agencies are becoming more versatile and efficient than they ever have been.
Clearly, technology is having a sweeping impact on local law enforcement. No matter what an officer’s duty is, there seems to be a new form of technology that can help him or her in doing what needs to be done. It will be interesting several years from now to compare what the work of a police officer is like compared to how it was just a few years ago.
