Innovative Police Technologies That Are Transforming the Law Enforcement Sector
As far as 21st Century police work is concerned, technology is completely transforming and innovating practices. We’re no longer in the same position as police in Victorian England, wherein technology was non-existent and we had to rely on word of mouth alone. Instead, there is a wide range of new tools and technologies to fight crime in the most accurate way possible. As a result of the consistent releases of new technological developments, the police force is finding innovative ways to optimize public safety, combat criminals, and save lives. So, what new technologies are out there that are transforming the law enforcement sector?
Facial Recognition Software
When facial recognition software first made its way into the policing sector, there were many concerns surrounding its use. This was one of the most controversial police technologies as there was a concern about whether the software would be used for unethical purposes. Despite these original worries, this hasn’t actually been the case and facial recognition software has played a big role in transforming the law enforcement sector as an effective investigative tool. Facial recognition software was developed with the intention of improving safety and security in an array of instances, tracking down perpetrators within 24 hours of an attack happening.
Biometrics
Fingerprints in identification aren’t a new concept, but the way in which they’re analyzed has completely changed. Once upon a time, a suspect would have to place their finger in some ink and leave their fingerprint on a piece of paper to be compared with a fingerprint that was found on the crime scene. It was then someone’s job to analyze the two from sight alone in order to determine whether this was the same print. However, we have come a long way since then with fingerprints and other markers of DNA being scanned and analyzed by a computer.
Voice Technology
Although a police car might look like your standard vehicle, it’s far from it. In fact, a police car is more like a mobile command center, with an array of tools and computers. Of course, to have to manually control each of these components could pose a safety risk when driving. This is where voice technology comes in. Instead of having to concentrate on every piece of equipment, an officer can now simply speak commands to the vehicle. The capabilities of police cars will vary between vehicles but, typically speaking, a police car will be able to turn on a siren or even run a license plate.
Robots
Robots are another new technology that is being used within the law enforcement industry to deliver advanced audio/visual surveillance. These can be used to monitor potential crime scenes that are either hard to reach or especially dangerous. Some of these robots can even be thrown so that they can be moved from one area to another with speed. As well as this, self-driving police cars have even been developed and are fully equipped with artificial intelligence.
Video Doorbells
Video doorbells have surged in popularity for ordinary homes across the globe to optimize home security, but they are also playing a big role in criminal investigations. In fact, 20,000 requests to view Ring doorbell footage were made by law enforcement organizations in the US in 2020 alone. On top of this, the makers of Ring (Amazon) have entered into 2,000 agreements with law enforcement agencies, which mean that they’re permitted to request camera footage from anyone who lives near a crime scene. In such a technologically driven world, the law enforcement strategies need to remain up to date.
