Technology and Law Enforcement

Essay by cheapwellsUniversity, Bachelor'sA, September 2008

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With advances in technology we see new and scary ways criminals commit crimes. With the introduction of cell phones and scanners years ago, criminals could listen to police radio traffic and see where and how we police were responding. No need for "look outs", technology became the look out. Now in the computer age we see crimes from identity theft and hacking into computers to steal personal and corporate confidential information to cyber stalking and sexual predating to cell phone cloning. Criminals have a whole new playground and the playground as technology advances. But technology is not just for criminals. Law enforcement agencies are using technology to make police work more effective and efficient. Also police and communities are also using technology to make their communities safer.

Technology and the Individual Police OfficerThe future of policing from the perspective of individual police officers is understanding how the new technology works for the individual law enforcer.

There are many new technologies that are being invented and implemented in law enforcement agencies across the country. The main goal for each new technology is to improve police work.

In a town in Mississippi, the local police agency received 24 refurbished computers from the Aurora, Colorado police department. The police chief in Mississippi was excited because these computers will be put into the squad cars of each officer. This new technology for this small town in Mississippi is making the law enforcement faster and more effective. The officers can now look through the databases in their squad cars. The officers do not need to call dispatch and wait for them to respond. The officer must then ask the dispatcher to look up the item or items that the officer needs to proceed with the situation. The new computers will also make writing the reports...