Introduction
The police have a mandate to ensure order, provide security, and manage crime among other duties (Joyce par. 1). These duties and responsibilities are highly risky, as police officers endanger their lives every time they work. Police officers work with a limited budget, unreliable information systems, and technologically advanced criminals.
Discussion
One of the most important tools in police operations is reliable and easily accessible records. All relevant authorities at federal and state governments need to advocate for reliable public records, as they play a crucial role in the effective management of crime (Joyce par. 3). Information classified under public records includes driving statistics, immigration data, criminal cases, as well as information on occupancy of estates. These records ought to be easily accessible by police officers, thus the need to improve their reliability (Joyce par. 5). Due to technological developments, solving criminal cases using public records is quite easy, as most information is centralized in information storage databases that are easy to use and more efficient (Joyce par. 7). Police investigations involve three crucial elements.
The first element is the initial response after police receive a crime alert. The response entails going to a crime scene, gathering relevant information, and advising on any necessary precautionary measures. With the help of public records, police officers establish the criminal record of a location and the people who live there before embarking on a response mission. This is essential in determining the best response to take, as people living in such a location could be armed and dangerous (Joyce par. 8).
The second element is investigation. Main activities include verification of information and preparation of witnesses if necessary. Public records are quite reliable when police officers need to verify information gathered from a scene of the crime, as well as streamline the whole process (Joyce par. 9). The third element is an analysis of all information. Although this element can take a lot of time to complete, investigators ought to be patient as it is a crucial part of the investigation (Joyce par. 9).
Conclusion
Reliable public records play a crucial role in the effective management of crime. The strength of an investigation process depends on the magnitude of a crime and the resource capacity of the investigating agency.
Works Cited
Joyce, Tom. Closing the Case: Solving Violent Crimes Quickly and Efficiently with Public Records. 2013. Web.