Technology advancement in law enforcement is an aspect which has recently affected police operations in a number of ways. The advancement has been relevant in the security force due to the adamant rise in the rate of crimes. The challenge in enhancing the security reinforcement in terms of the devices and better training of the working personnel is to adapt the technology into workable field equipment and anthropomorphic devices.
Better weapons, enhanced communication skills and devices, automation, brain wave sensors, density scanners, vision enhancement devices in the police force, augment realities and other technologies devices and equipments are among the advancement in technology which has been adapted by the police force. Though the technology has enhanced security issues within law enforcement officers, incorporating technology within the security field has brought both positive and negative impacts. This paper shall succinctly discuss how the technology has affected police operations at the present and future expectations in the field.
With reference to the police operations in the United States, the National drug control center is working in partnership with the federal agency in developing several high-tech devices. Such devices are handheld and able to detect or sense density in solid objects. When the device is scanned over the body of a motor vehicle, it is able to detect any hidden objects which might be aimed at causing terror or criminal acts. The device has been helpful to the police operation as it has enabled disclosure of illegal weapons and also reduced drug trafficking cases. In addition to that, communication field has also been enhanced (H.A.C & H.OC 20).
According to the recent research carried out, the government has been able to device wireless interoperability system within the security forces which is able to connect radio frequencies within a certain radius. This type of technology has been reliable as it has enhanced a fast, accurate and smooth flow of communication in case of emergency situations.
Due to the alarming rate of crime, advancement in technology is still on the verge of rising and this has been evidenced by the projects being undertaken by the police force in United States of America. One of the projects is the Non-intrusive cargo inspection technology. This will be able to detect the presence of any smuggled goods which might be in a sealed container and also identify the contents without necessary unsealing or searching by hand. It will also reduce the work load of the police force and thus necessitate faster operations (Maguire 150).
Technology will also have an adverse effect on the social life and this has been examined from the existing research on police technology. For instance, there is a variation in reality in terms of how the police powers have been fixed. This is because there is a high rate of potential abuse in the technological advances and this has held the critics of police technology captive. Most probably, the critics associated with the advanced technology is often conceived accurate and true thus criticized as actual, therefore sarcastically adopting some ideological aspects which might be deemed to bring out successful development and execution of technology (Maguire 120).
Control of rate of crimes will be an aspect which will be reduced greatly since most of the valuable time will be used in carrying out investigations on the criminal cases. Using the new devices might be another problem which might arise if the technology has to be adopted in the future. There would be a need to train law enforcement officers how to use the devices. This would also mean that police workforce would be reduced since the device will just need few trained personnel to use it. However, the devices are very limited as it will only be useful in carrying out inspection to the cargo ships only. This means it would prove invaluable to the shipping containers, motor vehicles being imported, in inspection of trucks and facilities at the ports entry (Maguire 130).
Another project which might be embraced by the police agency is the creation of the video stabilization system. This device will be able to convert worthless, unstable surveillance into a clear video which can be presented into the court of law for evidence purposes. The device might not be reliable in future since the video might be tampered with in favor of a person and this may be influenced by the status of a person in the society.
Computer technology in police operations is an issue which will enhance efficiency in future, mostly for the officers maintaining security within the community. Computers will be installed in the patrol cars; according to research the fingerprinting devices will be automated. In addition, reporting of crimes will also be online. This will mean that the rate of criminal acts will be reduced since everything will be computerized and monitored by the government (Great Britain 140).
Computerization of the police work would mean that the agency would require hardware and software which will be used in digitalization of the files. This would also require files to be stored in databases in order to support the automation function. Yet assuming that the budgeting of the technology in the police is also a governmental issue like other public budgets may limit the use of the devises. This would mean that funds for the direct service delivery of the police personnel would be reduced since it would be used in purchasing of the devices. Moreover, trained personnel in the police force would be required in the maintenance of the files and all the automation activities and functions (Great Britain 160).
In conclusion, it is very evident that advancement in police technology has pledged to make the police operations more productive, efficient, and effective. Police agency is trying very hard to enhance public safety and the main target is the stream of new information technologies which would offer better services. This is being established through finances from federal grants. Evaluations are underway to improve the efficiency of the police operations and this is being done by also evaluating on the impacts the technology may have on the future. The police agencies are therefore trying as much as they can to make sure that the advantages in the technological advancement outweigh the disadvantages.
Works Cited
Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee, Road Policing and Technology: House of Commons Papers 975 2005-06. Chicago: The Stationery Office, 2006.
House of Commons, Home Affairs Committee. Police and the Media, House of Commons, Second Report of Session 2008-09 – Report, Together With Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence, House of Commons Papers, Chicago: The Stationery Office, 2009.
Maguire, Edward. Organizational structure in American police agencies: context, complexity, and control, SUNY series in new directions in crime and justice studies, New York: SUNY Press, 2003.