Technology is advancing at a very fast pace bringing with it relevant new ways of fighting crime as well ambivalence. This is so due to the innovation of crime brought by the technological advancement. The police have to adopt modern technologies in order to deal effectively with crime or risk being overtaken by it. One of the new invented technologies is the robotic camera. Robotic cameras have been developed and are used in crime scenes that may look dangerous to send a policeman in. This device is controlled through wireless means by a police officer as it moves on special wheels. It is used by the police in indoor crime scenes, bomb detection sites or outdoor crime scenes (Foster, 2005).
Shot spotter is a gunshot detection system that uses electronic sensors to detect and determine a location from which a firearm has been fired. The sensors are placed around a locality and use the mapping technology to identify the people living in the shooting area. The iPad is another advancement of technology that aids the police to be more on the street while doing their entire computer works. With it, they can walk into a crime scene; ask questions while filing a report in real-time. In future more tablets will be integrated as normal police gear (Ackroyd, Harper, Hughes, Shapiro, & Soothill, 1992).
Small drones equipped with camera offer police aerial surveillance over the crime scenes, a feature, they didn’t have in the past. These drones are controlled from a laptop by a specialist and are used to spy on the criminals while giving the police an insight of the crime scene. Another technique is a GPS dart. This device is used during the dangerous car chases and allows the police to chase after the suspect, but from a safe distance and at safer speeds. It is shot from a police car by use of a laser and attaches to the suspect’s vehicle (Ackroyd, Harper, Hughes, Shapiro, & Soothill, 1992).
Vehicle number plate readers usually get attached on the highways and are used to monitor traffic offenders. This device is then connected to a database that it uses to identify an offensive car owner and send him a ticket. This greatly helps the traffic police in areas with heavy traffic. Facial recognition devices help identify a person at a crime scene using pictures taken from any camera. This technology enhances the accuracy with which the police can pursue and apprehend a suspect (Foster, 2005).
Technological challenges
Cybercrime is a new type of a criminal activity that is done using the computer. An example of such is the sending of malicious coders that are used to gather banking details such as the credit card numbers. Using this, the criminals can access a person’s or entity’s account and steal money from them. The act can be done across continents meaning that the local police might have challenges in apprehending the criminals as they lie outside the area mandated to them by law (Foster, 2005).
With the rise of internet usage, there are a number of criminal activities that have included the hijacking as well as child trafficking. In order for the police to fight against such crime, any technological inventions developed by them that spied on internet users have been resisted. The public is of the opinion that such acts are a breach of their privacy (Jurkanin & Hillard, 2005). The infiltration of the police databases by hackers using higher technology are another major hindrance to effective police service. Software advancement is a daily thing which needs the police to be well-financed in order to keep up or secure their databases. Lack of proper funding leaves the police exposed, with the criminals being aware of their move, something that hinders the law enforcers from effectively doing their work.
References
Ackroyd, S., Harper, R.H.R., Hughes, J.A., Shapiro, D., & Soothill, K. (1992). New technology and practical police work. London: Open University.
Foster, R. E. (2005). Police technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Jurkanin, T. J., & Hillard, T. G. (2005). Chicago police: An inside view–the story of superintendent Terry G. Hillard. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.