The Usage of Technology in Law Enforcement

Author: Emily Argueta

Editors: Jigyasa Prabhakar, Ashleigh Rivera

The Use of Technology in Law Enforcement.

Advances in technology have changed our world as we know it in countless ways, one of those being the improvement in law enforcement and public safety. According to CPI, “Policing in the United States is divided into three areas, the political, reform and community.” The community sector is focused on community involvement in policing and bettering relations with the communities. This philosophy started in the 1980s and is still implemented and integrated in the status quo. Specifically, technology has played a vital role in maintaining the community area by supporting and fostering communication between law enforcement and communities. With the use of the Integrated Public Alert & Warning system, along with social media updates, law enforcement can better communicate threats to the public and encourage citizens to help in the prevention of crime. Technology has completely changed and shaped how modern day law enforcement operates through various endeavors, by improving the ability to both detect and prevent crimes.

Radio

First, a key technology used by law enforcement is the radio. Police radios have evolved with the improvement of technology. Currently, police use two way radios to make communication between officers more reliable during power outages and cell towers overloads. These radios are a fast and secure form of communication between officers, making it easier to reach their destination quickly.

Body Cameras

Next, body cameras worn by police officers on their vests are crucial to record police-civilian interactions. They can provide footage up to 30 feet of distance from where the officer is, and help protect both civilians and officers. According to NAVA, body cameras provide a sense of security for civilians since they know the interaction and conversation is being recorded, furthering a precedent of them being more likely to follow the law and not resist if they are arrested. If the civilian cooperates, they understand that circumstance is recorded and can later be used to their advantage. The need for police reform brought to light by many incidents of police brutality increases the need for technological innovations such as body cameras. For example, the Black Lives Matter movement has brought needed attention to the amount of officer misconduct and racial profiling and the tragic outcomes of this conduct. The presence of body cameras remind police officers to properly follow procedures and treat civilians with respect as well as avoiding the mistreatment of civilians and unlawful arrests. 

Facial Recognition

Lastly, facial recognition has been proven useful in solving crimes such as robberies, assaults or shootings. According to an article written by New York City’s police department, footage from security cameras is compared to images of past criminal investigations, which facial recognition software makes it more accessible and accurate for these comparisons to be completed. Additionally, not only does it help narrow down the suspects in a crime, it assists people in danger. Security camera footage is also compared to databases of missing people and facial recognition helps to locate them, it gives their last known movements and locations, interactions with other people and possible routes taken. Broadcasting this footage to the public could also lead to tips from community members that saw the person, increasing the probability of finding the missing person.

Summary

Technology has become a crucial role in the improvement and efficiency of law enforcement. It has proven to be useful in both sectors of the law: in the process of criminal investigations and in preventing crimes, progressing the relationship between law enforcement and communities which upholds the “community era” that law enforcement is currently categorized as. Technology also enhances the safety of neighborhoods and communities by simplifying public surveillance, crime detection, and prevention. As technology continues to advance and evolve, the efficiency of law enforcement agencies will see significant improvements, better equipping them, and making police work more responsive and efficient both in addressing public safety and solving crimes. Technological innovations have transformed and modeled how law enforcement functions by strengthening the ability to identify and prevent crimes.