Law enforcement turns to new tech solutions to help cops in the field
Police cars are getting the new high definition video cameras many cities are installing. The cameras can be mounted on vehicles on a daily or periodic basis so the squad cars can be kept on the streets longer than in the past.
Other gadgets being used by police units include a new radio and laptop so deputies can be more current and easier to access. The laptop allows the officer to log into an online map so they can see the progress of their patrol, the details of any traffic stops and other incidents. That information is updated with the latest information from the FBI crime data and other sources.
There is also a wireless camera unit that is now being used by the Broward County Sheriff’s Department in Florida. In addition, officers in some departments are using an officer-operated radio that can be used to call in officers to assist in an incident or to call back in a 911 call so deputies can respond.
The new radio system is being used at the Miami Police Division in South Florida. The radio system that is being used is the Motorola XPRT series, an advanced wireless radio system, which are being used by the department for many years. The XPRT system is being used to dispatch officers to an incident at a distance of up to 40 miles from home base. All of this new technology provides an officer a greater chance to remain connected up with other police departments, as well as the public.
Another technology being used by many departments is a hand held video camera. The device is the Taser. In most cases the officers can capture video of the incident, but can’t record the entire incident as officers used to be able to with the old camcorders that were attached to the department’s existing cars. The hand held device allows the officer to record the video and use it if needed on the radio or later for filing.
The hand held devices are also being used by police departments in New Jersey, New York, and other state and local governments, as well as in the National Guard. In New Orleans police officers are using a hand held device that can record the officer performing a traffic stop and then send that recording back to dispatcher headquarters. The hand held devices