Adapting to New Technology in Policing
Files
Date
2019
Authors
Kuykendoll, Kirk V
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT)
Abstract
Description
Law enforcement agencies have had to adapt to new technology used in policing over the years and issues that arose from the implements of them. Each new technology that was created to assist the officer inadvertently created a unique problem that was addressed by agencies and then corrected. The back and forth of these examples are easy to recognize when looking back, but law enforcement needs to be focused on them as they look to the future.
From one way radios being replaced by multi-channel digital scanning radios to clunky radio cars being replaced high performance, high tech police cars, the tools used by the police quickly evolved to keep up with the changes around it. This has led to many evolutions of better technological equipment being implemented and replacing the old technology. In Texas in 2016, a patrol car with a vehicle mounted computer system is being operated in 134 of the 254 counties that are in Texas (COPsync, 2016).
Policing has advanced so far over the years with the available technology that is available to officers with the hopes of benefitting the officers with their safety. Each new step forward has inadvertently left a gap that need to be solved by the introduction of more technology. Safety should always be an agency’s primary concern when introducing these new technologies.
Keywords
Police--Equipment and Supplies, Police Communications