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- Remote surveillance with robotic cameras
- Officer tracking with GPS
- Criminal identification with biometrics and facial recognition
- Training with AR and VR
- Evidence gathering with digital forensics
- Data collection and crime analysis with analytics
- Public safety with predictive analytics
- Tracking with thermal imaging
- Aerial vantage with drones
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Technology has emerged as a game-changer in every business vertical. It enables organizations to enhance processes and deliverables, and achieve more with less. But the use of technology is no longer confined to business organizations only. Even law enforcement agencies are adopting it to stay a step ahead of the crime and ensure the safety of communities in the long run.
Police officers have access to new tools and applications to counter crime and criminals, and even stop them before they get into action. Things are set to get bigger and better as innovation becomes the new normal for law enforcement agencies. Let us explain how technology can help the police make the world a safer place to live.
Remote surveillance with robotic cameras
Officers cannot be present at every location in their area at a point, no matter how hard they try. At times, it is too risky to send them to a dangerous crime scene. For example, agencies cannot risk lives by sending their people to bomb or riot-affected areas. Robotic cameras can take up the role of remote surveillance in both situations. They can also access hard-to-reach areas and detect bombs or suspicious vehicles. Agencies can also install them strategically in high-risk areas to keep a constant vigil on unlawful activities remotely. It is easy to reach these locations when they suspect an impending event.
Officer tracking with GPS
Beyond keeping an eye on remote locations, law enforcement agencies can also track the whereabouts of their officers at all times with GPS technology. These solutions enable better tracking and coordination of officers and vehicles in strategic situations. Departments can dispatch more efficiently to locations, regardless of the current positions of people and vehicles. Further, GPS facilitates precise location information for rescue and reporting calls. Agencies can also rely on location-based information for faster and safer routing of officers.
Criminal identification with biometrics and facial recognition
With criminals becoming smarter than ever, they try to dodge the investigators by concealing their identity. They have plenty of ways to outsmart the law, making it harder to catch them and bring them to justice. Luckily, technologies like biometrics and facial recognition software are here to help. Biometrics go beyond fingerprints and include voice recognition, iris recognition, gait analysis, and heartbeats to identify culprits. Facial recognition software can track and find people even if they try to change their looks.
Training with AR and VR
Technology solutions can help agencies beyond catching criminals and preventing crime. Applications like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality can take officer training to the next level. Since criminals are smarter than ever, only trained and resourceful officers can be a step ahead of them. AR and VR levels enhance the level of training by replicating dangerous situations in virtual environments. It prepares officers better to handle the most unpredictable situations they may face in real-time. These technologies become all the more crucial in current times when online training is the need of the hour. Further, departments can save time and money by using these technologies.
Evidence gathering with digital forensics
Since mobile devices are ubiquitous these days, they can serve valuable information about criminals and victims. Officers can rely on a digital forensics tool in more than one way. They can use it to track the whereabouts of abducted victims and save them before it is too late. Likewise, it is possible to extract digital evidence from the information stored in a criminal’s cell phone. The court relies on it as tangible proof to prosecute all types of crime, ensuring that the smartest criminal does not escape the law.
Data collection and crime analysis with analytics
Modern policing does not rely on hunches and guesswork anymore. Every decision they take is data-driven now because agencies have technologies like Big Data and Analytics to help. Departments can track and analyze massive volumes of data to drive accuracy and efficiency in their work. Experts can even monitor high-crime areas or entire cities by getting real-time and accurate statistics on dashboards. This technology can centralize criminal justice databases and make them available to the agencies involved. It leads to comprehensive information and better decision-making.
Public safety with predictive analytics
Law enforcement agencies can go a notch higher with public safety by using predictive analytics to forecast crime and stop it before happening. Predictive analytics serves as an offensive and preventive approach to public safety. It leverages data collection and crime mapping to pinpoint areas susceptible to crimes in the future. Departments can use these insights to assign and distribute forces in a better way. Likewise, it is possible to identify the risky times of the year when more crimes are likely to occur. It is possible to cut the risk by deploying officers in specific areas at specific times, so the city ends up being safer for the public.
Tracking with thermal imaging
The thermal imaging technology is no longer limited to medical applications. Law enforcement agencies can use it to get a thermal view of the surroundings and obtain heat maps of the environment. A small, handheld device enables officers to locate and track suspects hiding in dark areas. They can also use it to conduct search and rescue operations and investigate crime scenes for pieces of evidence. A thermal imaging device can work as a lifesaver in dire rescue situations.
Aerial vantage with drones
The use of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is common for law enforcement agencies these days. These devices provide an aerial view of areas for crime scene investigation, crowd monitoring, search and rescue efforts, and accident reconstruction. Sophisticated drone models come with thermal imaging or 3D mapping software to provide precision to the survey areas. Officers can use them to get actionable, real-time intelligence in high-risk situations.
Technology can make law enforcement agents better at work. From tracking criminals to establishing evidence, rescuing victims, and preventing crime, there is more than one-way technology can help. It is surely the new normal for investigating officers and agencies!
Thank you for reading!