Advancements in Police Technology

Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of police officers has often been the driving force behind advancements in police technology. Police have at the same time been both fascinated by and horrified of technology for it has been both a benefit and a curse[3]. Technology has spawned controversy and impacted community relations, yet has increased police officer safety and improved efficiency and effectiveness of each individual officer. As can be seen throughout the different eras of policing, the particular needs and emphasizes of law enforcement agencies has changed and thus impacted the types of technological advancements.

The majority of advancements in police technology today originated during the reform era of policing in which police agencies became increasingly reliant upon technology and overly concerned with efficiency [2]. Technology has made patrolling easier and more efficient but the impact of that efficiency came at the cost of police relations with the community [3]. Major technological advancements that can be recognized during this time came most notably in the fields of communications, transportation, and criminalistics. Today these advancements are still utilized and have been advanced further, yet the separation between the community and the police has come of great concern.

Today we are known to be in the community era of policing, in which efforts are under way by the police to re-connect with the public [2]. It may seem as though this era would have a relatively small need for further advancements of police technology due to the impact it has had on community relations in the past. Instead it is simply the type of technological advancements that is impacted by these priority changes of law enforcement agencies. One such technological push comes in the need for technologies that utilize less-than-lethal force. Despite being subject to recent controversy, this has come most commonly in the form of the TAZER. Technologies of this nature come of great need to police officers for it allows practical and applicable alternatives to lethal force when the need to gain control of a situation arises.

While the focus of policing changes the way in which police technology evolves, another driving force behind such advancements comes by way of the criminal. High technology such as computerization and wireless communications is transforming the ways of some criminals [1]. This spurs the need to develop successful law enforcement technologies that enhance crime-fighting efforts [1]. In addition the type of crimes committed drives advancements in police technologies.

Throughout the history of policing technology has played an important role. It has opened doors allowing police officers to efficiently and effectively overcome tasks they are commonly presented with. Technology has also altered the way in which policing is conducted, which has at times diminished community relations. Today efforts are underway to correct these relationships, but technology is still an important tool in policing with the efficiency and effectiveness of each individual officer at the core of each advancement in police technology.




[1] Foster, Raymond. "The Evolution and Development of Police Technology." Seaskate Inc. (1998): n. pag. Web. 8 Feb 2010.

[2] McNamara, Robert. Multiculturalism In The Criinal Justice System. 1st ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2009. 223-252. Print.

[3] Wadman, Robert. To Protect and To Serve: A History of Police in America. 1st ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc., 2004. 107-123. Print.

[Image 1] http://www.willard.lib.mi.us/historical/bcphotos/police/images/r20_1163.jpg

[Image 2] http://www.bloodygoodhorror.com/bgh/files/Drawn_wallpapers_Future_police
Officers_007277_.jpg