Name: Mundhir Alghailani

English: 102
Date: 6/18/14
Revise
Security and Technology
The role of security agencies of collecting evidences is a crucial job within the justice system.
Advancement in technology has eased the job of security agents. The agents have incorporated gadgets
such as phone trackers alongside other sophisticated measures to trace and capture criminal. These
efforts have been successful in the apprehension of criminals and their accomplices. Similarly, security
agents have been able to place many suspects under the radar as they continue to monitor their
activities. As security threats become more sophisticated, there is much need for proactive efforts by
security agencies. Thanks to the explosion of GPS technology, and smart phones apps, these devices
take note of what people buy, whom they text and email as well as websites they visit. Reliance of
security agencies on technology strengthens their role of providing security.
In a recent survey by a British Cell Company (O2) shows that smart phones are taking over functions
that laptops, cameras, credit cards, and watches used to perform (Maass & Rajagopalan par. 9). This is
the main reason for the security agencies to track cell phones for crucial evidential data. Incorporating
of technology in investigations has transformed security agencies in a number of ways. First, security
agents are able to link some suspects to specific crime through scrutiny of crucial data that reveals their
networks and financiers (Ramage et al.
321). Secondly, technology has enhanced the effectiveness of intelligence gathering. Moreover,
intelligence officers are able to link with their counterparts overseas within a short period of time to
share intelligence. Thirdly, this platform opens for resolving emergency cases like child abductions,
drug cases, suicide calls as well as murder.
The information from cell phones is critical for providing real time Intel (Nissenbaum 64). The police
perceive cell phones as virtual biographers of peoples daily activities providing perfect evidence for
crucial crime cases. Criminals conventionally use the communication gadgets for communicating with
their accomplices. By retrieving this information, police trace the activities of suspected individuals.
This has prompted some police departments to install their own surveillance equipments instead of
relying on phone companies to provide them with such data. This modern dispensation has raised an
alarming trend where criminals use other peoples phones thus compromising the innocence of these
individuals. A number of issues continue to be raised concerning the nature of information that security
agents should retrieve from a suspects phone. Existing laws only allows security agencies to pinpoint
criminal locations. In some instances, investigators seeking warrants have been requested to provide
the judge with probable crime committed. The raised concerns result from an increase in violation of
personal rights by these security-tracking systems.
Legal issues are some of the challenging elements affecting security operations. When it comes to

tracking individuals, the security agents are expected to adhere to the law and ensure individual rights
are not violated. However, security agencies are accused of violating privacy through tapping and
accessing personal data from a persons phone. Under normal circumstances, the law demands that the
rights of people be safeguarded with respect to privacy (Barnard par. 8). Security agencies are using
tracking systems as a business entity. The revenues collected from
phone tracking services are immense, hence turning the focus to a money-minting cartel. Call carriers
staffed with special law-enforcement liaison teams, charge police departments up to $2000 for
providing a suspects phone records. Security personnel opt to use this service to provide information to
anyone who will pay. This has prompted court injunctions and legislations that restrict the agents from
accessing phone data without a court order.
Laws and court injunctions provide severe setbacks to security agencies as they carry out
investigations. A significant number of suspected criminals have gone to courts seeking orders to bar
police officers from accessing their phone records. Such scenarios prompt legislatures to draft laws that
allow security agents to access these data without court orders. The debate of tracking system led to US
congress to broaden the governments eavesdropping powers by insisting that phone companies to
helping with such data be given immunity against lawsuits. Consequently, the legislations should
stipulate clear situations under which the police officers can access such data without court orders and
within the rights of suspects (Ramage et al. 312). Without such restrictions, the law may offer leeway
of intrusion into personal privacy. Nevertheless, it protects the privacy of individuals who are not under
a criminal investigation (Lichtblau par. 6). Such tendencies should be discouraged to make people safe.
There should be full discretion on how security agencies retrieve data from the communication gadgets.
The information received from the cell phones has an undoubted level of credibility. Security agencies
should use the necessary tools to enhance the security issues in different areas of operation. Technology
is becoming prominent in the modern world, so it is vital that security agencies embrace it in both
information collection and surveillance. Criminal activities are becoming dynamic, and the manner in
which security agencies respond to security threats is very
critical. Laws and regulations should provide an ample platform for the utilization of technology
among security agencies to improve the security situation in the country.