Aiding our officers with technology

Aiding our officers with technology Misty Wilson and Sheila Newman CJA 363 February 11, 2013 Stewart Stanfield

Aiding our officers with technology

To serve and protect is the oath that our law enforcement officers in this county take no matter which branch they serve. With this oath comes responsibility and rules that they must abide by to get justice for the people that they oversee. With that responsibility they are fashioned with tools and resources that help them do their jobs efficiently and quickly in effort to deter, prevent, and solve crime. Every job has certain tools that are used to help communicate better with public, clients, management, and media. The criminal justice field is no different weather it be training or electronic devices that aid our officers in their jobs communicate with the public, people one on one or other officers.

To perform their duties, law enforcement officers looked toward new technology to enhancing their effectiveness and ton aid them in the field. communication is the most important resource available to the criminal justice profession not only between officer to officer but also other departments, the public, witnesses, or suspects. Communication is the exchange of information between two or more people, is considered to be a cycle between a sender and a receiver whether it be verbal, written, or electronically sent (Wallace & Roberson
2009. Ch. 2, par. 6).

Depending on the information being received or sent dictates the channel

that it must travel formal or informal. Formal channels are considered vertical for information such as request, promotions, orders, evaluations, or discipline actions (Wallace & Roberson,
2009. par. 30).

These types of communications are meant to be formal format that way there is

Aiding our officers with technology

record of the information to protect everyone evolve if a situation ever arises (Wallace &
Roberson, 2009 par. 33).

Then there is the informal communication that does not need to be

recorded like the exchange of information to perform their duties, or ideas or suggestions on a particular case (Wallace & Roberson, 2009.par. 35).

Advances in Computer technology have enhancing the flow of communication in law enforcement agencies. Most patrol cars are equipped with mobile data terminals (MDT), this tool is a laptop computer with certain software available for officers, mounted in a police car. This tool allows allows law enforcement to perform different functions, such as running license plates and drivers licenses without having to call in to dispatch and wait for a response before continuing on with their duties. The information they need to make informed decisions about the contact or task is available to them on these devices weather it is a traffic stop, serving a warrant or serving court papers. Officers would also have a way to communicate with the dispatchers through the written to word that reduces the chance of a verbal miscommunication and allows law enforcement the convenience having to document messages about the situation. In the current procedure an officers communication or information is relay through their computers systems. In this procedure officers do not have to wait to get information on person such as if they have any warrants, valid driver license or

Aiding our officers with technology

identification. The officer can communicate through the NCIC software of the on board computer to retrieve the information that they seek. The Police and Law Enforcement Magazine states Cutting-edge departments are pressing the boundaries of what is possible with mobile data systems (Jerrard, 2010, pg.1 ). Computer technology allows the officer to send quick messages through the computer system using certain codes. These codes allow for officers to call for backup if needed in certain situations that may be considered too dangerous.

Another tool that law enforcement uses are cell phones. some agencies are taking advantage of the new options that are available for cell phone to send alerts to law enforcement officers about crimes, wanted persons, and even emergencies happening in their assigned areas. This tool is portal and can be used to communicate and access information that the officer may need while walking their beat or assigned neighborhoods. Mass text messages can be sent to alert many officers at one time about Amber alerts, emergency events, or any other situations that need to address .

The radio is the oldest and most frequently used technology used for communication between law enforcement officials and other departments (Harper, 2011). A number of

Aiding our officers with technology

upgrades have been made to this form of communication like combining with computerized technology to make it more functional. The radio communications allows the officer connect with their dispatcher. The majority of dispatchers officers have four computerized screens that they use for phone, radio, and computer traffic. This system lets dispatchers to retrieve and send information about the location of incidents and quickly relay pertinent information to the responding officers (Harper, 2011). A tool that is being implemented in larger agencies is a software defined radio (SDR). This tool allows officers to communicate at crime scenes with each other and other agencies or departments. According to an article in The National Institute of Justice journal, SDR is a type of radio that uses software to control a radios operating parameters and protocols, allowing the radio to be updated and reconfigured, thus minimizing the need to change existing hardware (Heaps, 2012, pg.259). This technology will allow officers to communicate with different agencies adjacent areas or states. SDR records all communication, then it will create a generic report can be editing or proofread before it is turned into the officers superiors. This software would make it possible for officers to spend more time protect their communities instead of spending hours writing reports.

One of the most significant technologies for the future of the criminal justice system is electronic language translators, since a majority of the population do not speak English or

Aiding our officers with technology

speak small amounts of the language, this device would be an asset. Current devices can translate English into a majority other languages, but have problem changing other languages into comprehendible English (Drake, 2006). Devices can be made that will automatically translate information spoken by a person for a law enforcement officer. This device would portable like a cell phone this way an interviewed or interrogated could be conducted and the person respond through the device. Then the device would respond with the information that the person provided into comprehendible English. This tool would give the officers an advantage and the opportunity to quickly receive the information to handle the situation, instead of the officer having to call a person who can translate that specific language (Mulvihill, 2008).

The use of technological tools is an fundamental part of communication in criminal justice field. These tools can aid in faster response times, shorter responses for backup and information. The future technology could help in receiving information from people who do not speak the language and obtain information faster to deal with the situation. Technology is making advances and developing everyday and as technology grows it will make communication more efficient and faster for the people and departments in the criminal justice system that implement them.

Aiding our officers with technology

References

Wallace, H., & Roberson, C. (2009). Written and interpersonal communication: Methods for law enforcement (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Harper, R. (2011, July). Police Dispatching Tips & Tools. Public Safety Communications magazine, 77(7), 40-45. Retrieved from http://psc.apcointl.org/2011/07/14/police-dispatchingtips-tools/ Jerrard, J. (2010). Going mobile. Law Officer: Police and Law Enforcement Magazine. Retrieved fromhttp://www.lawofficer.com/article/technology-andcommunications/going-mobile-0. Heaps, J. (2008). Software Defined Radios Helped Agencies Communicate. National Institute of Justice, 259. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nij.gov/journals/259/software-defined-radios.htm.

Drake, G. B. (2006). COMMUNICATING ACROSS LANGUAGE BARRIERS: LANGUAGE TRANSLATION TECHNOLOGIES. Corrections Today, 68(6), 32-37 Mulvihill, R. (2008, October). NLECTCCommunications Technologies Center of Excellence: Serving Law Enforcement Today, Planning for Tomorrow. The Police Chief,(10), . Retrieved from http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm? fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1635&issue_id=102008