Police Operations
The Police have the most dangerous, though the most rewarding, job in the world. They risk their lives to protect the weak and maintain public order. Because of the many hazards they face, many officers die in the line of duty. A police officer must be well-trained and well-equipped in order to protect herself while protecting the public. Thesis: Technology is allowing the police more effective non-lethal weapons for restraining offenders, although firearms are still essential. More importantly, communications technology such as infrared and thermal imaging promise to improve protection and surveillance.
Dangers of policing
There are a number of dangers encountered during policing. The first and most conspicuous type of danger comes from criminal offenders or potential offenders. Such individuals might attempt to harm the intervening officer or deceive him/her. Typically, this danger comes in the form of unarmed violence, e.g. shoving, kicking, and punching. In particularly critical altercations, criminal offenders may make use of make-shift weapons, such as clubs, baseball bats, and bricks.
Even more disturbing is the increasing use of firearms among criminal offenders. The Constitutional right to bear arms has always made U.S. citizens a well-armed society. However, most of the firearms used by officers are no owned by licensed users and are often possessesed illegally. Normally restricted to organized or professional criminals, firearms are now coming into the possession of younger, less mature, and less professional criminals. In these hands, which are often panic-stricken and irrational, firearms become even more dangerous to police...
Pepper spray is typically the weapon of choice when there are no suspects present who are armed or capable of physically overpowering the officer. (Hess 98). Pepper spray is also effective in dispersing large crowds of people.
Because of the difficulty of maneuvering projectiles such as handguns or pepper sprays, the Police have developed close-range, non-lethal weapons called TASERs. These TASER guns shock the victim with over 10,000 watts of electricity, enough to incapacitate the victim, in rare instances fatally. (Hess, 98).
Because of advances in technology, the Police are finding more clever and less violent ways to incapacitate or restrain suspects. One promising example is the new "sticky foam" that hardens like taffy and can effectively immobilize a person. (98). There is also a more aqueous "water foam" that can be used to fill the space of an enclosure (e.g. back seat) so that the person cannot see or hear but still breathe. (Hess, 98)
Technology used in policing
Perhaps the most ubiquitous technology in Police use is Radar speed-detection technology. Originally developed for military reconnaissance during the Cold War, radar was adapted by domestic law enforcement for the war on dangerous drivers. (157-8). Radar often makes use of infra-red or radio technology and is considered very accurate, though is not always judged to be 100% reliable in court. (158).
Thermal imaging is a very valuable imaging technique for seeing in the dark as well as seeing past obstacles and other…
