Technology marches onward. Innovations that once resided firmly in the realm of science fiction are now being used to revolutionize crime fighting. Here are three tech trends that are currently on the rise in law enforcement.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
VR and AR are already being used by police for training purposes, as well as crime scene investigation and courtroom presentations. However, as this technology continues to develop and the price continues to drop, you can expect to see VR and AR adopted more widely by law enforcement agencies.
For the past couple of years, police officers in China have been using AR glasses (developed by Xloong Technology) that allow them a full view of their surroundings with a computer graphic overlay. With these glasses, the police can run facial and license plate recognition scans in real time. Admittedly, privacy concerns in the U.S. may prevent this technology from being adopted by police forces here any time soon, but it’s still a good indication of the direction law enforcement tech is heading.
Smart Devices and the Internet of Things (IoT)
Law enforcement is already making use of smart device data through body-worn cameras and other devices. IoT devices are being used to keep police officers safe in the field by monitoring their location, biometrics, and environmental conditions (such as air quality and temperature).
But the sheer amount of data available from other IoT devices is now being leveraged to assist in investigation and evidence gathering. Data from smart speakers and wearable fitness trackers has been used as evidence in murder cases. Additionally, data from video doorbells is being used (with permission from the device owners) to help the police in their investigations.
Over the next year, we can expect to see law enforcement integrating more IoT functionality to ensure the safety of police officers while enhancing their ability to detect and prevent crime. For example, more and more cities are incorporating the functionality into their infrastructure to control traffic lights, allowing police and other emergency responders to quickly reach the scenes of emergencies.
Robotics
Law enforcement robots are nothing new. Since the 1970s, various organizations have been using robots to investigate, disarm, and/or dispose of bombs, suspicious packages, and other potentially dangerous items. Robots can easily be deployed in dangerous situations, thus keeping police officers out of harm’s way.
Robotics have advanced to the point that they can operate with greater autonomy than before. Not only can they be easily controlled from a greater distance through VR-style headsets, but they can climb stairs and scale walls. In recent years, law enforcement has begun using robots for surveillance. Boston Dynamics has a robot dog model called “Spot” that can navigate nearly any terrain using light imaging, detection, and ranging (LIDAR) and capture images in the dark with thermal cameras.
The market for robotics in law enforcement is expected to hit $5.7 billion this year, so we can be sure law enforcement agencies will continue looking into applications for this technology.