Answer to the Question
The Department of Homeland security has greatly embraced technology to enhance policing. This technology of policing has largely been cascaded down to the state as well as local police units. Since 1980, Police departments have experienced tremendous technological revolution. This advancement in technology has greatly facilitated the work of policing in different ways. Three main technological advancements have been made within the policing department since 1980 have greatly enhanced policing and overall service delivery within the police unit.
The Integrated Automated Fingerprint System (IAFS) was a great technological advancement in the 1990s (Foster, 2010). This system complemented the National Crime Information Center (NCIS) by availing information about any suspect as quickly as possible. Before this technological invention, the process of obtaining criminal records about any person from the NCIS was slow and lengthy. However, the advent of IAFS made it easy to assess criminal information about any person in seconds (Foster, 2010). Consequently, it facilitated quick decision making by law enforcement officers about any suspect or offender they needed to apprehend.
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Secondly, the geographical information systems are another technological innovation in this era that has greatly contributed to the revolutionizing of the police department. These systems include Global positioning technology as well as Radio Frequency Transmitter Chips. Such advancements in technology have enabled the police departments to locate offenders and people who pose a danger to the public and consequently apprehend them easily. The global positioning technology makes use of satellites on locating people (Foster, 2010). Radio transmitter chips are often placed in electronic items. Such items are registered to individual people. In the event the items are stolen, the radio transmitter chips can be used to locate their positions. Moreover, transmitter chips in mobile phones can equally be used to locate the individual owner if the police want the owner (Foster, 2010). As such, geographical information systems have made it easy to locate and consequently apprehend criminals.
The Transponder Systems are another significant technological development during this era. Under this technology, an electronic bracelet is fitted around an individual’s ankle. The bracelet is connected to a telephone system. Whenever an individual moves out of a given geographical location, the system signals the telephone network (Foster, 2010). This innovation has largely been used for people placed in house arrests. It helps to ensure that the person does not move out of their houses during the period of the arrest. While this technology has not largely started functioning at a larger scale, it poses a great advantage to the overall criminal justice systems in America. For instance, it can help to decongest prisons (Foster, 2010). Less violent and petty offenders can be placed under house arrest and hence decongest prisons. This will greatly reduce the cost incurred in prisons.
Personal Opinion
The advancement in technology has been of great importance in every aspect of life. Such advancements and innovations have equally found application in the police departments. Before the incorporation of technology in policing, law enforcement was a great challenge. It was easy for offenders to escape the law and hence continue with their destructive activities. The law enforcement officers could not access any criminal information about an individual. Consequently, it was difficult for them to make an informed judgment on the level of force to employ for any criminal suspect. However, the advancement of technology and its incorporation into policing has made it easy for law enforcement officers to apprehend offenders easily. Moreover, it has given the offers faster access to information about any criminal and hence facilitates quick decision making in policing.
References
Foster, R.E. (2010). Police Technology . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall
