There has been a gradual and consistent change of technology in the law enforcement sector over time. With technological advancement, there is an essential need for the police to embrace the use of technology in carrying out their operations considering that crimes are prone to be equally executed in a more sophisticated manner by smart people. For this, the policing departments have embraced the use of new technology in training and during operations. The use of modern technology often provides a latest and advanced form of combating crime and protecting sensitive information by use of innovative, communicative systems and training tools. Although there is are a different type of new technology innovations, the virtual training simulators stand out because they are focused on making policing more practical and useful.
Virtual training simulators are one of the most essential and practical innovations in the security fields. This is a system of technical training with a focus of presenting real-life crime condition to trainees and consequently offers better ways to handle the situation. The method and tools used in practical exercise provide more than ‘shoot and not shoot' scenarios (Zercoe, 2017) . T he system and facilities tend to offer extra realistic training that is critical in two different ways; protecting an agency failure to train lawsuits and saving the lives of officers (Zercoe, 2017) . Additionally, this kind of system presents the ability of trainers to move the trainees out of the classroom into real-life streets without literally setting a food outside the area of training. There are different types of virtual training simulators used in policing; the most common are; The FATS 100P, Dry Fire Laser Training Devices For Fire Simulators (STARS), The iMarksman among others.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The STARS is one of the newest technological discovery facilities that are used to train law enforcement officers for scenes they may come across in real life situation. Apart from incorporating the virtual reality simulator it also comes along with its physical training environment. The facility is exceptional and the first of its kind and therefore, another more significant step towards virtual reality becoming a more mainstream element in the law enforcement training (Lewis, 2017). The STARS facility has five screens, and for this, the practice is done in a 300-degree view of the happening. What is more is that the scenario’s designation replicates real-life situation that the trainees may encounter during their operations in the field (Lewis, 2017) . The STARS facility equips the learners with different kind of tools comprising of firearms that recoil and have the same weight as a real gun. More importantly, the scenarios captured in the facility are prerecorded using training players with roughly 10 to 15 distinct outcomes in every scene (Lewis, 2017) The main objective is to have the officers go in and be covered in various circumstances, so they have that split-second decision-making capability. Thus, the STARS is a new technology used in virtual training to make an officer more practical and useful in the fields.
Additionally, the FATS 100 P is yet another more advanced multipurpose and useful new technology used in policing. The FATS 100P is a new virtual training simulator that provides advanced functions for both the trainer and the trainee. This is because it has solid weapon-handling and short placement analytics, improved graphics abilities for a comprehensive, immersive coach platform and marksmanship automatic equipment’s that are used for coaching. (MEGGITT, 2019) . The system is portable, and light having that its ruggedized hand is almost the size of a handbag. For this, the transportation, set up and operation of the system is quickly done. Also, the system employs high definition video scenes to create dynamic escalation and de-escalation (MEGGITT, 2019) . Thus, using the order calls for high focus on facial expression, nonverbal cues, and the general physique language to hastily evaluate a situation and interrelate with individuals using appropriate verbal commands. Thus, the simulators are a new handy technology that shapes trainers into profound law enforcement officers in their operations and how they relate with victims or criminals.
The iMarksman system is yet another virtual training simulator. This technology is used to aid police officers in critical decision-making situations especially on ‘the shoot and not shoots’ circumstances (Tracy, 2018) . In additionally the system is one of the most effective ways to train the officers and advance their professional skills in any environment. For this, the officers can interact with different targets and also, they can create their training surrounding. A form of training that exposes the trainees to unique kinds of scripts and scenes prevents them from developing a habit, and therefore they stay woke and tensed in all situations (Tracy, 2018) . With iMarksman, one can use his/her firearm, it is easy to handle and transport, no appropriate environment is required and only needs a projector and a laptop. Therefore, the iMarksman is one of the new technologies that have proved to be handy and useful in the policing sector by making the officers more efficient in decision making.
Apart from the virtual training simulators, there are arrays of technological advancements that the law enforcement agencies employ. To begin with, there is the use of Biometrics for Data security and Identification in policing. There is a rapid increase in the use of data security and identification by the use of biometrics (ROUFA, 2018) . This device is handy in scanning distinctive biological traits such as retina scan, fingerprints, and DNA in identifying individuals (ROUFA, 2018) . As technical know-how becomes cheaper and readily available, the police can locate a person and their criminal background using a single portable biometric machine within a short time as opposed to the tedious and messy manual process to indemnify individuals. Furthermore, scanner in computers ensures that there is no access to profound and intelligence information by an unauthorized person. Therefore, the use of the new technology has served to be efficient, fast and accurate in the policing when it comes to identification.
Moreover, the police use social media to unravel the crime and engage the public. Many are the people who have got at least one social media account which they use to share information and experiences. For this, law enforcement agencies have taken advantage of this technology to analyze crimes by using social media platforms in gathering information and locating clues. Furthermore, social media platforms are used by policemen to screen candidates for employment. There have been many cases of the police solving a crime based on the clues found on Facebook and other social media platform (ROUFA, 2018) . Also, undetected crimes have been successfully persecuted because of a video posted on YouTube. Therefore, while many have a conventional notion on social media as being a platform for networking and socializing, the police can be able to carry out their operations and investigations in social media thanks to the new technology.
Additionally, there is the use of automatic tags and License readers by the police. The use of electric tag and license readers is becoming more prevalent in policing with the advancement of technology. The tags are attached to the exterior of the patrol cars, and they can promptly analyze the license plates on every automobile that is within their range of view. The functionality of this phenomenon is because the cameras and electric tags are directly connected to the database that contains the first-hand information about the cars (ROUFA, 2018) . This new technology is handy in finding stolen vehicle or vehicles that are associated with criminal activities without breaking a sweat or using too much time; therefore, this technology is very efficient and effective.
In conclusion, police agencies have embraced new technology in various ways. First, the use of virtual training simulators which exposes the police to environments similar to real life situations and therefore making them faster, smarter and stronger is an excellent deal in policing. Apart from the virtual training simulators, the police use devices like tag and license reader, the social media and biometric machines. What is essential, combating crime through the use of technology in policing is beneficial.
References
Lewis, T. (2017, July 14). CBS NEWS . Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/virtual-reality-law-enforcement-training/
MEGGITT. (2019, April 11). MEGGITT . Retrieved from https://meggitttrainingsystems.com/simulation-training/le-virtual-simulation/fats-100p-portable-firearms-training-simulator/?msclkid=15db5ddef280199cb491016a7356d7ee
ROUFA, T. (2018, December 1). The Balance Carers . Retrieved from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/technologies-that-are-changing-the-way-police-do-business-974549
Tracy, S. (2018, June 11). POLICEONE.COM . Retrieved from https://www.policeone.com/police-products/training/simulator/articles/474451006-Firearms-training-simulators-Why-your-department-should-invest-in-a-virtual-training-system/
Zercoe, C. (2017, December 7). POLICE ONE . Retrieved from How virtual reality could transform law enforcement
