C40 Cities: The Issue of Using Technology to Aid with Policing

Over the past decades, significant changes in policing have been achieved through various technological advancements. Police officers today are equipped with technology that is intended to boost agency efficiency, officer safety, and productivity. The benefits of technology include the creation of innovative tools to better enforce the law as well as more effective medians of communication. While it is an undeniable fact that technological advancements have been beneficial for policing, these advancements have also been recognised to have adverse drawbacks, many of which often go overlooked. 

The use of 21st-century technology to combat crime has sparked the creation of numerous innovative tools that aid officers in their work. From body-worn cameras to Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) to face recognition softwares, the implementation of technological gadgets has been crucial in providing law enforcement organisations more effective resources to protect the population and serve. Furthermore, communication has also come a long way in regard to the police force. The days of calling the station from a pay phone or using the conventional police radio to communicate with dispatch are long gone. Officers now have the ability to use their mobile phones and modern police radios that can simultaneously scan various channels and or districts to monitor communications. Additionally, police cars are fitted with cutting-edge computer-aided dispatch systems. These dispatch systems facilitate the gathering of investigation data, speed up officers' response times to calls for assistance, and enable call-clearing without the need of radio transmission.

Despite this, it is imperative to note that not all technological advancements made within the police force are positive. For instance, the use of drones by the police has raised controversy and criticism from the public. Many have expressed concerns that the use of such technology is "lack of transparency" and an "abuse by authorities". Although more and more police agencies nationwide are using drones as "eyes in the sky," the public fears that they are also being utilised for criminal purposes. This begs the question: to what extent are said gadgets used to aid in policing while not simultaneously aiding in crime? 

In addition, when officers are required to focus on so many different gadgets, technology might have unforeseen repercussions. Cell phones, computerised dispatch systems, and other communication tools all have certain advantages, but they may also be quite distracting, doing more harm than good. Furthermore, subjecting the officers to an increased risk of vehicle accidents. The fact that some technical advancements may malfunction in times of need is another cause of stress for officers. Officers now carry less-than-lethal modern weapons including Tasers and ammo made of bean bags, pepper rounds, and rubber projectiles. Incorrect use of these gadgets might result in injuries.

In addition, officers are subjected to an intense level of stress under the schooling of using this cutting-edge technology. While they are expected to embrace technology, regrettably they’re not given sufficient training to utilize it proficiently. Many police officers  are of the opinion that they are forced to use technology, which results in an overwhelming amount of information needing to be learned and retained. It is crucial for agency executives to understand that officers experience stress while implementing new technology, therefore they are advised to take action to reduce that stress.

The concerns raised in this article do not exclude police from utilising potentially useful crime-reduction technology, but they do highlight the need for police training in the overall scheme of criminal justice reforms. 


- Esther Agamah

Bibliography

• Unintended consequences of technology in Policing. Police1. (2017, October 16). Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://www.police1.com/american-military-university/articles/unintended-consequences-of-technology-in-policing-EQhuM6wsvpCNKqYF/ 
• The New York Times. (n.d.). Can crime be ethically predicted? The New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/11/18/can-predictive-policing-be-ethical-and-effective/police-technology-shouldnt-replace-community-resources
• Magazine, U. (2017). Police Drones: Regulating the Eyes in the Sky. Retrieved 24 October 2022, from https://undark.org/2017/10/19/drones-police-surveillance-privacy/