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partment’s web site or mobile application can reduce the need for of-
ficers to interact with them for routine and basic tasks thereby freeing
up time for more important responsibilities.
New technology that has applications for law enforcement is con-
tinually being developed. Police executives must decide whether they
wish to adopt new technology and, if so, when. Is it wiser to be one of
the first to implement a new technology or is it better to wait until other
agencies have had time to work out any bugs and to develop sound pro-
cedures to govern the usage? Many technologies can require additional
expenditures and personnel above and beyond initial estimates. For ex-
ample, body camera video can require large amounts of storage media
and additional staff members of archive and retrieve the video. Other
technology may be so cutting edge that procedures and judicial accep-
tance have not caught up with it. For example, non-contact fingerprint
technology is emerging that allows prints to be captured without the
fingertips having to contact a surface. While intriguing and promising,
how long will it take for the courts to accept this new method of capture?
Departments who spearheaded the implementation of unmanned aerial
systems struggled as the FAA developed rules governing their usage.
Leading a police department in the twenty-first century can be a
daunting task; however it is also a unique and potentially rewarding op-
portunity. Technology will no doubt substantially impact upon policing
in an ever increasing way, certainly in both a positive and negative man-
ner. Social media allows unique communications opportunities while
creating increased exposure to risk caused by the actions of others. The
future prospect of self-driving automobiles may result in incomparable
roadway safety, yet it also may create a new threat caused by the hack-
ing of this technology. What won’t change is the need for effective and
innovative law enforcement leaders who can adapt, improvise and over-
come whatever hurtles that they may face to provide the best possible
police service to the citizens that they are sworn to serve, in an inclusive,
fair, honest and impartial manner.
References
Moore’s Law, “Moore’s Law or How Overall Processing Power for Computers will Double Every
Two Years” (Accessed November 12, 2016) The Washington
Post, “The Ferguson Effect”
wp/2016/07/20/the-ferguson-effect/?utm_term=.a22908eef2c3 July 20, 2016
(Accessed November 12,2016)
The New York Times, “F.B.I. Director Says ‘Viral Video Effect’ Blunts Police Work”
html?_r=0 May 11,2016 (Accessed November 12,2016)
The New York Times, “F.B.I. Director Says ‘Viral Video Effect’ Blunts Police Work”
html?_r=0 May 11,2016 (Accessed November 12,2016)
The Washington Post, “More on the ‘Ferguson Effect,’ and responses to critics”
the-ferguson-effect-and-responses-to-critics/?utm_term=.6e4d4bf9b641 July 21, 2016
(Accessed November 13,2016)
National Institute of Justice, “Race, Trust and Police Legitimacy”
law-enforcement/legitimacy/pages/welcome.aspx July 14, 2016 (Accessed November
12, 2016)
Community Policing Dispatch, “The Case for Procedural Justice: Fairness as a Crime
Prevention Tool” as a_crime_
prevention_tool.asp September 2013 (Accessed November 13, 2016)
American Civil Liberties Union, “Police Militarization”
criminal-law-reform/reforming-police-practices/police-militarization 2016 (Accessed
November 12, 2016)
Los Angeles Times, “San Bernardino may Chang Minds on Police use of Surplus Military
Equipment” December 12, 2015 (Aceesed
November 13, 2016)
National Public Radio, “New Details Emerge On How Police Use Social Media”
social-media October 13, 2016 (Accessed November 19, 2016)
The Wall Street Journal, “Thieves Go High-Tech to Steal Cars”
thieves-go-high-tech-to-steal-cars-1467744606 July 5, 2016 (Accessed November 20,
2016)
The New York Times, “Risks of Pokémon Go”
opinion/risks-of-pokemon-go.html August 2, 2016 (Accessed November 19, 2016)
Time, “Storing Body Cam Data is the Next Big Challenge for Police” http://time.
com/4180889/police-body-cameras-vievu-taser/ January 25, 2016 (Accessed
November 19, 2016)
The Police Chief Magazine, “Technology Talk: Addressing Contactless Fingerprint
Capture”
capture/#sthash.1XdNS76l.dpuf June 2016 (Accessed November 20,2016)
A Challenging Time to be a Police Executive continued from page 22