Technology and The Future of Getting Arrested
Technological advancement has dramatically transformed the law enforcement sector. The police department is very different from the way it was some few years ago. A senior policy analyst at The American Civil Liberties Union observed that with technological advancements, we would be living in a world where it is possible to ensure 100 percent compliance of the law. For instance, with modern technology, police can enforce full compliance with traffic laws, and to some extent, criminal acts. Technology will alter the way law enforcement officers go about identifying crimes, tracing law offenders, and arresting them.
Identification of Criminal Activities
With ever-evolving technology, devices that detect questionable activities have come up. They distinguish possible criminal activities and alert law enforcement officers. These devices come in handy in identifying and responding to illegal activities at very early stages. They include:

• Microphone Based Gunshot Sensors

Many cities across the United States have already embraced and implemented microphone –based gunshot sensors and other cities are following suit. The sensors help pick unusual noises from the surrounding areas. A computer program analyzes and interprets the sounds. If the sound resembles gunfire, the computer program will determine the source of the sound. The report from the computer software undergoes further scrutiny by experienced personnel. If necessary, police officers are sent to the scene within a short period.

• Drones on Patrol

Drones have great potential to solve and prevent crime. They serve as eyes in the sky for law enforcement officers, helping them reach and observe areas that were previously hard to reach. Unmanned drones can patrol and provide information very efficiently. With the help of drones, it is easy to avail real-time information to police dispatchers and crime analysts. Drones help furnish officers with information about ongoing crimes and other dangerous situations as they unfold. With the data transmitted from drones, police can make better plan responses and effectively save human lives.
Drones are not just helpful to law enforcement officers; a criminal lawyer would greatly benefit from evidence gathered by drones. It can help them prepare a defense or predict what the prosecution will try to use to convict their clients.  Also, drones can effectively capture images and videos of illegal activities as they take place. These videos form crucial evidence in future court hearings. For example, if there is a robbery in progress, a surveillance drone can be dispatched to the crime scene and record the robbery as it unfolds. Also, a drone may be used to follow suspects to their hideouts. The suspects will not even have an idea that they are being followed. The use of drones to track suspects would help eliminate risky situations such as hostage or undue injuries.

• Seamless Crime Reporting

Advanced technology will make it easy for victims, witnesses, and the general public to report crime incidents. Currently, the 911 network runs on conventional analog technology that was still in use several decades ago. There is a new initiative at the federal level called Next Generation 911. When completed, the measure will make it easy to send texts to emergency dispatchers. With continuous system upgrade, it will be possible to send photos and videos while requesting for police services. If a victim is in a dangerous situation where they cannot make a phone call, it will be possible to reach the police through texts, photos, or videos.

• Special Glasses for Recording and Analyzing Information

With the anticipated technological advancements, as police officers patrol the streets, their special glasses will be recording and analyzing all that they see. An in-built screen will help avail information about businesses, vehicles, and homes. The advanced facial recognition software will provide the officer with real-time information about the people they pass. An officer will be able to tell if any person they encounter has an outstanding arrest warrant. Police officers will also be able to identify any person who matches BOLO (be on the lookout) descriptions.
In the past, such technological advancements seemed like dreams that were impossible to actualize. Currently, with the development of Google Glass, for instance, the scenario is becoming a reality. The software and the data that would help achieve this technological advancement for the police force is already available. For instance, facial recognition capabilities have been around for more than a decade, and many mobile devices have this feature.

• Social Media Monitoring

In the current society, people highlight the importance of privacy but still proceed to air all their private information on social media platforms. People share information such as the activities they are involved in, and their whereabouts. Similarly, many law offenders exchange personal information on social media. Police departments are starting to monitor social media activities upon realizing that social media is a goldmine of information.
Social media has proved to be a fundamental criminal justice tool. It helps law enforcement officers to locate clues and gather intelligence. Police use many tactics when seeking information from social media. For instance, they may go to the extent of “friending” and “following” suspects on social networks to follow up on the suspects’ lines of communication. There are many instances where police have thwarted or solved crimes using tips gathered on social media. Videos shared on platforms such as YouTube have helped police unearth unexpected crimes. Social media platforms may seem old as they have been around for quite a while. However, the potential of social media as a tool for fighting crime is new and only beginning to be realized.

• Intelligent Surveillance Cameras

Police will be able to identify crimes using smart surveillance cameras that are complete with sensors. The sensors help to identify any unusual behavior. As pointed out by an international non-profit digital rights group, this new technology has been tested across various cities in America. The sensors are sophisticated enough and can identify suspicious behavior like a car that repeatedly circles the same area or a bag left unattended. This technology would, for instance, help identify terrorism plans before they are even executed.

• Modern Substance Abuse Testers

Advanced technology will make it easy for police to curb cases of substance abuse mainly associated with driving under the influence (DUI). For instance, a Vancouver company came up with a state-of-the-art Breathalyzer that can efficiently determine the amount of THC in a person’s system. According to an epidemiologist at Columbia University, the breathalyzers may be in routine use by 2020.

• Automatic License Plate Readers for Police

Electronic tag readers that are often attached on the exterior of police patrol vehicles are gaining popularity, especially among large and traffic-oriented police departments. With the help of cameras that are directly connected to vehicle information databases, tag readers analyze all license plates that fall within their view range. This advancement makes it easy to trace stolen vehicles and also to compare BOLO information. A police officer can instantly tell if an individual is driving behind a stolen vehicle. Tag readers have seen a recorded increase in recovered vehicles and apprehended law offenders.

• Use of GPS in Law Enforcement

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is not a new concept as it has been around for a long time. However, the applications of GPS into the law enforcement sector continues to expand. Through the use of GPS, it is possible for police to determine the exact origin point of a call and also the various routes to get there. Police can identify the fastest and safest way to a crime scene, enabling them to accord necessary help to people. Through the use of GPS, police can study emerging trends in selected crime locations and effectively plan patrol assignments.
With GPS, the supervision and monitoring of police officers are simplified, and this helps improve the accountability of police officers. The system makes it possible to track the locations and the speeds of law enforcement officers.
The Future of Getting Arrested
The introduction of new technology will bring new but positive changes to the arrest process. It will make the arrest process easy for police officers. For law offenders, the chances of escaping after committing a crime will be impossible. Some aspects like seeking the help of a criminal lawyer after a charge will remain constant. However, many other elements will change as follows:
Advanced technology will make it convenient and safer for police officers to arrest suspects and take them into custody. With the help of real-time crime centers managed by experienced analysts, police will be able to receive all the necessary updates en route to a crime scene. The updates may include the floor-pan details, the criminal history of people living within the crime area, and any information about the crime scene gathered from surveillance cameras.
Immediately after arresting suspects, the police will be able to collect all the necessary personal data from suspects. For instance, in San Diego, advanced tablets fitted with facial recognition features are already in use. The FBI also introduced an extensive database of biometric information. The database contains information which includes fingerprints, people’s faces, irises, palms, and details about scars and tattoos. In the past, the identification process was tedious, messy, and time-consuming as it involved the use of ink and fingerprint cards. It would have taken weeks or months to complete the identification process. However, currently, police have portable devices and scanners that instantly help identify individuals, including their criminal history.
With this database, the process of arresting and identifying suspects becomes easy. Concerns have been raised concerning the use of new identification tools during routine police stops. Critics argue that collecting information during regular stops may saturate the FBI’s database with personal details of people who may never commit a crime. However, the databases are efficiently managed for best functionality.
The new technology will change the way police officers execute their duties. Experts predict that technological advancement will result in improvement of the way law enforcement officers handle clients after arresting them. The whole process will become transparent due to the projected presence of body-mounted cameras that record interactions between police officers and the public.
A psychology professor at Boise State University outlines that new technology will change the process of interrogating suspects and make it less coercive. The more modern approaches will discourage police officers from manipulating the suspects by lying to them or through threats. Instead, the police will only need to create a situation that allows a suspect to contradict the evidence already confirmed by the officers.
After gathering information concerning a crime, it is easy to preserve the data securely. Police laptops already have built-in scanners that ensure no unauthorized person can access the stored personal details and sensitive intelligence. There is a continuous improvement of the DNA databases and programs to ensure that there is an improvement on the time and backlog that may delay solving of criminal cases.
An excellent example of how technology is transforming the law enforcement sector is The New York City Police Department. The NYPD has joined hands with Microsoft Corporation to come up with an intensive data and information system popularly known as Domain Awareness System. The policy is applicable and aids law enforcement at any stage of patrols and investigations. The system combines data from numerous sources, including criminal histories, crime reports, maps, cameras, and computer-aided dispatch. The system offers real-time information, including videos and pictures. All this information is easy to access by crime analysts and law enforcement officers, allowing them to respond to calls promptly.
How Police are Using Tablets and Smartphones as Intelligence Tools
Tablets and smartphones have become favorite crime-fighting tools. In the past, police had laptops in patrol vehicles, but they had some limitations. Currently, there is an increase in the portability of connected devices, and police are reaping big from these devices as they can access new applications for police officers. Through these devices, police have access to instant translation services enabling them to communicate with non-English speakers. Police also have access to handheld electronic ticket writing appliances. With tablets and smartphones, police officers can now access, record and transmit information irrespective of where they are.
Technology Will Change the Legal System
Technology continues to evolve and improve, and this helps transform the law enforcement sector. Development of technology continually changes the law enforcement sector and any activity that revolves around the law. Now more than ever, crime fighters have the best platform to serve and protect the public. If you are a participant in the legal system as a judge, witness, victim, criminal lawyer, or a defendant, you have to adjust to the evolving legal environment.