Police Technological Advancements - Research Paper Example

These innovations provide much comfort and to a great extent security to the average consumer. However, despite the valuable assistance that such developments have provided to us, these techno upgrades have also created opportunities for criminals to flourish even more. Cyber crimes abound and identity theft has risen. Here, thieves do not need to hold you at gun point and steal from you, they just need to “pretend” they are you and let you take the fall for the expenses they will incur in your behalf (Identity Theft & Credit Fraud).

Criminals have also found ingenious ways of going around various technological check points such as surgically implanting heroine on puppies. With the advances in technology comes the improvement in the way criminals think and act thereby necessitating that law enforcers up the ante a little bit so as to be one step ahead or at par with these culprits. Police work is a very dangerous business and these men and women have to contend with the reality of danger each day. But, unlike in the military, policemen are much more inclined to public service and safety hence the need to take in rather than take out the criminals.

This reality puts the everyday cop on the block in a quandary as they have to strictly adhere to the sanctity of human life thereby limiting the use of force unless it is severely necessary whereas they are faced with entities that seem to have no regards whatsoever to these rights (OHCHR Human Rights Standards and Practice for the Police ). Thus, to ensure safety of the arresting officer as well as to respect and enforce human rights and combat the increasing sophistication of offenders, police forces around the world have commissioned technology to aide them in ensuring public safety.

Technological Advances in Detection and Weaponry Aerial Sentinel – the MQ-1 Predator Most people would think that police work is about arresting criminals. However, although it is the part that is mostly reported and where they are most exposed to danger, arresting is only a small part of police work. A very important aspect of doing police work is in safekeeping the public. This involves various forms of reconnaissance to track criminals and secure evidence for prosecution. A big boost in doing this police work is the utilization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) to help enforces track, pinpoint and ultimately apprehend offenders.

After a very successful stint in the armed forces, the UAV has also started a career in police work. Very recently, it has been reported that unmanned UAV’s have taken part in the war on drugs in Mexico wherein the US assisted Mexican authorities in dismantling drug cartels by providing valuable information through their Predators (BBC News). Since respect for territorial sovereignty is key in the cooperative efforts, only the Predator has been used since it is the unarmed variant of these UAV’s.

However, though without firepower, this machine is armed to the teeth with state of the art reconnaissance systems and is able to provide up to date images anytime and any day (General Atomics Aeronautical). Stun Guns As mentioned, the nature of police work is to take in rather than take out a target. With the rising global concern on human rights, police forces