There are numerous law enforcement trade shows and conferences each year and each one has a different focus and a different vibe.

For example, SHOT Show, which is a gun show with a large law enforcement section, is mostly about guns and hardware. TREXPO, which is owned by the parent company of POLICE Magazine, started as a SWAT show and it still has a tactical bent.

Then there's the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the "Chief's Show." As exemplified by IACP 2008 held in San Diego in November, IACP tends to be about big ticket items: vehicles, software, video systems. This year's IACP was no exception.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, so this year's IACP best of show also includes some small, inexpensive and moderately priced items as well as the expensive stuff that makes IACP…well…IACP.

Carbon Motors E7 Patrol Vehicle

Designed from the ground up for patrol duty, the E7 looks a bit like a muscle car and a bit like a police car from a science fiction movie.

The E7 goes fast. Its high-performance diesel engine generates 300 horsepower, and it pushes the car from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds and up to 155 mph.

Carbon Motors would not disclose the price. But it's sure that Carbon will ask for more than the current list price of patrol cars for the E7. However, it should be noted that the E7 comes fully equipped for patrol duty from the factory, including an L3 TacNet voice recognition light, radio, and radar system.

The E7 is still in prototype so you probably won't see it on the street for a few years.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Carbon Motors Online.

WatchGuard Video Hybrid Video Solution

WatchGuard's DVD Hybrid In-Car Video Solution is a great idea for agencies that want to reduce the cost of storing in-car video. In the car, the system records to a DVD. Once the officer goes off shift, the DVD is transferred into a server running the company's Evidence Library and Critical Event Server Software. The in-car video system makes it easy for the officer to note what happened during the incident. When he or she gets back to the station, the Critical Event Server reads the notes and automatically determines which files are critical and saves only those files onto the server. The user can also manually save a file. This system reduces the need for server space and saves agencies money on hardware.

Want FREEInfo? Visit WatchGuard Online.

Inez/Zamir Portable ALPR Camera

The latest advance in the Inez/Zamir line of Automated License Plate Recognition systems is the LY portable camera/illuminator. Designed for parking enforcement and other police applications, the LY's sensor is optimized for day or night license plate recognition. The LY features pulsing low-frequency infrared LEDs. This feature gives the camera a better chance of reading a plate regardless of lighting conditions. The camera can read a license plate at 100 mph.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Inez/Zamir Online.

Digital Ally First Vu

Digital Ally's FirstVu is the company's entry in the increasingly crowded market for officer-worn video. The system, about the size of a pager, clips onto the officer's jacket or shirt and captures video of everything that he or she sees. It features infrared illumination for capturing video in low-light conditions. A lithium-polymer battery offers five hours of operation. An integrated GPS marks the location of the video. And pre-event recording captures the scene before the camera is triggered. FirstVu captures high-resolution video that can be downloaded into any computer equipped with a USB 2.0 connection.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Digital Ally Online.

Harley-Davidson Ulysses XB12XP

The Ulysses is a sport motorcycle designed for paved road and non-paved road law enforcement applications. The 2009 model shown at IACP features 74 degrees of steering sweep, 6.75 inches of ground clearance, fuel capacity of 4.4 gallons, and a zero torsional load braking system. The Ulysses has a 1203 CC engine with underslung exhausts for better center of gravity. It comes with Pirelli Scorpion Sync tires, an emergency lighting system, a Zumo portable navigation system, and side and top cases for storage.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Harley-Davidson Online.

T3 Motion CT Series Micro Car

T3 Motion is best known for its three-wheel electric law enforcement vehicles. At this year's IACP T3 rolled out a four-wheel vehicle, sort of what most people would call an electric "car." T3's CT Series Micro Car has a top speed of 35 mph and a range of up to 75 miles on lithium-polymer batteries. Designed primarily for parking and event enforcement, it can carry 800 pounds of payload, including passengers, has a turning radius of 12 feet, and charges in about eight hours. The Micro Car has been crash tested at up to 30 mph. T3 calculates that its operating costs are the equivalent of 160 miles per gallon if gas was $3 per gallon.

Want FREEInfo? Visit T3 Motion Online.

Code 3 Defender Lightbar

If you want to see spots, look directly at Code 3's new Defender lightbar with TriCore technology. It's frighteningly bright. TriCore technology makes the Defender visible from every angle. Code 3 say that at 45 degrees, the Defender is 2.5 times more visible than non TriCore lightbars. And at 60 degrees, 90 degrees, and 180 degrees, it's twice as bright.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Code 3 Online.

Z-Medica Emergency Dressing

Z-Medica showed its new Emergency Dressing, gauze treated with the company's hemostatic QuikClot material. The gauze is designed to stop bleeding from moderate to traumatic wounds. It is X-ray detectable, easy to aply to the injury, and does not heat up like the basic QuikClot formula.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Z-Medica Online.

Peerless Handcuff Color-Plated Cuffs

Peerless' classic Model 750 is now available in five different color-plated finishes: blue, red, orange, yellow, and pink. The colored models are designed to make it easier for agencies to keep track of their cuffs during prisoner transfers. They can also be used to segregate prisoners by criteria such as threat condition, medical condition, and jurisdiction. The plating is resistant to chipping and scratching. The cuffs are covered by a lifetime warranty against manufacture defects.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Peerless Handcuff Online.

FAAC/IES Multi-Purpose Sim

Training sims are usually very focused, covering specific aspects of the job. Driving Force is a simulation system that combines driving and force options training for what the creators call "start to finish call cycle training." An officer can start a scenario by getting behind the wheel of the FAAC driving simulator, get out of the "car" to respond to a call with an IES use-of-force judgment training scenario, then get back in the "car" to continue training. Because it's all seamless, the combined training system closely simulates a real patrol shift.

Want FREEInfo? Visit FAAC and IES Online.

Defenshield Ballistic Shield

If you've heard of Defenshield's Mobile Defensive Fighting Position, then you know that the standalone head-to-toe shield on wheels provides protection against an entire range of small arms, from .22 long rifle to the 30-06 armor piercing round. The company's newest version is called the SafePoint Mobile Security Station. It's designed to look more like a simple podium for areas like courts or airports where a more subtle look is preferred. You can even select how you want the station to look with Camography, a photo laminate film applied to the exterior of the armor panels.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Defenshield Online.

Avon ST53 RPE

Developed through user feedback, Avon's ST53 multi-functional Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) system combines the performance and comfort of Avon's FM53 CBRN mask with the performance of the Avon-ISI Viking ST SCBA. The integration of these two products into one respiratory system allows law enforcement users to quickly switch between a positive pressure SCBA and negative pressure CBRN mask, with a simple turn of a switch. The general purpose filter provides protection from CBRN hazards, while the lower inhalation resistance particulate filters can be used specifically for particulate challenges such as CS or CN, bacteria, or virus. The mask and SCBA can also be used separately.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Avon Online.

ChoicePoint Sex Offender Tracking

ReSOLT LE is a great tool that tracks sex offenders via the Web, and helps locate those whose whereabouts are unknown. The software's name stands for Registered Sex Offender Locator Tool for Law Enforcement, and comes from ChoicePoint, now a LexisNexis Company. ReSOLT LE uses nationwide state and local sex offender registry information to quickly generate detailed reports and maps that depict the registered locations of sex offenders as well as possible address activity outside the state where they're registered. This can be particularly useful in determining potential suspects for child abductions. The software can even alert officers to potential getaway vehicles and generate photo arrays of nearby offenders.

Want FREEInfo? Visit ChoicePoint Online.

Hogue Buttstock Adapter

Hogue, known for its handgun grips and shotgun stocks, introduced a machine gun accessory at the IACP show that allows you to shoot accurately, even in a vest. Wearing bulky clothing and/or body armor while using the H&K UMP presents an awkward length-of-pull difficulty. The Hogue Buttstock Adapter installs easily and solves this ergonomic problem by allowing use of any M-4 type collapsible buttstock. This durable adapter is constructed from hard anodized 6061 billet aluminum and is carefully designed consistent with natural cheek placement characteristics. Its hinge quickly and easily folds for storage, yet clears the ejection port and allows for convenient field stripping.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Hogue Online.

Insight Tech-Gear Mini Thermal Monocular

Of the many new items Insight Tech-Gear has coming out, the coolest at IACP was the company's handheld mini thermal monocular. It's very small, but very powerful, and comes in a distinctive "L.E. Blue" color. Called the MTM-V2, it weighs only 11.5 ounces, has an integrated visible red or infrared marking laser, and can detect a moving man-sized target at 500 meters. This new thermal monocular has only the features law enforcement needs, which makes it much more cost effective than the original military version.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Insight Tech-Gear Online.

American Technology LRAD 100X

One of the coolest products at this year's IACP was the LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device) 100X from American Technology. This device, which looks a lot like some kind of futuristic stereo woofer, is a high-tech portable loud hailer. And I mean loud. It can concuss your ear drums at 135 decibels at up to 300 meters. It can be used to warn people not to enter an area, to blast out a message, to call out a barricaded suspect, and much more.

Want FREEInfo? Visit American Technology Online.

Blauer Homeland Defender Suits

Blauer has entered the market for WMD suits in a big way. The company showed several models in its Homeland Defender line of ChemBio protection suits. The suits are made with Gore Chempak fabrics and are certified to federal standards for CBRN response. They are washable and designed for multiple uses. They come in two versions: Blauer's HZ 9420 Multi-Threat Suit is certified for "hot zone" operations and has a Nomex shell to protect against flash flames. The WZ9430 MIRT (Major Incident Response Team) suit is designed for "warm zone" operations.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Blauer Online.

Baker Ballistics Patrol Bat

Retired NYPD ESU officer Al Baker's newest Batshield model is the PatrolBat. Slightly larger and slightly heavier than the compact Batshield, the PatrolBat was developed to give ballistic protection to patrol officers who respond to critical incidents such as active shooters. The shield offers NIJ Level IIIA ballistic protection, is foldable, and provides an excellent gun platform for handgun, long gun, and subgun operation.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Baker Ballistics Online.

Fechheimer Coldblack Apparel

Fechheimer debuted its line of law enforcement apparel made with Coldblack technology, a proprietary fabric treatment developed by Schoeller, a performance textile manufacturer. Coldblack makes it more comfortable for officers to wear navy blue and black apparel in summer temperatures. It reflects 80 percent of the sun's rays, making the apparel exterior 20 degrees cooler and the apparel interior 10 degrees cooler in heat tests. The Coldblack finish is environmentally friendly, does not alter the look or feel of the fabric, and is permanent.

Want FREEInfo? Visit Fechheimer Online.