Tim Dees

Is There An App for That?

There are many mobile applications designed specifically for law enforcement officers, and even more that were intended for a more general audience, but that cops will find useful. Those listed below include some from both the police and non-police market sectors.

January 5, 2011

Apps Composite 1

Surveillance Technology: An End to Stakeouts?

Modern surveillance techniques still use the old methods, but technology can make the process both easier and more likely to yield good results.

December 13, 2010

Software: It's Nothing Without the Code

It's easy to forget the work that goes into making gadgets do what they do, those ones and zeroes that comprise their software. Here's a look at software that you can use right now on the job.

November 15, 2010

In-Car Computers: Upgrade or Replace?

Much of this decision depends on what make and model of computer you have, what is broken, and/or what you need the computer to do that it isn't able to do now. Sometimes you can do a transplant, and in other situations the best thing is to let it go and give it a decent burial.

September 27, 2010

Things That Go Boom in the Night

With the exception of far-less-common biological or radiological threats, explosive devices are the nightmare scenario for people charged with protecting people and places. But advanced techniques can help detect these threats.

June 29, 2010

Explosive Detection 1

Acing the Tests

Experience is the best teacher for learning to spot contraband drugs and alcohol and drug intoxication in the field. But the cop needs a demonstrable standard for evidence. It's here that presumptive field testing for alcohol and drugs is most useful.

May 27, 2010

Use-of-Force Simulators

Now more than ever, "keeping it real" is a critical factor in training new recruits. This generation grew up with movies made entirely of lifelike computer-generated graphics, sometimes rendered in 3-D.

April 29, 2010

New Developments in Night Vision and Thermal Imaging

The category of devices called "night vision" and "thermal imaging" are used in similar settings and often for similar purposes. Even so, they are distinctly different in both the way they operate and in their capabilities.

March 25, 2010

How to Buy Mobile Data Products

Have you ever played Technology Buzzword Bingo, or wanted to? It works like this: You get a bingo card with words instead of numbers in the boxes. The words include robust, mesh, cloud, scalable, 3.0, WiMAX, and WAN. Mark off a square every time you hear the salesman say one of the words. The first one to check off five in a row gets to throw the salesman out.

February 10, 2010

Corrections Communications

Inmates' abundance of creativity keeps correctional organizations busy finding countermeasures and inventing new technology to keep the prisons secure and the staff and inmates safe.

January 30, 2010

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