DroidLaw 2.0, which was released in March to the Android Market, is very useful for field officers because it allows officers to search sections of state criminal (penal) codes on their mobile devices. This saves valuable time, so officers don't have to pull out the "old code book" and search for the right law or keyword.

To use the app, simply download the main shell, DroidLaw , from the Market. After downloading the free main program, you'll have the option to pay for your state's code book. DroidLaw currently supports 18 states, including Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

The paid add-ons are worth it if your state is supported. Additionally, DroidLaw provides for download the U.S. copyright law (Title 17), U.S. patent law (Title 35), the U.S. Code, U.S. Supreme Court cases through 2010, and the U.S. Constitution (also free).

Developer BigTwit Software included a "workspace" so you can save any part of what you use on a regular basis. Or if you have a particular case, you can save the pertinent laws for that case in this space, which is saved with an individualized name.

The developer is very responsive to customer comment. He returns e-mails quickly and wants to hear how his app can be improved. Additionally, he provides a liberal refund policy, but after you get your state's code, you won't want the refund. The small price to pay for this app outweighs the price to pay for a book, and it's a lot easier to carry around.

Tim Meacham is a police officer for a private university in central Virginia. He has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Liberty University and plans to complete his master's in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati this summer.