Hackers constantly target law enforcement. Whatever the intent, with our dependence on technology it's more important than ever that police agencies protect themselves against cyber terrorist attacks.
September 19, 2014
Although law enforcement officers are given considerable leeway for reasonable mistakes, you don't get much slack for unreasonable mistakes that result from hasty reactions to bad information that comes from your own official sources.
August 8, 2014
Known as perhaps the most dangerous "fatal funnel" in police work, police officers clearing attic spaces are placed at a significant tactical disadvantage in which they are extremely vulnerable to attack. Tactical pole cameras are recommended technology for officers to reduce their risks when clearing attics, basements, or crawlspaces.
July 25, 2014
Officers have come to rely on both their in-car and portable radios for critical intelligenc. Here's a look at some trends in police communications today and some evolving technologies that will radically change them in the near future.
June 22, 2014
From its name, the VisiPad sounds like it might be an accessory for Apple's ubiquitous iPad tablet computer, but it's actually a chemical illumination marker. Like a lightstick, the VisiPad is a chemically activated illumination tool.
July 17, 2013
Nothing is exactly the same as being in an incident on the street, but today’s use-of-force judgment training simulators are getting darn close. And the more experience law enforcement officers have with split-second decision-making in a realistic training setting, the better they’ll be at making the right call on duty.
April 11, 2013
It's difficult to find a police officer—or a person, for that matter—who doesn't use a smartphone or tablet today. While these ubiquitous devices can be used to communicate, watch movies, and play games, they have also become serious work tools that many officers depend on.
March 25, 2013
As tactical situations demand the most out of a team, it's important to find gear that will help get the job done, ensuring clear communication, comfort, and resilience.
March 24, 2013
To capitalize on the explosion of interest in handheld computers, plenty of companies have launched new tablets, including many specifically designed for police work. These devices are still new, but they are expected to have a major impact on public safety technology.
November 15, 2012
Some two decades after its arrival, the speed laser is rapidly becoming a commodity. POLICE Magazine gathered all of the most recent arrivals and spent weeks evaluating their performance, utility, and user-friendliness. Then they were placed in service with a local PD for one week each.
September 21, 2012
The Columbine High School massacre underscored what can happen when tactical teams cannot communicate. Fast-forward 13 years, and such incompatibility still exists for many tactical teams, particularly those in mid-size to small departments.
March 27, 2012
Quite a few procurement officers have absolutely no idea what the folks in the field really need when it comes to night vision. Nor do they understand the different uses of thermal imaging versus light amplification and when they should be deployed.
March 27, 2012
The attack on the Twin Towers and the Hurricane Katrina disaster brought to the forefront the necessity of communications interoperability, or more simply put, being able to talk to each other. Benton County, Wash., has something very close to a model of interoperability in the form of its Southeast Communications Center, known locally as SECOMM.
September 13, 2011
Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology has been the "oh, wow" gadget for the past few years, and with good reason. ALPR can identify, screen, and record the license plates of more vehicles than an entire squad of police officers could handle, and can do it with greater accuracy and no fatigue factor.
February 15, 2011
Every International Association of Chiefs of Police show kind of has its own vibe. Last year's show in Denver was all about vehicles. This year's show was much more subdued but there was still plenty of cool stuff on the show floor.
December 22, 2010