Technology In Police Enforcement

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Technology in Police Enforcement Criminal Justice Week 5 Individual Work Krista Schaaf The two technologies that I decided to focus on are Thermal imagers and Automated Fingerprint Identification System. The first technology I am going to discuss is going to be thermal imagers. Thermal imagers are cameras that can detect the infrared radiation associated with heat. A TI detects objects and people that emit heat, regardless of light conditions, and the picture is unaffected by light, clothing, or inclement weather. Typically, hotter objects show as white, cooler objects show as black, and objects between these temperatures are displayed in shades of gray. These devices generally cost $15,000 to $20,000. Besides being used in drug investigations, the devices are also used to look for fugitives who are trying to escape at night or who may be hidden in buildings. The imager has been used to detect heat in buildings where illegal activity is suspected. Some people have concerns that this device could be an invasion of privacy. The technology used in thermal imagers was no developed specifically for law enforcement purposes. My view is that there is not a problem because it is a passive device. Law enforcement officers who use the devices are not driving down the streets looking for hot spots. Thermal imagers are not used as a random tool to see how many houses they can pick out that is growing dope. Police do routine investigations and then use the thermal imaging device to wrap up the case. Thermal imaging increases an officer’s vision and effectiveness, whether pursuing a fugitive, a lost boater, buried body, or evidence at an accident scene. It can even tip officers off to a crime before it happens. A perpetrator, missing person, or abandoned vehicle can be spotted by officers before they are exposed to any danger. Thermal imaging also makes life easier in

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