Biometric technology is advancing at an almost exponential rate, and its impact on law enforcement is only going to grow. Despite the fact that biometric measures will allow police to help keep communities safer and perhaps even allow for cold cases to be solved and criminals brought to justice, there are many who believe these advancements amount to a violation of personal liberty. We’re going to examine biometric security measures and look at both sides of the question of their use and potential abuse.

One of the biggest advances in biotechnology that can affect law enforcement is the use of fingerprint readers or face recognition to open devices such as computers and smartphones. When a suspect is arrested, many times police would like to search their electronic devices for any evidence that could be associated with their alleged criminal activity. However, this might be considered a violation of Fourth Amendment (search and seizure)  and Fifth Amendment (incrimination of oneself) rights, according to many activists.

A federal judge ruled in 2016 that a suspect could be compelled to unlock an iPhone that was using fingerprint security, but a different federal judge in 2017 found that this did not meet the standard for compelling biometrics from a suspect. The issue surrounding compelled biometrics will likely end up being decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Another use of biometric advances comes in the area of facial recognition software and security cameras. The newest versions of biometric facial recognition software go far beyond just the face, to being able to analyze someone’s walking pattern, voice, and even just the iris of their eye.

The subject of this use of biometric advancements in law enforcement has gained media attention lately with the provision of software by Amazon, called Rekognition, to law enforcement organizations. The system has been tested in major cities including Orlando, Florida, where it has received the support of the city’s mayor.

“Facial recognition is already being used everywhere. I see people open their iPhones with it. When I come back in the country they do facial recognition for my Customs and Border Patrol entry,” Mayor Buddy Dyer told the Orlando Sentinel. “This is just using it in a little bit broader sense for crime prevention or crime apprehension. I think we’ll be able to balance that need. It’s not something where we’re going Big Brother and following everybody.”

Critics of the system, including the ACLU, say the use of facial recognition biometric systems on surveillance cameras around a city allow tracking of innocent civilians who have done nothing to stir the interest of local law enforcement. They fear that law enforcement officials could decide that someone is a “person of interest” in some crime and begin tracking them through these systems without warrant or oversight.

Another major concern among privacy activists is that the facial recognition software could be used to track a totally innocent person’s purchases and put it in a database that could cause them to be examined as suspects in crimes concerning which certain objects are discovered, even if that person has no connection at all to the incident in question. The activists feel that this would be an illegal search that violates an American’s Constitutional rights.

One thing that even the fiercest critics will admit is that biometrics can be a very valuable tool against domestic terrorism and acts of mass violence. Biometric measures were most recently used to identify the shooter at a newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland after he tried to avoid identification through manipulation of his fingerprints. The question seems to be finding that balance between biometric measures and personal freedoms.

No matter how far biometric advancements may go in helping law enforcement, departments will need the tools to share with each other the information that comes from biometrics. KOVA Corp. is your source for software that allows you to keep your department’s community and information smoothly flowing. Contact your KOVA representative today to find out how our systems can help you today and into the future.

In this day of social media, with everything police officers do at risk of being observed and recorded by the public, it’s more important than ever that law enforcement engage in effective communication techniques. The actions of officers in dealing with the public, with government officials, and even with each other can inadvertently escalate situations in which effective communication would alleviate the problem.

The first step in having effective communications in a police department is to have an established process for communications when an incident takes place. This process should lay out step by step the actions officers should take if they find themselves in a situation where communication with superiors or the public is necessary beyond normal daily interaction.

For example, if you have an officer at an incident who has gathered information that is vital to other officers responding to the situation, they should know who their immediate superior is in order to report the information. That superior, in turn, should have clear instructions about whether to contact the department chief, or the public information officer, or commanders of specialized units.

The policy should be taught to every member of a department and also maintained in some kind of software version that records the acknowledgement of officers that they have seen and read the process.

The second step is for leadership to be proactive in its development of communication plans and revision of them as community situations change. In many cases, it would be of benefit to a department to have a crisis communications team in place for major situations.

This crisis communications team would have members with clearly defined roles that would be aimed to streamline communication of vital information during incidents such as mass shootings or natural disasters. The team should have a designated communications point person for internal communications as well as a single spokesperson who would be the only one authorized to deal with the public and media. That would allow your officers to know they can focus on the situation at hand without having to be pestered by reporters or nosy onlookers.

It’s also essential to have a plan to set up press conferences and regular information releases so media outlets will back off from pressuring rank-and-file officers for more information. If the media know they will receive regular updates from your designated spokesperson, it’s likely that that individual will be the only one who has to deal with the media.

Finally, make effective communication drills a part of your regular training process.  When you’re working through situations to prepare for the worst, include a focus on the communications between officers and command centers in your post-training debrief.  If officers know during training sessions that they are also going to be scored on their effectiveness in implementing your established communications plans, they are more likely to pay close attention to the details.

These are just a few suggestions toward making your department’s communication stronger and more effective, especially in times of high stress or community disruption.  Putting these items into practice can help you anticipate the unexpected and give you a solid base for future operations.

KOVA Corp. is dedicated to helping you establish solid communications between officers and departments. KOVA’s KEANS service could be invaluable in helping you in times of crisis. Contact your KOVA representative today to find out how you can use KEANS to work with these suggestions and make your department’s communications shine.

When we try to take a look ahead into what the next decade could bring for law enforcement and public safety, there are multiple challenges that could mean significant changes to the way officers interact with their communities.

One of the biggest ways to combat these challenges is a new focus on community-oriented policing. Community-oriented policing is not a new idea, and many departments have been successfully using it for years. However, with the recent media spotlight on any perceived misdeed by law enforcement officers as an excuse to disparage the men and women who are risking their lives to protect their communities, many people are being given negative impressions of their local police.

That’s why the concepts of community-oriented policing are going to be a must for all departments, as every choice officers make could be put onto the internet and second-guessed by those who know nothing about law enforcement or the situation.

Criminal justice researcher Rebecca L. Paynich of Curry College in Massachusetts calls for police to seek education, including higher education, because it will help them obtain better communication skills, be more tolerant with citizens who may approach an officer in a hostile or belligerent manner, comprehend different perspectives on civil rights issues, and find ways to avoid deadly force in confrontations.

This focus on improved community-oriented policing can also be enhanced by key advancements in technology. Devices such as body cameras can allow police officials to show concerned community members and activists what actually happened in a situation if someone makes an accusation against an officer. Being able to bring the actual video and then have face-to-face dialogue with community leaders can be crucial in building relationships with segments of the community that may have a distrust of law enforcement.

Another future advancement that will change the way officers are able to serve their communities is next-generation 911 systems that will allow residents to send text messages, photos, videos, and other information that will allow officers to have a better idea of the “situation on the ground” before arriving at the location of an emergency. Imagine the benefit to officers if they’re being called to a “shots fired” scenario and they’ve already been supplied with video from the scene that shows the incident, and pictures that show potential suspects and the general layout of the area. Knowing a safe way to approach the scene is much easier with those tools.

Along that line of knowing the scene before officers actually approach, advancements in robots and drones will also allow not only for increased intelligence about crises but also for provision of real-time data to officers in tense situations.

Other trends that are going to have an impact are the aging of the baby boomer population and the growth of cyber crime. The threat of cyber crime is exponentially growing in the U.S. and exceeded $1.3 billion in 2016. As the population continues to age and technology can be more difficult to grasp for older Americans, it opens the door to more avenues for cyber criminals. Departments will need to train their officers on how to deal with situations that may have a cyber component, when in the past similar situations wouldn’t have any involvement of something like a smartphone app.

An overall factor in the likely advances we’ve mentioned and others that we haven’t been able to include is the importance of strong communication. That’s where KOVA Corp. stands ready to help you and your department prepare for whatever changes you may find your department facing in the near and distant future. Contact KOVA at 1-800-204-5200 to find out how systems like the Verint Media Recorder for Public Safety can not only help you now but continue to develop to keep you ready for whatever is next.

As we take a look at challenges facing rural law enforcement, we do have to make the disclaimer that no two rural police departments are the same, and while many will face similar challenges, not everything that is mentioned in this article necessarily applies to your local rural police force.

Most people don’t know that according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, roughly three out of every four police departments serve a community of fewer than 10,000 people and that these rural and small-town departments employ about 54 percent of the nation’s sworn officers as of 2013. About half of the departments have fewer than 10 officers.

This means one of the biggest challenges that face law enforcement is covering their community when they have a small force of officers. Despite television shows that make rural areas appear to be idyllic crime-free areas, FBI crime statistics show that while crime rates are lower than in urban areas, they are on the increase when compared to previous years. In some cases, such as drug-related crimes, the crime rates between urban and rural areas can match.

Because smaller areas produce less tax revenue, many rural police chiefs find they have to run a budget that is very strict in controlling overtime and other costs, making it difficult for departments to keep staffing at effective levels during times of high call volume. Recent statistics show that rural police make do with an average per-officer expenditure of about half that of their urban counterparts. In some rural departments, the budget restrictions are so intense that they have to pay for their own uniforms and weapons.

This brings in a second problem for rural police departments: Officers who have more training and experience tend to gravitate toward departments that have more resources and can provide more safety equipment and safer situations. For example, many rural departments are forced to have officers patrol alone; this means backup in a dangerous situation could be too far away at critical moments. The rate at which rural police officers are killed in the line of duty is almost double that of the largest urban police departments.

That risk to officers rises in some rural departments because of the size of their jurisdictions. For example, some counties in Arizona are larger than the entire state of Hawaii. In those areas, communications can be a problem because cell towers are too far away to provide reliable coverage. Backup officers could be 25 or more miles away. If an officer is away for mandatory state training, it even further hampers the department and increases the risk to officers.

Another unique struggle for some rural departments is that because of the smaller population, the community will know the individual officers personally, know their families and the details of their private lives. Unlike in major cities where respect often is given because of the uniform, in rural communities people will know if the officer is a man or woman of integrity and honor and will give or withhold respect accordingly.

Now, this challenge can also be a benefit, as many rural residents report having a higher positive view of their local department’s officers than in urban areas. Studies show that in urban areas residents are more than three times more likely to believe that police are corrupt or are targeting a specific race.

These are just a few of the challenges that are facing rural law enforcement. Unfortunately, rural law enforcement has not been researched as intensely as its urban counterparts because of budgetary issues and other restrictions. With further study, more insight can be offered into the challenges that face our rural law enforcement officers and their commanders.

KOVA Corp. is focused on helping rural law enforcement in cost-effective ways. Contact your KOVA representative today to see how we can make your budget dollars go farther.

Advances in technology for law enforcement have fascinated the public for years. That’s why shows like CSI were so successful: the public wants to believe the police have all the advanced tools necessary to bring criminals to justice even when the evidence is hard to find. While much of what’s seen on TV doesn’t much resemble the real thing, there is one area of technology that is becoming a reliable tool for law enforcement: 3D printing.

One of the most effective uses of a 3D printer is the re-creation of crime scenes. A 3D printer can quickly and very accurately re-create the items at a crime scene, allowing investigators to have more accurate models for study. While the 3D printer can’t bring out every detail, because the models are plastic, it can create overall structures over which technicians can then place metal or other materials.

These detailed models allow investigators to judge things like bullet trajectories, potential escape routes for criminals, or hiding places within the structure.

The re-creation of crime scenes using a 3D printer is also valuable when dealing with a cold case or other circumstances in which the crime scene is no longer accessible to law enforcement. The 3D printing technology is advanced to the point that it can bring even the minutest detail to re-creations if clear photos of the scene are available to technicians.

Officers can also use the models when testifying in court. This will allow them to explain more clearly to juries what happened at the crime scene. The models will allow jurors to review the crime scene throughout the trial and during deliberations.

Another use of 3D printers is for re-creations of bodies in an attempt to solve cold cases.  For instance, a 3D printer can be used to re-create a victim’s skull from photographs or from the actual skull if it’s available, which would allow clay to be used for facial reconstruction of victims. That process was used by the sheriff’s office in Greene County, Ohio when they discovered the remains of a woman in the woods. Once they published the resulting reconstruction, they quickly obtained identification of the victim, and arrested suspects in the killing.

It’s also possible to use the 3D printing of skulls or other bones to show the impact of weapons that led to injuries to the victim. Again, this technology can be used in the courtroom to allow juries to see the result of weapon impacts, and coroners can more easily explain cause of death or show how a particular injury would tie a defendant to the crime.

As the technology of 3D printing continues to advance, there are more applications that seem to be on the horizon. For example, a team of researchers at Michigan State University found that they could 3D-print hands that could bypass hand and fingerprint scanners. The printers used a flexible material which simulates human skin and contains metal particles in the outside coating. The hands were then worn like a glove to fool the scanners.

In the future, that technology could be used to unlock the smartphones of crime victims or suspects, or to bypass biometric security on a laptop or desktop computer. The technology needs better quality detail on fingerprints to make this happen, but the advances in 3D printing technology have been occurring so rapidly that this application seems imminent.

Companies that can take care of 3D printing services for law enforcement are already forming, and such companies can save time and money for individual departments.

So while there are things the public sees on crime shows that are still in the realm of fiction, it’s also apparent that actual advances in 3D printing technology are making the once-fictional completely factual.

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