When you ask the average citizen what they think a state highway patrol officer does during his shift, they’re likely to tell you that the officer sits along a highway, points a radar gun at oncoming traffic, and then chases down speeders to write tickets.

While yes, state troopers do enforce traffic laws and give out tickets to those who break the law, that’s just a small part of what they do every day.

One of the essential things state highway patrol officers do is manage and investigate traffic accidents, especially if the accidents occur on multiple-lane thoroughfares. State officers are likely to be the ones to direct traffic away from the scene of the incident, and state investigators are usually the most experienced when it comes to determining the actions that led to the accident.

State officers have been known to transport victims with non-life-threatening injuries to hospitals in the event that there are not enough ambulances are available, or to transport home those victims of the crash whose vehicles have been disabled and who have no other way to return to their homes.

State patrol officers also spend much of their time helping motorists who have a flat tire or other problem with their cars. By stopping and putting the patrol car with flashing lights behind the disabled vehicle, they make the situation safer for everyone involved by making drivers of oncoming vehicles aware of a problem ahead. The troopers can help the drivers contact a tow truck or other services that can help them get the disabled vehicle away from the flow of traffic.

Many times, especially in more rural situations, the state trooper is the first person to arrive on the scene of any reported crime. Troopers go through extensive training to be able to identify the type of situation they are facing upon arriving at a reported crime scene. The troopers usually are the ones who provide vital intel to later-arriving first responders or police about what they will face when they arrive on the scene.

In many of those cases, the state troopers also handle the actual investigation of the crime. Most state police departments have troopers who specialize in crime scene investigations, evidence collection, and other key parts of the investigative process. Many of these officers are more seasoned members of the force who have worked their way up through the ranks.

In many state police departments, there are troopers who work in very specialized teams. For example, in most states, the state highway patrol is responsible for security for the governor and any other state official who may require protection at public events. It’s not unusual to see half a dozen troopers (sometimes wearing suits instead of uniforms) in a circle around a governor walking through a public venue.

With the looming threat of terrorism in America, many state police departments have developed some form of anti-terrorism team. These groups focus not only on being prepared for outside attacks on their states but also on homegrown organizations that might want to cause mass harm. These units will likely be the key members of an investigation in an incident such as the bombing or arson of a church, synagogue, or mosque.

And there are so many more things that a state highway patrol officer could do, such as running a canine unit in drug raids, vehicle stops or administering polygraph tests. They could be transporting prisoners from a courthouse to prison.

They also do things that don’t involve crime directly but that involve the community, such as helping to organize community watches or help security planning for major events.

KOVA Corp. salutes the men and women of our highway patrol departments across the country and wants them to know that we appreciate the long hours, hard work, and sacrifice they make to keep our country safe. KOVA’s software systems can help the communications of your departments and allow your officers to be secure in knowing they have reliable communications even in the most dangerous of situations. Contact your KOVA Corp. representative today to find out how we can help you.

When you hear mention of the term “forensics,” you may immediately think of television shows like CSI, where a police officer discovers a tiny piece of evidence that can be used to positively identify a criminal. That’s the popular view of police forensics, but only recently have technological advances made actual police forensics resemble something like what you see on TV. Here are six major forensic breakthroughs related to technology that are changing the way crimes are processed.

1. Touch DNA

One major forensic advancement has come in the field of DNA. Police are now able to obtain what is being called “touch DNA” from objects that were simply touched by a suspect. This means if someone is being questioned by a police officer and he or she happens to pick up a newspaper off a table, the officer can take the paper and obtain DNA simply from where the paper was touched by the suspect.

2. Portable testing units

There have also been advances that allow for quicker analysis of DNA evidence. Tests on DNA that, historically, would have to be sent to a lab and where it would take three to five days to process for results, can now be obtained in as little as 90 minutes via a portable testing unit. This could lead to a more rapid apprehension of suspects in violent crimes.

3. Drones

Drones are also doing their part to help advance police forensics. Some of the most sophisticated drones can shoot high definition video from higher altitudes than ever before. That means that when a police department is dealing with a situation where a riot or protest may be taking place, or there is an armed suspect hiding in an area that would be dangerous for officers to search without some kind of aerial surveillance, they can not only get up to the minute information for officers on the ground but they can provide recordings that will be useful in court.

4. Google Glass

While Google Glass has been available to the general public for a while, it’s now also being developed as a tool for law enforcement. An officer on patrol would be able to use Glass to record what he or she sees as they cover an area and search for information, such as business information or who lives in the homes they are passing. If the Glass is connected to facial recognition software, they can even get real-time information about anyone they meet.

5. Immunochromatography

Another advancement in tech for forensics is aimed at assisting the investigations into sexual assault cases. The new method will allow technicians to look at blood samples taken from assault victims and test it in a way to let investigators know if the blood is natural blood or resulting from an injury. This helps investigators and forensic techs narrow down which blood needs to be sent for DNA testing, lowering response time for cases and the overall workload on regional forensic centers.

6. Fingerprint protection

Finally, a new development in fingerprint technology created by British researchers at Loughborough University makes it impossible for criminals to remove their fingerprints from a crime scene. The university researchers worked with the British Ministry of Defense to create a technique to retrieve fingerprints from crime scene surfaces that have been immersed in water, exposed to high temperatures or have been deformed.

“This research with Loughborough has seen us demonstrate the ability to recover fingerprints that would have been previously exceptionally challenging or impossible to recover,” lead scientist Steven Thorngate told Forensic Magazine. “Although the technology needs further refinement, it will be of significant benefit to forensic scientists across the world.”

KOVA Corp. is dedicated to being on the cutting edge of technology advancement for law enforcement and first responders. Talk to your KOVA Corp. representative today about how KEANS or one of our other programs would be an enhancement to your department’s services.

The men and women who fight fires every day are always hoping for new advancements in technology that would make their work easier, and more importantly, safer than it is today. Here are five revolutionary technological advancements that are on the cutting edge of fire safety, and could help firefighters save lives.

1. Virtual reality

One of the most groundbreaking technological revolutions, virtual reality is positioned to make firefighters’ lives easier and safer by allowing them to train without actually having to fight a real fire.

“Virtual reality will give us the opportunity to immerse students into real incidents, allow them to see outcomes and develop critical thinking skills,” says Dan Wright, owner of Wright Public Safety Consulting and Training. “I believe it will disrupt the training model as we know it.”

So how does it work? Virtual reality can place a training firefighter into any scenario, complete with a 360-degree field of vision. That means training officials can surprise the firefighters with any kind of complication during their emergency scenario, including something coming up on them from behind. This will allow them to execute an infinite amount of training scenarios without having to spend the money to build multiple training locations. Plus, it allows firefighters to train safely.

With virtual reality, not only can firefighters enter virtual environments – they can use virtual tools like hoses and axes to douse flames, breach walls, ventilate a fire room or rescue people.

2. Portable ultrasound devices

Portable ultrasound devices, which are currently being tested in the field, are intended to help fire-based EMTs the ability to make better assessments in heart, lung and abdominal cases. The device allows them to feed better information back to their command center or a nearby hospital, giving doctors the opportunity to help them in the field.

3. Drones

When a fire unit arrives on the scene of a major fire, information obtained quickly by drones for the firefighting crews can not only help them quickly extinguish the flames but increase safety by showing areas too dangerous to enter.

Using a drone, a fire technician can hover over the scene, provide up to the second intel for firefighters on the ground and direct rescue personnel should someone be discovered inside actively dangerous areas.

Because drone technology is advancing rapidly, the cost to obtain a quality drone is no longer prohibitive for most departments. Most departments can afford the cost of the FAA required training and certification, so now that equipment is becoming affordable, look for the use of drones by fire departments to continue to increase.

4. Personnel location gear

These devices allow a technician in a mobile command center to track the exact location of every single firefighter deployed in an emergency. They become vital in the event a situation is occurring inside a building or some other structure prone to collapse. If the building falls, there is a good chance that the firefighters involved will become unconscious or otherwise incapable of communicating their position to their fellow firefighters.

5. Thermal imaging displays

A final advancement that is beginning to gain popularity is thermal imaging displays that are built directly into a firefighter’s helmet. The use of the helmet mounted thermal imaging allows the firefighters to keep both of their hands-free in all situations.

The team at KOVA Corp. is dedicated to technological advancement that keeps our firefighters safer and in contact, reliable communication. To find out how KOVA is working to stay on the cutting edge of today’s technology, like our KEANS system, contact your KOVA representative today!

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