There are plenty of different ways we keep ourselves and our loved ones safe at home, but once we leave the friendly confines of our house, we open ourselves up to a variety of new dangers. Luckily, we also have quite a few public safety measures in place to keep us safe and secure. The layers of security woven into our everyday lives are complex, and they are constantly evolving. The 911 emergency line wasn’t even in use until the late 60’s, so we can see that there have been some pretty significant changes along the way. But what’s next for public safety? Where are the trends pointing now? Let’s explore where public safety is going in the next year.
The calls for police officers to wear body cameras have been gathering more steam in the past few years, and it looks as though more precincts are going to be outfitting their officers with body cameras in the coming year. Currently, only about one in three police departments use body cameras, but the number is on the rise as communities around the country call for more transparency and accountability from their police forces. While there are still policy and implementation issues to work out for police departments, the interest in body cameras seems likely to increase in the coming year.
The threat posed by terrorism is on the minds of many people across the globe, and the fight against that threat is increasingly being waged on digital fronts. A new app called See Something, Send Something was recently unveiled, and it gives the average citizen the ability to report suspicious activity directly to law enforcement officials. The app is currently in use New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Louisiana, Colorado, and Virginia, but look for more states to embrace the app in the coming year. This app combines the fight against terrorism with the public’s love of smartphones, and it will definitely be expanding in 2016.
For a huge amount of Americans, checking social media is a daily routine. Originally, social media sites like Twitter and Facebook were for keeping up with friends, but they are increasingly being used as a source of news and updates. Many people no longer think to flip on the television if there is an emergency, but instead look to their phones for instant updates on social media sites. In the event of public emergencies and inclement weather, emergency service providers can quickly get instructions and warnings to the general public through social media outlets. The use of social media to disseminate information to the general public is only going to increase in 2016.
At KOVA, we understand the complex nature of public safety initiatives, and our cutting edge public safety software solutions can help simplify and streamline the needs of any organization. Contact us today if you think your organization could benefit from our help.
