History+of+Police+Technology

The purpose of this unit is to gain a historical perspective of the different developments and how they affected the models. It is fairly clear that many scholars believe that the introduction of early technologies like the automobile and the radio enhanced the development of the Professional Model. You will see where the Professional Model ultimately produced Incident Driven Policing and community dissatisfaction with the police. However, the Professional Model, with its emphasis on record keeping did give researchers plenty of information from which to explore the nature of American policing. Out of the research, a primary new model-Community Oriented Policing and a secondary model - Problem Orientated Policing emerged. As the student explores police technology further they should look for technologies that continue to reinforce the Professional Model and those that do, or could, enhance the Community Model. By looking at the development of fingerprint technology you should be able to see the tactical and strategic value of information in law enforcement. Moreover, you will experience how technology significantly enhanced the value of this information. It was transformed to true strategic information and ultimately will be of significant tactical value. The concepts of policy and procedure primarily for the student to consider what happens when computer decision making is supplemented for human decision making. Certainly, computers are much better at storing, organizing and recalling vast amounts of data. You should be on the lookout for where we may want to insert human judgment in any criminal justice loop. If someone mis-enters a name, your name could end up in NCIC as wanted. We don't want police officers acting solely on that information. We want them to exercise judgment.
 * A Brief History of Police Technology**

You will also look for fragmentation again. Fragmentation is an overriding constant theme in police technology. The more you understand its causes and effects the more able you will be able to deal with the problem and search for solutions.

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