EVERYONE is concerned about crime. That’s no secret. It’s debatable whether or not there is more crime today than in the past, but people generally feel more unsafe today; perhaps because they see and hear more media coverage about crime.
Most people are not tracing the trend though and do not perceive that criminals today are really racing against technology. Reports show local police department acquiring more military grade equipment and technology to fight crime. In a few years, this investment in technology will reduce crime as long as police departments are able to keep up with processing the results they will obtain from their new toys. Over time suspect identification and evidence gathering will become more and more sophisticated from the proliferation and use of cameras and other tracking devices that your average young or middle-class offender will stand little chance of escaping detection when committing crimes.
Locally, the Rockford Police Department is working to obtain more street cameras and a means to immediately identify gunshot source locations. On the one hand, communities are in support of police attempts to beef up technology. On the other hand, at some point in the future, community citizens may end up finding police technology intrusive and themselves lacking any protection about it and it’s potential misuse.
While Rockford Police Chief O’Shea publicly works to get more equipment, most Rockfordians don’t know that the Rockford Police Department has also quietly discontinued it’s program for police officers to use body cameras. The department now claims body cameras are not a priority and are too expensive to implement.
Police departments across the nation support body cameras for police because they generally find them helpful in defending their departments against allegations of physical abuse against arrestees. However, Rockford abandoned them during their pilot project roll-out and never even gave them a chance to work.
Read, an issue of concern: Some police Departments regressing against use of body cameras
From the Article:
“…Mann said he does still believe body-worn cameras are an effective tool for police officers.
Defense attorneys and civil rights groups say the proposed script would give officers a blueprint to explain away misconduct documented on video.
Heather Hamel, executive director of Arizona Justice That Works, a group dedicated to ending mass incarceration, said reading officers the statement about video is effectively witness tampering.
“It’s going to impact the integrity of investigations involving police misconduct or potential police misconduct. It’s going to feed officers potential excuses to explain away their behavior,” Hamel said…”
RichardWanke.Com 