|
Technology is advancing at such a pace that what is new today has a newer version tomorrow. However, “newer” does not necessarily mean more cost effective or that the older is obsolete. There are also factors within agencies and in the private sector, which should inhibit the acquisition of new technology (e.g., employee relations, community acceptance, ongoing training, maintenance, etc.). Also technology decision by large agencies may not be appropriate for smaller agencies because of economies of scale cost ramifications, difficulty of coordination, etc. Law enforcement agencies must partner with other public safety and transportation agencies to develop integrated networks that enable an authorized user to use data and resources no matter the location in federal, state, or local databases. Technology is expensive but through partnerships small agenices as well as large agencies can take advantage of the latest advances. Many of the technologies mentioned in this section do not lend themselves to direct application, development, or operations by a law enforcement agency per se. A number of the strategies throughout this section apply not only to police but to other public safety agencies, which have an impact of traffic safety. Law enforcement should be knowledgeable about the potential application of the technologies identified in this section, and support their adoption. |