Greater Lowell’s New Police Chiefs Facing High-Tech Challenges
Police chiefs in Greater Lowell, Mass., agree that technology has been both a boon and curse, making the lives of both law enforcement officers and criminals easier and harder, depending on how you look at it.
Technology has led to such innovative law enforcement tools as Tasers and computers that can access and provide data on suspects in a matter of seconds. But on the flip side, it has allowed predators to stalk children in online forums and drug dealers to utilize cell phones and pagers to peddle their wares rather than on street corners.
A boosted reliance on technology among officers has also necessitated increased training. “We’re looking for computer geeks to do our crime-fighting,” says Tewksbury police chief Al Donovan. “Technology is getting better every day, but the problem is finding people that can use it.”
Among the latest technological additions to area police departments are transponders in cruisers that allow for vehicle monitoring. Under development is technology that will allow officers on the beat to view real-time footage from cameras placed throughout the city.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Lowell Sun (MA) (04/30/06); Mills, Robert .
