NCJ Number
231858
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 37 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2010 Pages: 8,10,13
Date Published
July 2010
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article examines the use of smartphones by police departments in Soldotna, AK, and Baltimore, MD.
Abstract
Due to rapid changes in mobile technology, police departments are using smartphones as a way to improve community policing efforts. The primary benefits of smartphone use by patrol officers is the ability of officers to get out of the patrol car and interact with the community while taking the "office" with them. Other benefits of smartphone use include increased productivity, immediate access to critical data, elimination of pen and paper reporting, and better use of departmental budgets. It is noted, however, that certain problems should be addressed before an agency purchases smartphones: the existence of dead zones; officer mobility; local, State, and Federal laws regarding restrictions on wireless communications by law enforcement; partnerships with other agencies regarding data sharing; and information storage. Other issues to consider with smartphones include battery usage, holsters, and cost of the equipment. The police departments in Baltimore, MD, and Soldotna, AK, are cited as examples of the successful use of smartphones.