Innovations in wireless communications are influencing how other technologies can perform for law enforcement agencies.
The 5G or fifth-generation promises to have greater stability, the ability to connect many devices at once, enhanced virtual and augmented reality, and transfer data way faster than before.
While 4G tops out at 100 megabits per second, 5G tops out at 10 gigabits per second, which means 5G is a hundred times faster than the current 4G technology.
Although the investment required for 5G base station development is about 1.5 times that needed for 4G, many major cities across the globe already have 5G coverage. Check out this interactive map by Ookla that shows where networks are currently deployed.
Several law enforcement agencies are now starting to believe that 5G can enhance officers’ work, so let’s look into some examples.
Dubai Police´s First 5G Patrol
Dubai Police recently launched the first 5G-enabled patrol in the Middle East. Brigadier Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi, Director of Artificial Intelligence at Dubai Police, said the force seeks to provide its patrols with the latest smart technologies and solutions as part of their strategy to secure the emirate.
“Implementing 5G-enabled services is one of many steps taken by the Dubai Police to reach high-security standards in the city. It enables us to transfer data at high speed.”
The smart vehicle is furnished with AI, facial recognition and high-tech cameras connected to the control and command room via Etisalat’s 5G network.
Abdulla Ibrahim Al Ahmed, Senior VP for Government Institutions Sales at Etisalat, added: “The 5G-enabled patrol aims at reducing the response time, fast transferring of data in the security sector, connecting patrol camera with the highest resolution to the command and control room as well as facial recognition technology,”
Last year, Dubai Police announced that they would be bringing in Elon Musk’s Cybertruck to its fleet of cars that already includes an Aston Martin One-77, a Bentley Continental GT, a Bugatti Veyron and a Ferrari FF, amongst others.
China’s 5G Police Station
In China, 5G is a national priority and the Police Station in Bao’an District has become the first 5G smart police station. As reported by sznews.com, the goal is to increase the police officer’s efficiency.
The smart station is equipped with robots, drones and AR smart glasses, all of which use 5G networks to send real-time ultra-high-definition footage. Drones and patrol robots help police supervision, allowing officers at the station to see and collaborate with the patrol group at crime scenes.
Patrol robots are making 24-hour police patrols possible, whilst facial recognition tech allows to instantly match criminal records with facial images captured by AR glasses.
The station has also upgraded its police motorcycles by installing intelligent cameras that can recognize license plates and drivers’ faces. The collected data uploads to the command center in real-time, helping the police to promptly locate targeted vehicles.
Spain´s 5G First Responders Program
‘5G First Responders’ is a new system that uses 5G connectivity to give first responders, such as police, real-time medical assistance at the site of an emergency.
The program is expected to be deployed in all of Catalonia by 2025 and, already during the pilot trial, a police officer has successfully provided emergency assistance to a child supposedly having an epileptic attack.
Using a smart camera and sharing images in real-time through 5G technology, the officer was able to connect with a pediatrician at Parc Taulí hospital, who gave him instructions on how to provide primary care and stabilize the patient.
The idea was to show how the municipal police could provide medical attention on public roads in cases of emergency before ambulances are able to arrive.