The field of law enforcement has been undergoing a remarkable transformation with the integration of many new technologies. The evolving landscape of crime demands innovative solutions, so police agencies around the world are using technology to enhance their operational capabilities, improve public safety, and streamline the process of criminal investigation. Advances in technology have given law enforcement agencies an enormous opportunity to transform how they fight and prevent crime.
Artificial Intelligence Expands Police Capabilites
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used by law enforcement in a variety of ways. AI-powered analytics tools can sift through vast amounts of data to identify patterns and correlations to help police solve crimes. Machine learning algorithms can be trained to analyze large volumes of digital evidence to predict and prevent future criminal activity. A recent Deloitte study found that AI technologies could help cities reduce crime by 30 to 40 percent and reduce response times for emergency services by 20 to 35 percent.
Traditional crime analysis strategies have been significantly expanded through analytics technology and the abundance of digital data available today. Police departments can leverage this data to uncover trends, identify potential threats, and proactively prevent crime. By analyzing diverse datasets, including criminal records, social media activity, and transportation data, law enforcement agencies can gain actionable insights and make informed decisions.
Surveillance Cameras and Body Worn Cameras
Public surveillance cameras, dash cams, and other types of camera systems not only collect valuable evidence, their presence alone can have a chilling effect on crime. When a camera is present, the technology serves as a visible reminder to potential offenders that they are being watched and recorded. The same reminder also occurs via the use of police body cameras, which are now commonly used across U.S. law enforcement departments.
According to the National Institute of Justice, the most recent study measuring nationwide body cam usage found that “as of 2016, about 47% of the country’s 15,328 general-purpose law enforcement agencies had body-worn cameras.” Furthermore, many states now have laws requiring police officers to wear body cameras for accountability as well as for their own protection. AI has provided the means for many enhanced features in today’s video cameras and video evidence file management.
Data-Driven Predictive Policing
As a part of its crime prevention plan in the 1990’s the New York City police department developed COMPSTAT, a data-driven performance measurement system as a resource that could be used to better understand the causes of crime and in the development of crime prevention strategies. COMPSTAT data was eventually used to develop a predictive policing program called PredPol. Now known as Geolitica, this predictive modeling system has been designed to identify areas where crimes are likely to occur. It is intended to help law enforcement agencies allocate their resources more effectively, reducing crime rates and improving public safety.
Not all police departments are using this kind of technology. As AI becomes more ubiquitous and law enforcement becomes more familiar with its potential, its use is likely to grow. Technological advances will continue to enhance law enforcement’s ability to protect public spaces and, by extension, will continue to aid efforts to prevent crime and apprehend criminals.
Argus Body Worn Camera Featuring AI Capabilities
As a leading innovator of law enforcement tools, Kustom Signals has taken body worn police camera technology to the next level with Argus BWC.
Our team understands that video redaction can be a long process, but also that quick public release of footage is essential. Argus uses innovative back office AI technology to detect faces and allow redaction with the touch of a button. Not only does working with AI-enhanced products and technology expedite the release of video, the time officers save allows them to spend more of their shift in the field, serving their community.
Argus Police Body Worn Cameras features voice activation trained by artificial intelligence, recognizing common phrases to automatically trigger recording mode and capture footage. This assures that officers obtain important footage, even when they are unable to manually activate their body worn camera. The trigger automatically allows the camera to activate for live streaming in the event of threats such as falling or gunfire.
Kustom Signals also has storage solutions available for on-site evidence management, as well as unlimited cloud storage, so it’s easy to classify and organize comprehensive files while allowing administrators to control access and easily share files inside and outside of the agency.
Stealthstat II Data Collection
Police departments frequently use speed sensors and similar technologies to monitor traffic and speeding. Along with these technologies, they can benefit from the use of traffic data collection tools like the Kustom Signals StealthStat II Convert Traffic Data Collector. Law enforcement agencies find it very beneficial in helping to identify periods of time when enforcement is needed, so police can focus their speed enforcement resources when and where they are needed the most.
The StealthStat II traffic data collector also provides police departments with the ability to conduct covert traffic analysis in targeted areas when needed. The device’s compact size and included mounting hardware allows for easy installation. Our proven SMARTstat Analysis Software is user-friendly, allowing for the quick analysis of traffic data for:
- Verification of speeding complaints
- Determining best times to deploy traffic officers
- Grant applications information
- Determining peak road usage times
Contact Kustom Signals to learn more about how we can help you make your operations more effective with crime prevention technology.