10 ways area police departments are using technology

Within the last several weeks, policing technology has made local headlines.

Scott City Police Department, for example, announced they had new technology in their dispatch center that could access video from a 911 caller with their permission. That technology, while new to Scott City, is being used in other jurisdictions in the area as well.

Last month, Cape Girardeau Police Department used license plate camera technology to apprehend suspects who had outstanding felony warrants.

In light of these news stories, the Southeast Missourian asked area law enforcement agencies about ways they're employing technology. Here is a list of 10:

Body cameras for law enforcement officers are common these days and are among technology officers are using in the field and in operations centers.Bob Miller ~ Southeast Missourian

Body cameras for law enforcement officers are common these days and are among technology officers are using in the field and in operations centers.Bob Miller ~ Southeast Missourian

• ShotSpotter: In April of last year, Cape Girardeau police invested in new "ShotSpotter" technology. It uses microphone technology to detect possible gunshots. The technology cannot only differentiate gunshots from other loud bangs such as fireworks, it can give officers a location from where the shots originated. Since the implementation of the technology, police have collected 339 shell casings, recovered 13 guns and made 12 arrests.
• Flock license plate cameras: Connected to a network of some 3,000 cameras across the country, Flock cameras capture license plates and quickly run the plates through a database, which can tip off the locations of stolen vehicles or suspects in abduction cases. Already in use in Cape Girardeau, this technology is also being adopted in Sikeston and Jackson.
• Tablets: The Cape Girardeau Sheriff's Office issued tablets to inmates about a month ago. Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson said the department is still developing the uses, but the tablets allow inmates to access forms such as sick calls and grievances. They can also access the inmate handbook and work through mental health issues with the department's on-staff counselor. Inmates can purchase movies, games and other media through their commissary. The jail is expected to expand access to GED resources, religious services and support programs through the tablets. The tablets will also allow jail staff to send important alerts and messages directly to inmates as well.
• Body cameras: Cameras capturing images from an officer's point of view have gone mainstream. Not only do they provide accountability for officers, they can protect officers as well.
• Fingerprint scanners: Police no longer have to ask for photo identification to find out who a person is. Cape Girardeau police now have mobile scanners that can immediately identify a suspect if he or she has previously been fingerprinted for a crime. Similar technology is used by the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's office at the courthouse.
• Mobile data terminal software: Patrol officers now have computers installed in their vehicles. The MDT software allows officers to see data inputted by dispatchers in real time.
• Digiticket technology: Using computers, hand-held devices and mobile printers, officers can now issue tickets without having to write up paperwork with a pen and paper. Instead, they key in the traffic violation and print out a citation for the driver. The driver signs on a digital hand-held device. Several area jurisdictions have been using this technology for quite some time. This saves several minutes per traffic stop.
• Mobile camera trailers: Cape Girardeau police bought a trailer that can provide instant surveillance of a certain area. The trailer comes with four cameras and can be parked at any location. For example, public information officer Bobby Newton said, the trailer can be parked at the SEMO District Fair, or other large gatherings.
• G.L.O.V.E. tasers: While Tasers (Officially, Taser is a trademarked acronym for a stun gun) have been around for many years, police now have access to gloves that work in much the same way. G.L.O.V.E. is an acronym for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter. They work like a Taser, sending a shock of a few seconds onto an uncooperative or dangerous suspect.
• Drones: Cape Girardeau Sheriff's Office uses two drones, a larger one for larger use and a smaller one that can be deployed inside a building. Dickerson said they are used for operations, missing persons, training and large events. Cape Girardeau Police Department has access to drones through cooperation with the city's fire department.