Here we are, seven weeks into our exploration of e-governance and its relation to law enforcement and now its time to look at the "cooler" side of government service. As we near the end of this series, this week we will look at some innovations in Geospatial Technology. Geospatial technology is equipment used in visualization, measurement, and analysis of earth's features and uses such systems as GPS (global positioning systems), GIS (geographical information systems), and RS (remote sensing).
Somewhere up above us right now traveling at over 17,000 mph, there are numerous satellites that send and receive digital information from us on the ground. Depending on the satellite's function, they can be used to transmit images, sounds, and even data. Some of that data can be used to help us find our way around town or give us a virtual image of our surroundings. This is what I want to hit on today.
GPS is the most common form of geospatial technology that the Average Joe uses on the street (GPS receiver is the name of the actual device consumers use to be technically accurate). Using complex mathematical algorithms and triangulation between three satellites, our exact position on earth can be determined relative to everything around us. In law enforcement, this is extremely important because back in the day, officers on the ground had to pull out a handy dandy map and figure out the best way to the scene of a call. Now with GPS, once the address and starting point is plugged in, everything is calculated for the officer, and in some more complex GPS systems, traffic conditions and real time weather can also be displayed. This saves money, time, and increases efficiency and customer service. Many large agencies today use this, but for a large number of smaller agencies, this is simply not the case. I would argue that while there is certainly a large cost involved, officer safety and liability should always come first making the expense worth it.
GIS is great technology that is probably well known for its use in Google Earth applications. GIS in conjunction with 3-D applications has a very specific use in law enforcement operations. Imagine a SWAT team having to serve a high risk warrant on a residence, but the layout of the residence is unknown. Satellite imagery using 3-D applications can give a virtual tour of the structure prior to going in which can save lives, reduce injuries, and can help with planning and execution. Of course, with the increased use of drone technology, GIS may become a secondary choice in the very near future. But for now, GIS is the gold standard. I would suggest that as GIS becomes more mainstream in government applications, law enforcement may consider building its own database for tactical operations. Many of the 3-D images as seen on Google Earth are obtained using remote sensing from satellites to create the images. However, a word of caution when relying on Google Earth. Many of the images are outdated so it may not always be reliable which is why I suggested that drone technology will be a more reliable and practical alternative in the near future.
The ESRI video below features Christian Carlson who talks about the future of GIS in government applications:
GPS is the most common form of geospatial technology that the Average Joe uses on the street (GPS receiver is the name of the actual device consumers use to be technically accurate). Using complex mathematical algorithms and triangulation between three satellites, our exact position on earth can be determined relative to everything around us. In law enforcement, this is extremely important because back in the day, officers on the ground had to pull out a handy dandy map and figure out the best way to the scene of a call. Now with GPS, once the address and starting point is plugged in, everything is calculated for the officer, and in some more complex GPS systems, traffic conditions and real time weather can also be displayed. This saves money, time, and increases efficiency and customer service. Many large agencies today use this, but for a large number of smaller agencies, this is simply not the case. I would argue that while there is certainly a large cost involved, officer safety and liability should always come first making the expense worth it.
The ESRI video below features Christian Carlson who talks about the future of GIS in government applications:
So as you can see, the future is bright for government and the use of GIS applications. Just remember that for our law enforcement agency, the application will likely be used for internal operations more so than to provide external customer service. Nonetheless, it is very applicable to our line of work. As always, we need to make sure our IT department can provide the programming we need and we also need to make sure that we have rules and regulations in place when using the applications. Next week I will be discussing the issues of social justice and the digital divide. This will include a look at the ethical issues regarding equity, access, and privacy and how it impacts us in law enforcement. So until next week, take care.
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