Law

The street officers lack the modern equipments for dealing with crime. Some of the modern tools that police officers are supposed to use are Global Positioning Systems (GPS), personal computers, mobile phones and digital cameras (Howe, 2003). Digital imaging for fingerprints is another technology that police are supposed to use. Police officers do not access computers on the streets. As technology improves, crime becomes more complex. Criminals are using current technology to increase their criminal activities. The police require up-to-date machinery to deal with the up coming criminal activities (Laurillard, 2008).

Recent developments that would help the departments patrol officers better communicate or perform their job in the field

The use of intranet technology is required by the street police. Street police should be able to access information in their patrol cars (Laurillard, 2008). Efficient communication is essential for the street officers. Modern technology in the policing department has come up with machines which can give the details of a person. Such details include the mode of thinking, the people they are living with, their daily activities, and more information which is required to trace the criminal activities that surrounds a person (Howe, 2003). The street police require Records Management Systems (RMS) to keep records of criminal activities. They also need Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to have the history of crimes committed in certain geographical zones. Digital map layers of all areas is required by the police  so as to give the movement patterns of  criminals and give a guide on how to access some criminal zones. The crime maps also give the street officers a direction to their areas of responsibility. Crime mapping and analysis will help the street officers to communicate with other police officers and professional crime analysts so as to learn more details on the emerging issues in street crime. The use of Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) is a technology that helps the police to recognize suspects and criminals. This technology will assist the street police to keep a database of all criminals (Howe, 2003).

How digital radio technologies and the ever-shrinking size of computers could improve officer and public safety

The use of radio technologies and computers by the street police officers will help trace some crimes which are becoming difficult to stop.  The street police should be equipped with machines which can record the criminal activities that are happening with their areas of operation (Beard, 1998). The police also need to have access to records of people who have committed crime in the past so that they can know the nature of crimes in the streets (Laurillard, 2008). Communication between the street police and the public should be enhanced so as to report crimes the moment they occur. This can be achieved by using modern radio technologies which alert the street police instantly. Crime mapping is a modern technology which is giving instant access to all criminal activities happening within a region (Howe, 2003).

Conclusion
Policing activities are increasing in quantity and complexity especially that of the street police officers. This requires the advancement in technology so as to keep track of criminal activities. The modern street officers are unable to access some important machines during patrols in the streets. These police officers require these machines so as to trace the crimes happening in the streets and to communicate with the public concerning the crime affecting them. Information sharing among the police officers and professionals in criminal research will improve on crime analysis. This will help come up with new crime prevention and control methods.