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Having a computer at one's fingertips allows police officers to access databases that would otherwise only be available to a patrol officer sitting in their cruiser or at the office. Smartphones allow the police to communicate securely, transfer investigative photographs quickly, fax and receive search warrants promptly and monitor suspect movements. There is even an application where officers can mask their smartphone number when calling suspects/victims/witnesses. When the suspect/victim/witness returns the officer’s phone call, the application can send a push notification directly to the detective alerting him of the contact. This can prevent unwanted late-night calls and help monitor phone traffic.
There are many smartphone apps that are designed to electronically draft, sign and send documents. Electronic document services eliminate the need to print, sign, scan and mail. Police administration can also review search warrants, urgent legal documents and emails without the need of a desktop computer.
Privacy is an issue with most applications. If an officer were to accidentally lose their phone, and it became accessible to criminal, information could easily be compromised. This, of course, is less likely to happen if the a computer or laptop is mounted into a car, and caged to prevent its removal from the cruiser. Furthermore, device connectivity issues are also an issue, especially during natural disasters such as a fire, flood or tornados. On the other hand, a police radio is constructed to withstand water immersion, high temperatures and high impact. Most cell phones offered today cannot overcome these issues, thus all the applications become useless.
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