Not so long ago, a criminal could walk free and unidentified simply because their fingerprint, which is possibly all over the crime scene—could not be analyzed. The same goes for blood tests, CCTV footage, and lots more.
However, with the advent of modern technology comes a significant improvement in how cases are resolved. But as our society advances and crimes become even more complex, more are continuously expected of law enforcement. We keep asking the police to resolve cases involving health, financial, social, and a host of other complicated issues. This calls for more sophisticated resources, including time, data, funding, and more robust technology.
If these resources are unavailable to law enforcement professionals, the consequences can be pretty unpleasant for the affected victims and society.
Notably, technology has become an indispensable factor in faster case resolution. The more complex the case is, the more time it typically takes. But access to growing technology has minimized time and optimized effort, enabling justice to be done as quickly as possible.
Now, let’s briefly discuss some critical areas in which technology can help bolster police investigations. Some of which are:
Table of Contents
1. Expediting the acquisition of information
Indeed, many police departments today are still leveraging old investigative methods that are now less efficient.
Some detectives have to rely on searching countless databases looking for information, with no way of telling where the most relevant data is.
But technology puts all of that trouble in the past. With a few clicks, investigators can now quickly access and verify the correct information relevant to the issue on the ground. This enables them to promptly proceed to the subsequent investigation phase while the trial is still hot.
2. Access to the latest information
Although the Internet is the largest source of information, it’s not very efficient for investigation as the space is riddled with outdated and incomplete data. What officers need are accurate and up-to-date facts.
Thankfully, with tools like the CLEAR online investigation software, law enforcement personnel can now access hard-to-find information and locate people with ease. Officers can also filter their search using specific parameters to narrow searches, leading to accuracy and speed.
3. Speedy mobile data extraction
The truth is, our mobile devices are our closest friends. So much information about someone can be found on their devices, from the last hundred calls they made to the shared data.
Sadly, some mobile devices related to crimes come broken or encrypted, and access to crucial data becomes difficult. Thankfully, software like the digital forensics tool now helps law enforcement execute fast data extraction. From such devices, actionable Intel may be discovered to save a life, put a criminal out of the streets, or bring justice to victims.
If investigators cannot access such information from the device, they may have to go through tedious and lengthy processes that may not produce the same outcome.
4. Connecting dots
There are often several facts surrounding a case that it becomes difficult to judge what should be pursued or not. And notably, evaluating information and connecting dots are critical parts of every case.
Officers, therefore, need a way to quickly obtain insight and discover how unrelated points are indeed connected.
With access to artificial intelligence and specific tools, investigators can quickly evaluate information with minimal effort and avoid chasing dead ends.
Bottom Line
The verdict is this: knowing how important speedy case resolution is to public safety and trust in law enforcement, these agencies must invest more into acquiring the right technologies.
This will bring more peace of mind and closure to civilians and help officers improve their jobs.