NCJ Number
168344
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 44 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1997) Pages: 43-46
Date Published
1997
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Research conducted in 1996-97 focused on a technology to provide data access within police vehicles and concluded that the Law Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS) technology is both an important tool for law enforcement and a major asset in terms of police safety.
Abstract
A report issued by the Ohio LEADS revealed that police officers with this technology made more than 8 times as many information inquiries on driving records, vehicle records, and wanted persons or property per 8-hour shift than did officers without such access. LEADS brings together several wireless network technologies and protocols into a single, connectionless wireless data system. It overlays the existing circuit-switched cellular network, using existing coverage and network infrastructures. The research revealed that the police officers in the test group made far more data inquiries and achieved more arrests and citations per officer than did those in the control group. In addition, police officers involved in the project cited police officer safety as the main benefit of an in-vehicle data access system; they noted that officer safety is directly proportional to the amount of information the officer has, particularly during traffic stops. The system also increased morale for many officers. Table and guidelines for choosing a wireless infrastructure