The last twenty years has seen the introduction of the internet and mobile phones. Mobile phones have, in that period, transformed from devices the size of a brick to slim sleek devices with advanced features such as cameras, Bluetooth, fingerprint scanners, internet access and many more. This is just a small part of the technological evolution that has taken the world by a storm. With every new invention comes a new set of crimes, or a means to execute criminal acts and evade arrest more efficiently. This has in the process created a headache for law enforcement agencies. Despite the fact that law enforcers have also acquired technology to keep up with crimes, they still face many challenges.
One of the challenges faced by law enforcement officials due to technological advances is that social media and mobile phone applications have allowed criminal gangs, and even terrorists, to coordinate and network with each other more efficiently. This has created an entirely new digital space in need of policing. Nowadays criminals can even trace the positions of police patrol cars and therefore avoid arrest or ambush police officers (Solar, 2016).
In order to keep up with crimes driven by technology law enforcement agencies must acquire sophisticated software and hardware to monitor and track crimes such as mapping applications, communications technologies, imaging solutions and analysis applications. This equipment is expensive to acquire and therefore exerts an extra financial burden on policing agencies. Once the equipment has been acquired, there are additional costs of maintenance such as updating to new versions of software and hardware, security enhancements, and repair and replacement of worn out parts (Roberts, 2016). Officers also have to be trained to use these technologies, therefore adding to the gigantic pile of costs already amassed to combat crimes.
The most obvious challenge posed by the advancement of technology is the rise of new crimes that never existed before. These sorts of crimes include electronic fraud, identity theft, computer and network intrusions, cyber bullying and much more. This has forced the law agencies to expand their resources by hiring more personnel to deal with the increase in crimes.
Computer and network intrusion crimes can be in the form of virus attacks, spyware, and illegal access to systems for information through hacking ("How the Web Presents New Challenges", 2016). Cyber bullying is bullying through electronic devices or the internet. Cyber bullying is extremely hard to police since law enforcers cannot control what people send and receive through the internet. Identity theft is the deliberate and lawful act of using someone’s identity for personal gain. It is often perpetrated using high tech technology. Electronic fraud involves the use of the internet or computer to deliberately misrepresent facts in order to force another person to do something that may result in a loss.
In order to combat these crimes and challenges arising from technological advancements, law enforcement agencies should have skilled investigators, proficient forensic examiners and prosecutors with the know-how to handle cyber-related crimes (Wolf, 2009). Law enforcement agencies could also use the very tools used by criminals such as social media to expand their knowledge and thereby solve crimes.
Most importantly law enforcement officers need to keep up pace with new technological advances in order to stand a chance against cyber-crimes. As expensive as they might be, advanced crime-fighting technology is needed to keep the world a better and safer place.
References
How the Web Presents New Challenges for Law Enforcement Agencies. (2016). Cops.usdoj.gov. Retrieved 24 April 2016, from http://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/01-2014/how_the_web_presents_new_challenges_for_law_enforcement_agencies.asp
Roberts, D. (2016). Police Chief Magazine - View Article. Policechiefmagazine.org. Retrieved 24 April 2016, from http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=2317&issue_id=22011
Solar, P. (2016). How Technology is Changing Law Enforcement. Policemag.com. Retrieved 24 April 2016, from http://www.policemag.com/blog/technology/story/2015/12/how-technology-is-changing-law-enforcement.aspx
Wolf, U. (2009). Cyber-Crime: Law Enforcement Must Keep Pace With Tech-Savvy Criminals. Govtech.com. Retrieved 24 April 2016, from http://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/Cyber-Crime-Law-Enforcement-Must-Keep-Pace.html
