Real-world impacts of drone implementation in data collection of fatal accidents

The objective of this study was to analyze the use of drones and data collected in fatal accident investigations in accident scenes in Austin, Texas. The study compares data pre and post drones being used by the police officers of the Austin Police Department. The study presents a new way to collect evidence for fatal vehicle accidents and the attempts to apply the technology in the real world setting of vehicle investigations. The research findings are intended to be used by other municipalities before they implement the technology for their traffic accident investigations.The datasets used in this study came directly from the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) reports filed by officers in the Austin Police Department. The size of data files came from additional data sources in the records of fatal accident scenes. Time sequences and data file sizes worked to identify how much time was needed for a police officer to establish a full investigation with a drone while working a fatality and helps municipalities understand the data storage requirements for this type of data collection technique.The study found that when drones are introduced to fatal accident investigations, they increase the duration of the time needed to investigate a scene. The use of drones also increases the use of data for the storage of imaging taken by the drone in this type of case files. Depending on the priorities of a municipality, time and data storage increases, could impact the decision to implement drones as a means to collect data in the field for fatal vehicle accidents.Small sample size from a single municipality limits inference that could be drawn from results to other cities of the same size and demographic make-up. The study, does however, lead to providing beneficial information on potential impacts of drones in police investigation settings. The data can be used by policy makers to balance the value that drones bring with the burden of their implementation

Immersive 360° video for forensic education

Throughout the globe, training in the investigation of forensic crime scene work is a vital part of the overall training process within Police Academies and forensic programs throughout the world. However, the exposure of trainee forensic officers to real life scenes, by instructors, is minimal due to the delicate nature of information presented within them and the overall difficulty of Forensic investigations. Virtual Reality (VR) is computer technology utilising headsets, to produce lifelike imageries, sounds and perceptions simulating physical presence inside a virtual setting to a user. The user is able to look around the virtual world and often interact with virtual landscapes or objects. VR headsets are head‐mounted goggles with a screen in front of the eyes (Burdea & Coffet 2003). The use of VR varies widely from personal gaming to classroom learning. Uses also include computerised tools that are used solely online. The current use of VR within Forensic Science is that it is used widely in several capacities that include the training and examination of new forensic officers. However, there is minimal review and authentication of the efficiency of VR use for the teaching of forensic investigation. This is surprising, as the VR field has experienced rapid expansion in the educating of many varying fields over the past few years. Even though VR could enhance forensic training by offering another, perhaps more versatile, engaging way of learning, no devoted VR application has yet been commercially implemented for forensic examination education. Research into VR is a fairly young field, however the technology and use of it is still rapidly growing and the improvement of interactive tools is inevitably having an impact on all facets of learning and teaching

The psychological effects experienced by computer forensic examiners working with child pornography

Convergence of technology has made access to the Internet faster, easier and cheaper. Criminals, including paedophiles, child abusers and pornography traders make use of this technology to commit criminal offences. Computer Forensic Examiners (CFEs) are members of the Cyber Crime Unit, a professional, specialised unit of the South African Police Service (SAPS) who are responsible for computer forensic examination including the investigation of child pornographic images. The aim of the study was to seek understanding on what psychological effects the CFEs experienced when working with the images and was conducted from within the social constructionism and the narrative frameworks. The images had a severe impact on the CFEs as was clearly uncovered in the stories of six CFEs who participated in this study. The participants' stories were recorded and transcribed after which the application of thematic content analysis found that the participants all suffered similar negative effects. These findings were integrated with the findings of a focus group as well as with the findings of a similar study that was conducted during the same time by the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire and resulted in identifying symptoms of trauma and stress experienced by the CFEs. Based on these results recommendations regarding the support for the CFEs were made.PsychologyM.A. (Psychology

An investigation of the attitudes of South African Police Service management with respect to the viability of computer-assisted training in the Eastern Cape Province

The South African Police Service (SAPS) as a constituent part of the public service was established to deliver a specific category of services to the public. These services have to conform to requirements that are prescribed by various legislative provisions to promote effective and efficient delivery of public services. The implications of these provisions that are pursued by the study firstly, refer to the emphasis of government on the enhancement of public service delivery, with due consideration given to cost effectiveness and efficiency. Secondly, it refers to government's realisation of the important impact of education, development and training (EDT) on the competency of public service officials with an emphasis on the utilisation of information technology to enhance the effectiveness of EDT. Consequently, the study explores the viability of the utilisation of information technology as a measure to assist EDT interventions within the SAPS of the Eastern Cape Province to equip members of the institution to better fulfil their functions and duties. In this respect the study commenced to ascertain the levels of computer literacy of role-players, access to the appropriate facilities and what the general attitude in the organisation would be towards the utilisation of such an intervention. It was found that the computer literacy levels of role-players may be perceived as a problematic issue in this regard. However, access to suitable facilities was found to be more than sufficient for this intention. Furthermore, role-players agreed that information technology could be optimally applied in the EC SAPS for the mentioned use, thereby portraying an optimistic attitude towards the use thereof to harmonise EDT in the SAPS. The aim of the study has been to develop a model that will incorporate the use of information technology, given the strengths and weaknesses of the SAPS to enhance EDT and learning in the organization

Predictive policing management: a brief history of patrol automation

Predictive policing has attracted considerably scholarly attention. Extending the promise of being able to interdict crime prior to its commission, it seemingly promised forms of anticipatory policing that had previously existed only in the realms of science fiction. The aesthetic futurism that attended predictive policing did, however, obscure the important historical vectors from which it emerged. The adulation of technology as a tool for achieving efficiencies in policing was evident from the 1920s in the United States, reaching sustained momentum in the 1960s as the methods of Systems Analysis were applied to policing. Underpinning these efforts resided an imaginary of automated patrol facilitated by computerised command and control systems. The desire to automate police work has extended into the present, and is evident in an emergent platform policing – cloud-based technological architectures that increasingly enfold police work. Policing is consequently datafied, commodified and integrated into the circuits of contemporary digital capitalism

"Not the Usual Suspects": A Study of Factors Reducing the Effectiveness of CCTV

Previous research on the effectiveness of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) has focused on critically assessing police and government claims that CCTV is effective in reducing crime. This paper presents a field study that investigates the relationship between CCTV system design and the performance of operator tasks. We carried out structured observations and interviews with 13 managers and 38 operators at 13 CCTV control rooms. A number of failures were identified, including the poor configuration of technology, poor quality video recordings, and a lack of system integration. Stakeholder communication was poor, and there were too many cameras and too few operators. These failures have been previously identified by researchers; however, no design improvements have been made to control rooms in the last decade. We identify a number of measures to improve operator performance, and contribute a set of recommendations for security managers and practitioners. Security Journal (2010) 23, 134-154. doi:10.1057/sj.2008.2; published online 6 October 200