The latest “Ponderings from Paducah” is posted. This blog entry is from Paducah Police Chief Brian Laird who talks about how the Police Department uses advancements in technology in modern day policing.
Ponderings from Paducah–Modern Day Policing Using Technology
Advancements in technology play a key role in modern day policing. The Paducah Police Department uses a variety of new technology to be more efficient and effective while working to keep our community safe. Two examples are our usage of drones and automated license plate readers.
Drones have become an important tool for law enforcement. Some of the ways we use drones include keeping an eye on large crowds at special events like BBQ on the River, searching for missing persons or fleeing suspects, and reconstructing accident and crime scenes. It’s important to mention that all of the officers flying our drones are certified by the FAA and have obtained their Part 107 license.
Over the past couple of years, we began using automated license plate readers. You may have seen some utility poles with a solar powered device attached to it. Those are Flock Safety license plate readers. Most of the camera systems are strategically located along major highways and thoroughfares with a high volume of traffic. These cameras alert officers to vehicles involved in criminal activity when they enter our city. They also alert to stolen vehicles, missing persons, and Amber Alerts. Since their implementation, we have had good success with preventing and solving crimes. On average, the camera network reads more than 80,000 license plates per day. We currently have 21 of these cameras in operation and plan to expand the network over the next year.
These are a couple of examples of how we continue to expand our use of technology to keep our community safe.
(written by Paducah Police Chief Brian Laird)
