NCJ Number
192743
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 28 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2001 Pages: 70-74
Date Published
November 2001
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes how police departments across the United States have established Web sites and Internet services to enhance their performance in the areas of recruitment, public relations, and tracking offenders, as well as a future online self-reporting feature.
Abstract
Police departments are now using the online resources of Web sites and Internet services for a variety of purposes. Web sites are utilized for enhanced public relations, such as community programs and initiatives and employment opportunities, as well as the transmission of intelligence information to field investigators. This article presents those programs designed by or for law enforcement agencies to enhance police services. The Lakeland, Florida Police Department designed a Web site that features e-mail contact information for services within the agency, crime prevention and Internet safety tips, recruitment information, and ongoing special events and activities. The Chicago Police Department's Web site was originally designed to encourage community involvement in building safer neighborhoods. It has since been redesigned to enhance community and citizen access with the citizen Information Collection for Automated Mapping (ICAM) program. In Louisville, Kentucky, a private company designed the Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) service providing victims with status information of offenders via telephone. The VINE service has been expanded to V-NET allowing extended notification capabilities using the standard VINE telephone program. The ChoicePoint's Autotrack assembles records from various public sources into a single database. It has assisted law enforcement in tracking down deadbeat dads, murder suspects, missing witnesses and more. The Madison County, Wisconsin Police Department Web site was redesigned, with minimal financial outlay, to include department news releases, downloading of composite suspect drawings, online employment application for recruiting, the payment of parking tickets, and the issuing of warning letters under the Traffic Enforcement Safety Team. In addition to existing online police resources, new technologies and systems are being designed and implemented, such as the ability of online self-reporting.