There are other uses for this technology though that the police department may not be as excited about. This technology could create a record of where the officers have patrolled on each shift, including how long they spent at City Hall, sitting in parking lots talking to each other, and other less productive activities. It could also be used to see where they actually patrol and determine if they are where they are most needed as well as if they are neglecting some areas. This would be a valuable tool for the Chief and any supervisors in the department to use, but I can imagine that the officers would not like that sort of scrutiny and oversight. Although based on some of the stories I have heard about the department, it might be warranted.
I would be concerned about the liability issues it could raise though. I envision lawyers walking into court and now having evidence that no officers had patrolled an area all night despite known problems in that area. Or were all sitting at city hall and were slow to respond to a call across town. I am not saying that such arguments might not be justified, I am just concerned about the potential liability this city would have if practices were not improved. Hopefully, this technology can be put to good use to improve our current practices and actually become more effective than would have otherwise been possible. Then the liability issues would be of far less concern and we would all benefit from better policing.
