Issue link: https://let.epubxp.com/i/137309
S ECU RED CIT I ES LET: To what extent do you think social media assisted in that? SH: Social media was huge; video right now is your foremost communication. Before it was radio. Now with video you're seeing real-time situational awareness; you have real-time information. And with the mobility of social media or Twitter, you [can] confirm your information coming in. You're reducing what you have to do, but you now have a standard of proficiency that you never had before because you have an executive looking at it through the eyes of their subordinate, and they can actually identify what someone's doing. It's safer for the public, it's safer for the first responder, and it's more proficient. You know as well as I do, it used to be whatever officer first got there, or first responder (just like a reporter), the product you're going to get depends on their level of expertise. With video you can actually have a level of proficiency that was never there before. LET: How does that change the job of the officer on patrol, all the information that comes easily, quickly and directly to his or her mobile device? Does it make operations more streamlined or increase the workload? SH: I think there's a little give and take. First of all, yes, you have to verify your information. You're more responsible because you're getting more information in. You have to be able to multitask and understand what you're actually looking at, and verify what it is. Just because someone takes a picture doesn't mean that's [who you're looking for]. You can get into a lot of trouble if you don't verify your information. LET: Anything else? SH: The key is the interoperability—the governance we need to know and our public/private partnerships. Because they're stakeholders they're invested in it, and they want to know that their government's giving them that level of service. Today in Baltimore City you can have an accident., and before you can even ask for help if you're incapacitated, if we've caught it on video, help is already on the way. That's the level of service we want. That's the kind of service I want. And we're closing in on the state, not just the city because we're the hub, but we realize what happens immediately in our surrounding area also affects us. ■ See what night vision doesn't see. New! FLIR LS-Series Thermal Monocular WHAT YOUR EYE SEES WHAT THERMAL IMAGING SEES LS32 (336x256) just $4,999 LS64 (640x512) just $5,999 SEE CLEARLY IN TOTAL DARKNESS Detect suspect up to 1,000 yards One handed operation Tactical laser marker Rugged, hardened, submersible A DIVISION OF P&R; TECHNOLOGIES, INC pr-infrared.com • 800-722-8078 6298 like that in that large of an area is very labor-intensive. So it was good they explained to the community where they were and what they were doing. Circle 42 on Reader Service Card www.officer.com June 2013 Law Enforcement Technology 37