The Council was created to improve the ability of the Police Department to respond to a situation and educate the Department and the community." (Richmond Police Department, 2004) Police departments have had to become terrorist experts. The Homeland Security Terrorism Advisory Council for example is a collaboration of sworn officers and civilian employees with diverse backgrounds. Many of these members are or were leading members of specially trained units or have extensive training in SWAT, bomb technology, military assault, hazmat crime analysis, international terrorism intelligence, strategic planning and many other legal units such as basic attorneys. Through technology and experience, the Homeland Security Terrorism Advisory Council should be able to identify, acquire, plan, and advise on terroristic crisis. With this knowledge base the unit should be able to therefore anticipate, prevent, and effectively respond to any terrorist situation.

Future

The future of policing will continue to be a collaborative effort between police and the communities the aim to protect. "In 1986, the Attorney General's Conference on Less-Than-Lethal Weapons characterized the law enforcement officer's most common tools - the nightstick and the gun - as inappropriate in many instances, especially in hostage and barricade situations, which require equipment that can stop a dangerous subject without endangering innocent hostages or bystanders. Clearly, criminal justice professionals need new approaches to capturing, subduing, and detaining subjects." (Boyd, 1995) Many police department will eventually adopt ways to incorporate the community more in the mix. "Technology permits things like mobile neighborhood police assistance centers which are specially equipped recreational vehicles that officers use to deliver assistance into high-crime areas." (Dempsey et al., 1997) These types of technologies will in the future allow officers to remain in a bad neighborhood 24 hours a day and therefore helping to prevent violent crime reduce or stop drug trafficking and participate in neighborhood watch groups which is beneficial to create ties with community members.

The future of law enforcement will continue to be enhanced by new non-or less lethal forms of technology. "Developing...

In a 1985 landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled that deadly force is unjustified against an escaping, nonviolent felon and called for the law enforcement community to develop appropriate equipment to apprehend suspects safely." (Boyd, 1995) Technological breakthroughs considered non-lethal include: Sticky Foam, Strobe-and-Goggle Technology, Remote-Control Barrier Strips, Backseat Airbag, Fleeing Vehicle Tagging System, Smart Guns and Smart Cars to name a few. These technologies will not eliminate crime. They will however make law enforcement agencies more capable of controlling the inevitable.
Conclusion

In conclusion, this report aimed to show how law enforcement has been both positively and at times adversely affected by technology. The cost to fight crime is high. Large urban or well funded communities often do not have the necessary funds needed to purchase the newest cars or the most effective equipment. Thus, it can only be assumed that small departments are even more under funded and under manned. They miss out on technological breakthroughs as law enforcement advances technologically. Both big and small law enforcement departments will continue to be pressured into implementing newer techniques and technologies to fight crime. With those pressures come the demands of upgrading equipment but it also creates a need for better educated and well trained human resource aspects.