Cops in Longmont have several newer toys at their disposal—technological tools that make their jobs easier. A report in the Longmont Times-Call highlights some of these new gadgets and their places within the department.
According to the report, Longmont police are using GPS systems to document accidents and diagram scenes. They are using “laser guns” to detect speeds and whether or not cars are following too closely. Lastly, they use license plate scanners to check plates for stolen cars and potential warrants.
This, they say, is making police work easier and less prone to human error.
“Longmont Police Traffic Sergeant Mike Bell said the tools are speeding up investigations and helping to keep officers on the streets by keeping them out of court for ticket challenges, especially in cases involving the camera. It records a car as it is clocked and shows its following distance from another vehicle. Bell said motorists have given up on challenging tickets once they saw the video.”
So now, in addition to getting a speeding ticket, officers using the camera are also doling out citations for following too closely. In Colorado, if you are traveling under 45 mph, there must be a two car-lengths distance between vehicles. If you are traveling over 45 mph, the distance is three car-lengths.
Perhaps the most controversial piece of equipment being used in Longmont and all over Colorado are the license plate scanners that can record up to “400 plates in any given hour.” These scanners record your plate data and check it against stolen car databases, and check to see if it is associated with a crime or warrant.
These scanners are controversial for several reasons and are not free from error. There are countless cases of people across the country being pulled over on a tip from a license plate reader when they have done nothing wrong.
While technology can reduce the number of errors in certain situations, it can also cause new problems. Officers must do the work too and double check what the computerized systems are telling them.
Next up for the Longmont Police Department is an automatic ticket writer so officers no longer have to write their own tickets.
The trend of policing and surveillance technology will only continue and accelerate. Seattle police even have remote controlled helicopter drones at their disposal.
When you are accused of a crime, whether it’s an offense like reckless driving or even stealing a car, the evidence against you must be solid in order for the prosecution to gain a conviction. It’s the job of your defense attorney to challenge this evidence in order to avoid such a conviction whenever possible.
If you are accused of a crime, call us today to discuss the details of your case and how we might be able to help.