High-Tech Gadgets the Police Have and You Don’t

Your local police department has so many high-tech gadgets to help them solve crimes that if you ever saw them all, you might become convinced that Batman was in charge of their development. Although some of their gadgets are commonplace, there are dozens more  of which most people are completely unaware. The following list highlights some of the most interesting high-tech gadgets that are currently being used by police departments around the country.

1. Heartbeat Detector

This useful gadget can be utilized in a wide number of different ways, but it has become one of the main components of the crime fighting kit for any officer who works near a border crossing. This human detection system enables any equipped officer to determine if a person or an animal is hiding within a vehicle. The detector is high-tech enough to be able to identify if there are any heartbeats anywhere inside the vehicle, and it can also quickly assess what species the heartbeat belongs to. In other words, an officer never has to take the risk of busting into the back of a truck that simply has a dog sleeping in it.

2. Preliminary Breath Tester

Unlike a standard breathalyzer, the preliminary breath test (PBT) utilizes one of three different methods to provide an estimated blood alcohol content. The tests available include the electro-chemical PBT, the semi-conductor PBT and the disposable chemical PBT. The results of these tests often determine whether or not the driver will be asked to submit to additional testing. Many drunk driving checkpoints use PBTs because they are very mobile and easy to set up. According to our dwi lawyers in New Jersey their results are not admissible as evidence, however, because they are well-known to provide inconsistent results.

3. Project54 Voice-Command System

The Project54 system enables an officer to turn on their vehicle’s lights and siren, look up a motorist’s license plate and clock a speeding vehicle all by simply saying a command. The system hooks up to any laptop or tablet, and it allows officers to get hands free results at any time. For example, an officer can say someone’s license plate and then hear what their driving record is without ever having to take their eyes off of the road. They can also use certain keywords, such as pursuit, to make specific actions occur. If an officer says pursuit, the car’s siren and lights will automatically come on.

4. Surveillance Vehicles

Almost everything inside of a surveillance vehicle is high-tech, and all of the vehicle’s equipment is utilized to prevent crimes from occurring. A typical surveillance vehicle will be equipped with camera equipment and other recording devices, along with communications equipment that makes it easy to stay in touch with the station. Items such as the heartbeat detector will also be included with the vehicle’s equipment.

As you can see, the police definitely have a wide range of options available to them for stopping or preventing crime. Although a lot of the technology that they use seems rather standard, some of their newest gadgets seem like something out of a James Bond movie.

Chris Bennett is a DWI rights advocate and contributing author for Evan M. Levow, one of the most experienced dwi lawyers in New Jersey. If you are arrested for a DWI in New Jersey, you need an attorney who can protect your rights and who knows what evidence from the gadgets is admissible in a DWI case or if they’ve been used incorrectly. Evan M. Levow is current on the latest equipment and its possible impact on your case.

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