Technology helps NJ cops fight crime [Part 1 of a series]

In Part 1 of a week-long series, “Technology and Policing,” we take a look at the impact technology is having on police departments throughout New Jersey. 

As technology continues to advance on many fronts, law enforcement is also advancing its cause with high-tech tools that help policing and crime detection.

According to the FBI, there's been a big increase in so-called active shooter incidents over the past seven years. Just as disconcerting is the fact that rapid fire weapons are killing and injuring more people in a sort period of time.

Police, however, have started to respond to these threats and others by taking advantage of advances in crime-fighting technology.

Currently, eight police departments in New Jersey are using ShotSpotter, a system that is capable of detecting gunfire and then conveying the location of that gunfire to police departments.

"We detect and locate active shooters," said Jack Pontius, a spokesman for ShotSpotter.

They do that with strategically-placed acoustic microphones located around a city that can instantly zero in on the exact source of gunfire, even before it's phoned in. Pontius said the technology is a big help to police departments because citizens only report about 20 percent of all gunfire.

Atlantic City and Paterson are among the police departments currently using the technology in New Jersey.

Police body cameras are another tool some police departments are employing in New Jersey.  The devices are worn by officers on the street to record exactly what happens during an incident.  About 20 police departments in New Jersey are currently using them.  The Riverton Police Department has been using them since 2011.

"It's helped us several times in investigations," said John Shaw, police chief of the Riverton Police Department.

In addition, the Wildwood Crest Police Department has been using the technology for over two years and the Atlantic City Police Department recently started to use them as well.

Wildwood Crest Sgt. Ed Gorski said the primary job of the cameras is to document any evidence at scenes of domestic violence crimes, but the cameras are used in other crimes as well.

Gorski said the video captured on the cameras can’t be doctored.  “The evidence is remotely controlled.  We can’t edit it, and it preserves the integrity of the evidence so that there’s no tampering with the video that comes in.”

The cameras can also be used to clear up or clarify allegations of police brutality.  “No longer is there a guessing game to see if the officers performed their duties correctly.”

In addition, vastly improved forensic evidence gathering at crime scenes is identifying suspects faster, and in some cases is even re-opening old, cold cases to zero in on a suspect.