Technical Communication Methods and Practices

Technical Communication Methods and Practices Student

January 17, 2012 CJA/304

Technical Communication Methods and Practices A police officer needs to have good communication skills when communicating effectively with other officers, the department, and the dispatch center. Communication along with the various types of technology used plays a major role in police departments, in order to

reach out and also convey important information about questions concerning a particular suspect and helps to solve many crimes. Therefore, effective communication is required so that when exchanging information it is clearly understood by all professionals in the criminal justice system. All law officers must master several types of writing skills. Arrest reports, follow-up investigation paperwork, memorandums, and operating procedures are a few common types of written communication involved in the day-to-day operations of the police department. Writing is not the only form of information transferred within a law enforcement agency. Oral communication is just as important and starts from the moment the officers greet one another before roll call until they are done work at the end of their shift (Wallace & Roberson, 2009, p. 4).Officers must be able to speak in a clear, articulate manner, be descriptive in what they are trying to convey to another officer out on patrol, to the officers back at the department, and the dispatch center. It is imperative for these officers to have good communication skills so that everyone remains on the same page and this will aid in avoiding any misunderstandings or errors that may occur because of lack of communication or communication being misunderstood. The different technologies used in the police department from the two way radios to the databases that are accessed daily are also play a vital part of the communicating process. There are many different types of technology that are used daily in the police department. The police officer out on patrol can use a cell phone or a two way radio to call another officer for back-up or respond and communicate to 911 dispatches. Modern advances in wireless and digital

Technical Communication Methods and Practices capabilities have become more valuable. Today officers can share pictures of suspects, criminal records, bulletins, fingerprints, blueprints, and surveillance video footage across thousands of

miles in minutes. This can save valuable time and possibly speed up the process of capturing and arresting the suspect. Today, many patrol cars have mobile data terminals in squad cars that allow the officer to receive messages from the department by way of a computer, and even run a check or find information on an individual with National Crime Information Center or the Department of Motor Vehicles of a suspect or an individual. By using these resources officers can reach out to one another which can aid in capturing a suspect. After an arrest they can notify 911 and the department that they have apprehended the suspect and are bringing him or her into the district. When at the district the police officers have computers available them to research many different data bases such as the Automated Fingerprint Identification system (AFIS) and Facial Recognition in identifying criminals. These are two essential tools that help provide the police and all law enforcement agencies with an extensive communication system. These databases provide criminal justice professionals with the ability to view all necessary data, and also include a wide range of security features to protect the databases from allowing just anyone to access them and forward to another officer or department. All reports can be done at the station with inputting all information into the system such as a police incident report and emails can be sent or viewed and responded to. Through the programs on the computer the officer is able to access the many databases needed to perform his or her daily functions. These advances of technology have had an effect on the communication capabilities of all the specialized databases within the criminal justice system. In my research I have learned that communication alone, is the most essential element of the criminal justice system and without it, the criminal justice system would collapse. How

Technical Communication Methods and Practices current technology is used to communicate more effectively within the criminal justice system,

banks and high security areas with sensitive information, utilize all kind of current technology or devices that are used today my law enforcement officers, corrections and other agencies in the criminal justice systems uses stun guns, mace, technology to monitor individuals such as computer systems, radar system, two way radios, cameras, audio recording systems and even the automobile itself. These technologies have developed to boost the criminal justice system in all areas and perform a part in the court system, investigation process. Criminal justice system and other agencies in recent years have found the use of information technology very helpful when it comes to communication. (History of Police technology). Technology for officers is indeed necessary and a very big development to the security of the Criminal Justice System and society as well. It is very hard to look in the future to see what future technologies that is not currently in existence that the Criminal Justice System that are foresee being used to further communication in interview and interrogation situations. What are came up as a team of a technology that does not exist would be a device that would detect the heart beat of the person being interviewed or interrogated and not be in the same room. The device would find the heart beat of the individual in question to let the person in the next room that is monitoring the device inform the interviewer or interrogator in the person being interviewed is panicking, calm or lying or telling the truth. The device will also detect if the individual is going into a situation to the point of his/her blood pressure is to the point of stroking out due the monitor that medical assistance need to intervene. This system or device is like a lie detector machine but nothing is attached to the individual and nothing isnt in the room to distract the interview process. The person being interviewed/ interrogated will not know about the device. It would be just a helping tool to let the interview

Technical Communication Methods and Practices

know where to go with the question or concentrated in a particular area. If this new device in the future needs the consent of the suspect or individual being interrogated, it probably would be wise so that it could be used in court against the individual for a guilty verdict or an innocent one. This is the conclusion of this paper. We have described the process of an officer communicating with another officer, the department, or the dispatch center. We have identified the technological tools that might be used in the communication process. How current technology be used to communication process. How current technology be used to communicate more effectively within the many areas of the criminal justice system. Last but not least, what future technologies not in existence, do we foresee using in communication when it comes to an interview and interrogation situations. We are proud to say as a group that with the technology that we have in place now and the technology foreseen, it provides the criminal justice system efficient ways to interact with each other in the criminal justice system.

Technical Communication Methods and Practices

Reference Police Technology Information Retrieved January 19, 2012 from www. Policetechnology. Net Wallace H & Roberso (2009) Written and interpersonal communication method for law enforcement (4th ed) Upper Saddle Jersey Prentice Hall.