Technology in Law Enforcement: Modern Tools and Practices

By Dr. Matthew Loux and Bryce Loux  |  02/03/2026

Our society is highly integrated with technology, which affects every aspect of our communication, work, and problem-solving. For improved public safety and crime control, police agencies all around the world have integrated technology into their workflows. New technology helps law enforcement officers to balance safety with efficacy and respond to different levels of crime in communities within the criminal justice system.

From basic police communication through radio to artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive crime analytics, technology has transformed the discipline of policing. For police officers, these changes reflect the growing role of criminal justice technology in daily operations.

Through technology, officers and command staff can get a faster, real-time picture of evolving incidents and the historical context needed for investigations. Agencies now rely more on combining valuable data with AI-driven analytics and AI tools for actionable intelligence decision-making, particularly for law enforcement leaders.

Law Enforcement Technology Over Time

Before the surge in technological innovation, the police relied on simple techniques, manpower, and volunteers. Law enforcement used rudimentary policing techniques such as foot patrols and handwritten logs and reports.

As societies expanded – and crime rates started to increase – police departments started to modernize and integrate new technology to keep pace with the growing demands of a more complex society. This shift marked the early adoption of innovative police technology to support prevention efforts.

In the early to mid-1900s, the invention of the telephone and radio allowed police communication to become instant and more efficient. These early communication systems allowed officers to coordinate responses across larger geographic areas, including high-crime areas.

Patrol cars allowed officers to cover larger sections of land, and central crime record-keeping systems allowed law enforcement agencies to keep track of the crime in their area. Computers were another innovation that helped with digital databases, management of criminal records, and inter-organization data sharing.

Currently, telecommunication and record-keeping technology have expanded even more. Modern police use complex digital systems that combine several innovations in real time to:

• Track, analyze, and store data
• Integrate forensic technology
• Leverage surveillance systems
• Identify suspects
• Find fleeing suspects through thermal imaging

These systems increasingly rely on new tools and emerging technologies to support investigations and operations.

Benefits of Law Enforcement Technology

Agencies can use law enforcement technology to increase officer safety and situational awareness. Drones, live-streaming video, and thermal images, for example, provide officers with a better understanding of potentially dangerous situations and rescue efforts. This real-time information can be life-saving for officers and communities.

Agencies that use new technologies can also benefit from improved efficiency and speed in investigations. Digital evidence, automated plate readers used to locate cars stolen from their owners, and databases reduce the time lag on investigations and minimize manual paperwork.

Predictive law enforcement technology can increase the efficiency of patrols. Predictive policing tools and analytics can help guide resource allocation by positioning patrols where they are statistically more likely to prevent or resolve crime.

Monitoring and Surveillance Technologies

Today’s law enforcement agencies use a variety of technologies to aid crime prevention and crime detection. These police technologies include:

• Closed-circuit television (CCTV) – CCTV cameras are used to deter crime, watch for suspicious behavior, and obtain evidence for investigations. In some urban centers, public CCTVs are connected via their own networks to central command stations. These command stations are used by law enforcement for crowd monitoring and managing coordinated responses to community events, especially if there is the threat of terrorist attacks.
• Body-worn cameras (BWC) – Police officers wear body cameras to record their interactions with the public. These cameras are intended to improve police transparency and accountability. However, the use of BWCs has also raised privacy concerns and drawn attention from civil rights advocates focused on protecting civil liberties and personal security.
• Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) – ALPR systems scan thousands of license plates in minutes to recover stolen cars, track suspects, and support investigations. This tool raises ethical implications related to data retention and use, since police officers can use it with minimal oversight.
• Acoustic Gunshot Detection Systems (AGDS) – This technology helps law enforcement respond more quickly to violent incidents. AGD systems use networks of sensors to detect the sound of gunfire, determine its location, and notify law enforcement right away.

Data Analytics and Crime

Data has become an important factor in decision-making. Police agencies use computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems along with records management systems (RMS) to gather, store, and analyze data pertaining to crime and arrests. These law enforcement technology systems increase organizational efficiency by decreasing the volume of paperwork and facilitating instant access to critical data.

Crime analysis tools use historical crimes to find patterns and trends. This information helps in the allocation of law enforcement resources and focuses on the development of strategies to proactively prevent crime.

Predictive law enforcement tools use algorithms. They can provide data-driven predictions about when and where a crime may occur.

Forensics and Crime Investigations

Forensic science and crime investigations have improved with technological advancements. These advancements include various tools, such as:

• DNA analysis – The analysis of DNA has become one of the most effective tools in law enforcement, allowing identification of suspects and the exoneration of the innocent. DNA databases allow for cross-jurisdictional sample comparisons, and law enforcement can use DNA analysis to help solve cold cases.
• Digital forensics – As digital devices and internet use have become ubiquitous, digital forensics now plays a critical role in facial recognition and the analysis analyzing digital evidence such as emails, text messages, social media posts, and location data. The work of cybercrime units is also vital to preventing and solving digital crimes such as online fraud, hacking, data theft, and identity theft.
• Laboratory evidence – Ballistics, fingerprint analysis, and other laboratory techniques and equipment have also advanced over the years. These advancements also support accident reconstruction and more accurate analysis of crime scenes.

Communication and Mobility Tools

Communication tools, including encrypted radios, secure digital channels, and mobile data terminals, are vital to law enforcement safety and coordinated operations. Officers can access databases, create and send police reports, and receive messages from mobile data terminals (MDT) in patrol cars and command posts.

Also, GPS tracking and drone technology can assist officers during emergencies and rescue missions. Drones are equally useful in assisting law enforcement with crowd control and traffic control.

Artificial Intelligence and Task Automation

One of the most disruptive developments in law enforcement is the application of AI. AI systems can quickly analyze massive amounts of data and detect patterns that would otherwise go unnoticed. Examples include facial recognition and other biometric data processing, predictive analytics, and other forms of automated data processing.

Chatbots and automated reporting systems are being deployed to respond to non-emergency requests, allowing officers to focus on direct police work. AI can help screen body cameras and other video evidence, helping investigators manage the growing volume of video evidence.

Training and Organizational Change

When incorporating technology, law enforcement needs to make sure they include proper training that involves technology systems and tools. Employees need to be trained not just on how to work new systems, but also on the systems’ potential shortcomings and their ethical use.

Cybersecurity cannot be overlooked in law enforcement. As cyber threats continue to grow, resources must be allocated toward retaining and hiring cyber protection staff to safeguard sensitive information.

The Future of Technology in Law Enforcement

Technological advancements in criminal investigations have significantly reshaped how law enforcement agencies prevent, manage, and solve crimes.  Future advancements will help shape investigative procedures, making them more efficient and effective in managing, analyzing, and storing digital evidence.

Law enforcement has come to rely on tools such as:

• Body-worn cameras
• Digital forensic tools
• Computerized forensic databases
• Surveillance tools

Machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence will continue to improve the identification of suspects and aid people working within the criminal justice system. Investigative outcomes will become more reliable as advancements in forensic science continue, especially as the management systems for biometrics and DNA analysis evolve. Police department investigators will be able to work more efficiently as mobile and cloud technologies provide field access to critical information and tools.

The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice at APU

For adult learners interested in studying criminal justice technology, public safety maintenance, and other related topics, American Public University (APU) offers an online Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. For this degree program, students can take courses in criminology, criminal profiling, and crime analysis. Other topics include criminalistics, criminal law, and constitutional law.

This B.S. in criminal justice offers a digital forensics concentration, featuring courses on cybercrime, various aspects of digital forensics, and the criminal legal process.

For more details on this bachelor’s degree, visit APU’s security and global studies degree program page.

Note: This degree program is not designed to meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in any country, state, province or other jurisdiction. This program has not been approved by any state professional licensing body and does not lead to any state-issued professional licensure.