"Imagine you are an officer en route to a critical call for service. You look down for a moment at your mobile data terminal for an important message from dispatch, and immediately return your focus on the road. In that split second, a civilian motorist crosses into your travel lane and forces you to react." Jim Grove, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) portfolio manager supporting the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, effectively captures a challenge that law enforcement officers face every time they are in their vehicles: balancing the need for critical data with the urgency of arriving safely at the incident. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), between 2005 and 2017, nearly 40% of police officer line-of-duty deaths were the result of crashes. Officer distraction is often viewed as an inherent risk of the occupation, as various technologies are engineered into patrol vehicles and become essential operational tools. In addition to mobile radios, most vehicles are now equipped with navigation equipment, cell phones, cameras, speed detection, license plate readers, display monitors and a variety of laptops. However, these same tools that are designed to provide enhanced situational awareness can instead compromise an officer's safety, as well as the communities they serve. | | | | |
U.S. Department of Homeland Security ·
www.dhs.gov · 202-282-8000
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