The fight against crime is a noble one that makes the world safer for everyone. As police search for violent criminals, they will need to have every tool that they can get.
As a result, governments around the world have been investing money into research firms that can create crime fighting tools that help convict people, stop crime, and even potentially end crime before it happens.
Some of these tools seem like great ideas, while others seem to be a lot more insidious than we'd expect them to be. Either way, you might want to take a look at the newest vanguard of crime fighting tools being bought up by governments around the world.
Brain Fingerprinting
Brain fingerprinting allows police to see your mind's reactions when it comes to a number of images — which in turn can help them glean if you are guilty or not.
Studies have shown that most criminal brains will light up when shown crime-related details on screen. So far, this advanced technology has been able to get confessions from people who initially claimed innocence.
Many people are saying that crime fighting tools like these may be discriminatory, primarily because we can't always base a person's reaction on guilt.
It's possible that brain fingerprinting could also cause false positives. Who's to say that the person who's being interrogated couldn't have PTSD from something else?
Blue CRUSH
IBM has recently developed a number of crime-fighting tools in the form of programs. Blue CRUSH, one of their most powerful developments, uses "predictive analysis" to figure out where a person will most likely commit a crime — and who will be most likely to commit it.
Currently, the city of Memphis has begun using Blue CRUSH with spectacular results. Since the program's start, the city has seen a 31 percent drop in violent crime.
Blue CRUSH is allegedly a "crime prevention" tool, but this has many people concerned about the implications. Can police arrest someone for looking like they're about to commit a crime? At what point does a crime become a crime, if the person didn't commit it yet?
At what point do we stop living in America, and start living in Minority Report?
OnStar
Every new vehicle seems to be equipped with OnStar, a specialty program that helps you get police assistance in the event of a major accident. Most of us are acquainted with it — at least in passing.
However, most people don't know that OnStar is actually one of the newest crime fighting tools in police arsenals, too. The newest OnStar-compatible machines have a mechanism that forces vehicles that are reported stolen to slow down.
The end result? No car chases for police, and a more easily recovered car.
ShotSpotter
Gunshot wounds are deadly. That is, after all, why guns are still used in war, and why many violent criminals love guns. They are powerful weapons that can kill a person with one blow.
The time that a police officer has to respond to a call about a gunshot fire is priceless. Every little second counts. The problem is that most people can't figure out where gunshots have come from, which in turn means that police often lose precious minutes trying to trace the shot.
ShotSpotter is technology that allows sensors to pinpoint where the gunshot comes from. It's been implemented in Washington D.C., and has been seen as a lifesaver for gunshot victims. Whether or not these crime fighting tools can stop a shootout from continuing remains to be seen.
SmartWater
No, not the overpriced electrolyte-filled water. That's Smart Water.
Smart Water is becoming an increasingly popular way to deter thieves in the United Kingdom. This water-based spray has a unique chemical code that looks invisible under daylight but glows when it's exposed to a specialized light signature.
Should a thief steal a prized possession that has been sprayed with Smart Water, it'll become very apparent that it's been stolen when police scan the item for its signature.
As a result, more people get their items back and thieves are getting caught with increasing ease. Crime fighting tools have never been so easy for civilians to use.
Noise-Related Crowd Control
Marketed under a number of different names, police departments across the world are now using tools that create noise that is literally too painful to be around. The end result is that protests get scattered and that any criminals who would be running amok end up having to stop what they're doing.
This is one of those crime fighting tools that really doesn't sit well with most people. It's nonviolent, but it also could be used to silence people who are trying to peacefully protest against things they don't agree with.
Microwave Active Denial Systems
Active Denial Systems, also known as ADS, are currently being developed as a way to control large crowds and also keep people from becoming high-risk threats. ADS weapons work by sending high-frequency microwaves in the direction of people.
The microwaves cause the water and fat inside people to boil, which in turn causes serious, crippling pain. It could potentially be lethal, which is why many people are worried about ADS-based crime fighting tools actually making it to the streets.
Police in favour of it say that they approve of the longer incapacitation time and that it actually would take a while to cook someone from the inside out using ADS. However, it's still really unethical to most of us.
Exoskeletons
Much of police work involves searching, rescuing, and also chasing after criminals. In some cases, they may end up in serious fights with criminals who do not want to go to jail.
Many cops could do their jobs better if they were stronger, faster, or otherwise more physically capable than the average human being. Exoskeletons would solve that issue almost immediately — and yes, the US government is working to bring them to police forces.
This technology would allow police to lift multiple times their weight, run faster, and also sustain more damage than they normally would. If these crime fighting tools become mainstream, then you can definitely call the police "Robocop's."
Cloak And Dagger
Imagine if police would be able to blend in with their surroundings — no matter what their surroundings would be. That's basically what Cloak And Dagger aims to do.
This technology uses thousands upon thousands of miniature holographic discs to blend into the background and bend light around the wearer. If police were to use this in their crime fighting endeavors, they would be way more capable of sneaking up on criminals and doing quick arrests.
This espionage-ready gear might be one of the coolest tools for crimefighters we've seen yet.
The Dazzler
At first glance, the Dazzler looks like a standard flashlight — but it's really anything but! It's actually one of the most interesting nonviolent crimefighting tools to be invented in recent years.
This invention, which has been created by the US Department of Homeland Security, has specialized LED lights that create a psychophysical effect on people.
Those who have the Dazzler turned on them and are unfortunate enough to actually look at the lights will find themselves feeling disoriented, sick, and nauseous. Most people will end up vomiting after exposure to the light.
This incapacitates the person in question and allows officers to apprehend them non-violently.
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