Did you know that as temperatures start heating up, crime also rises? According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, you’re more likely to be a victim of a violent crime during the summer months.
While some believe longer daylight hours often contribute to the rise in crime, others think that those higher temperatures lead to increased irritability and aggressiveness. During warmer months, people tend to leave their garage doors and windows open, serving as an open invitation for petty (or worse) crimes.
While there is no definitive reasoning, it’s essential to understand how technology can help the public.
How Can the Public Protect Themselves?
Home cameras and protective phone apps that allow you to call for help are imperative. In fact, home cameras can now differentiate between humans and animals walking toward your house, letting you know when someone is approaching your home before knocking on the door.
If you’re not ready to add technology to your home, here are some simple tips to keep you safe during the summer and all year round.
● Lock your windows, cars, and home doors.
● Don’t leave spare keys in obvious places.
● When going out of town, don’t post photos on social media advertising that no one is home.
● Install motion sensor lights.
● Never leave valuable items in your car. Even coins, sunglasses, and cords may entice a thief. ● Bring your garage door opener inside if you park on the street to prevent a car break-in leading to a home break-in.
How Can Technology Help Protect the Public?
Utility has the tools to account for things that didn’t exist in the past. There are now ways of recording and communicating about incidents.
HELIOS™ by Utility allows law enforcement to quickly and securely ingest evidence from many disparate systems into one universal view.
EOS™ by Utility (formerly Body Worn by Utility) is more than just a body camera. The technology embedded in the officers’ uniforms to prevent them from detaching is the only police body worn camera system that can facilitate policy-based, high-speed data collection that delivers instant, transparent and secure intelligence when time and truth are critical. And its enhanced user interface offers an improved media layout, unified media and messages page, an audio recorder, and more.
Simon Araya, Chief Technology Officer for Utility, states, “Utility streamlines the workflow from the initial contact where someone is calling 911 to automate the process of collecting, tagging, and uploading digital evidence to a management system provided to police. This DEM system also streamlines sharing evidence with the prosecutor’s office. Technology makes it easy to collect video evidence, but with that can come an avalanche of data that needs to be managed appropriately. Utility provides the tools to digest and analyze the millions of monthly data points collected.
Privacy vs. Protection
When communities are educated on how technology is built and used in certain instances, they are more apt to feeling comfortable with having cameras around. As time goes on, there’s no avoiding the spread of video capabilities throughout communities. But, when used properly, they most certainly protect people, not deprive them of privacy.
“As long as we come up with safeguards so that technology is not abused, we can benefit from the ability for machines to analyze data tirelessly without a break so they can capture important incidents,” states Simon Araya.
For example, luggage cannot be left unattended in airports. But what if there were cameras with learned behaviors about detecting unmonitored bags monitoring the entire airport? This technology would save lives while increasing privacy, as airport employees will not need to look through someone’s personal belongings.
Another example literally hits (and helps) closer to home. Many neighborhoods implement license plate readers to filter out residents from unknown vehicles. These devices capture various data and can alert administrators immediately when known offenders enter your community in real-time.
When all is said and done, taking preventative measures to safeguard your belongings, home, and neighborhood during the summer months will help you relax and have peace of mind while soaking up some rays and enjoying the great outdoors.
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