https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE Expo
    • Calendar of Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Commentaries


Police officers and personal cellphones: convenience or security problem?

Police officers and personal cellphones: convenience or security problem?

Cheryl Bikowski, marketing communications supervisor at Gamber-Johnson, discusses the intricacies of personal cellphone use in law enforcement.
  • Written by contributor
  • 3rd September 2014

By Cheryl Bikowski

Mobile technology grants individuals the freedom to connect, whether they are using a first generation cellphone or the latest smartphone. Snapping photos, recording video and accessing the Internet are common features of even the most basic model of cellphones. However, for police officers, cellphones have yet to replace costly radios for connecting with other officers while on the scene of a crime. Several concerns surround cellular phone usage among police forces ranging from the ruggedness of the devices to connectivity issues during natural disasters. Another concern with cellphone usage by police officers is personal phone use while on the job.

Cellphones more common than toilets

According to a study by the United Nations as reported in Time, while the world’s population is approximately 7 billion people, only 4.5 billion have functioning toilets, yet 6 billion have mobile phones. Even with the prevalence of this technology, there are major roadblocks preventing police forces from taking to cellphones for their main communication tool.

In addition to being the most common form of communication worldwide, cellphones offer an affordability that police departments and public officials have noticed. According to Government Technology, while smartphones have price tags as high as $600 for a new device, this doesn’t come near the cost of a $5,000 police radio. The initial reaction is that all police officers should turn in their bulky radios for a compact cellphone. In addition to being able to use their phones to make calls, they could look up directions, share images of crime scenes and have convenient access to work emails.

Concerns with cellphones for cops

One of the major concerns with using smartphones while on duty is privacy. Police officers are dealing with criminal enterprise, incognito missions and the fragile lives of victims. For officers to be able to utilize a cellphone for their work, the cellular system they use would have to be privatized, such as the one used for the federal government and the president. This would be costly due to the hardware and technology associated with this more secure type of system.

Another issue with using cellphones while pursuing criminals is the durability of the units. A police radio is constructed to withstand water immersion, high temperatures and high impact. Not even the most expensive mobile device on the market will meet these needs sufficiently. Furthermore, in terms of signal strength, a cellphone would have to operate in all circumstances. Dropped calls, a lost signal and a failed battery are just some of the issues here.

In the case of a natural disaster, such as a fire, flood or tornado, cellphone towers may be knocked out or the cellular service may be overloaded with individuals trying to place a call. For a police officer in this situation, such issues are more than problematic — they are life threatening. Until a cellphone provider can create a handheld mobile device that will meet the needs of active duty police officers, these phones cannot be relied upon for communication in the workforce.

Blurred lines

Police officers who carry their personal smartphones on the job are at risk of blurring the line between business and personal. For example, an incident in 2011 in St. Louis, Mo., resulted in photos of a shooting victim being leaked online. The local community was outraged that the photos were leaked via Facebook, prompting an investigation of the officers on duty. It was determined that someone working within the St. Louis Police Department had taken the photos using a personal cellphone. Those officers in question were forced to cooperate by giving a history of their cellphone photos on threat of being dismissed from duty.

According to KMOV St. Louis, the officers included in the investigation claimed their rights under the Fourth Amendment. As the cellphones in use were personal property and owned by extended family members, the officers felt that they were reprimanded unjustly. However, the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans from unreasonable search and seizure is not applicable for those working in the public sector. Therefore police officers working for their local government cannot necessarily be protected from searches and seizures made by the government.

A common ground

Police departments concerned with the use of cellphones on the job should have a workplace policy protecting the privacy and rights of the police department, its officers and those citizens involved in police activity. This policy may reflect that police officers on duty cannot have their personal cellphones while working. A policy may also reflect the use of cellphones in specific instances, such as for communications in an emergency situation.

Having a mobile workstation with a notebook computer is another alternative to cellphones. Police officers looking for security and mobility will find that mobile workstations offer a greater opportunity for regulating both of these. Security systems similar to those used for police station in-house computer systems can be used on notebook computers with ease.

Cheryl Bikowski is the marketing communications supervisor at Gamber-Johnson. Gamber-Johnson is the leading supplier of mobile workstations and police car consoles for the law enforcement industry.

_____________

To get connected and stay up-to-date with similar content from American City & County:
Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
Watch us on Youtube

Tags: Public Safety Commentaries

Most Recent


  • disaster
    Fast disaster recovery construction projects
    There is profound wisdom embedded in the age-old saying attributed to Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In today’s rapidly changing landscape, these words resonate with a heightened sense of urgency. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) paints a stark picture in the United States: 2022 alone witnessed […]
  • webinars
    Check out key takeaways from Disaster Management Symposium webinars, register to view archives
    The inaugural Disaster Management Symposium was conducted Nov. 8, when consecutive hour-long webinars featured expert panelists exploring various aspects of the three main phases of a disaster for public safety and governments: planning, response and recovery. This virtual symposium was a joint effort of American City & County, IWCE’s Urgent Communications and IWCE. If you […]
  • AI cybersecurity
    How AI can assist cities and counties with cybersecurity
    The Public Technology Institute’s 2023 Local Government Cybersecurity National Survey was just released. Based on past years results, there were few surprises but continued reassurance that cybersecurity continues to remain the top focus of all local governments. The survey asked about financial support, where 64 percent reported that cyber budgets were inadequate. Only 36 percent […]
  • roundabout
    Installing roundabouts can make roads safer, lead to a reduction in traffic accidents
    Ever notice how many popular trends got their start in Europe before making their way to the U.S.? Think music like The Beatles and punk rock (United Kingdom), fashion (Paris), compact cars (Germany and the Volkswagen Beetle). They all got their start in Europe. Unfortunately, one of the roadway standards embraced throughout Europe but still […]

Related Content

  • How governments can keep employees safe as they return to work
  • Preventing cyber-attacks needs to be a priority for local governments
  • Building community and officer wellness through data sharing
  • California city combines advanced technology with dedicated public safety team for comprehensive emergency management

WHITE PAPERS


Best Practices for Grantees and Grantors: Grant Compliance

5th December 2023

The Four Key Components of Successful Digital Transformation

22nd November 2023

Navigating Today’s Greatest Workplace Challenges

3rd October 2023
view all

Webinars


Grant Preparedness: Unlocking Funding Opportunities for Your Success

10th August 2023

2023 State of Public Sourcing: Taking Local Governments into a Bright Future

1st August 2023

Stop Playing with Fire: How to Manage Infrastructure Asset Risk So You Know You’re Covered

20th June 2023
view all

Podcast


Podcast: Disaster Management Symposium preview

13th October 2023

Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020
view all

GALLERIES


Gallery: Top 10 domestic city travel destinations this Thanksgiving season

22nd November 2023

Gallery: 10 American cities that have seen substantial population growth in the last five years

6th November 2023

Gallery: 10 of America’s greenest large cities

24th October 2023
view all

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.