The latest crime fighting tool for Baltimore cops: A BlackBerry phone

posted by Alan F.

Sep 04, 2009, 2:58 PM

The latest crime fighting tool for Baltimore cops: A BlackBerry phone

"Don't move or I'll email you" is probably not what the politicians in Baltimore had in mind when they decided to spend some bucks on 2,000 BlackBerry handsets to be issued to city cops. The 5-0 will be using the phones to check on warrants, criminal histories, and to send and receive pictures. The device is being called a "Pocket Cop" and in early tests, those policemen using a BlackBerry made twice as many arrests as those without the phone. The model of the device is not known.

The idea of using the 'Berry is to allow the officer to obtain and send information away from the screen in the patrol car, thus making the policeman more mobile. Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld II said, "In the last 15 years of law enforcement, we've trained cops around their vehicle. We've made their vehicle their mobile office. Except that now, they don't leave the office. This 'Pocket Cop' will help them move away from that car and break that tether."

source: Crackberry

Options

8 Comments

5. 321

Posts: 9; Member since: Aug 17, 2009

I live in Baltimore and believe me, the budget for the state of Maryland could be used for a lot better things than BlackBerries. I wonder if they were thinking about these when they were making all those budget cuts to my university b/c the last thing I need is for my tuition to go up. If anything, give them to the detectives.

posted on Sep 04, 2009, 7:09 PM 0

6. cellstudent

Posts: 10; Member since: Feb 21, 2009

Ummm... last time I checked, the government had a primary obligation to maintain basic law and order AND the constitution speaks nothing of funding higher education. Grow up. Providing better law enforcement tools is WAY more important then subsidizing whatever you're doing in school.

posted on Sep 06, 2009, 12:20 AM 0

7. BlackberryUser

Posts: 609; Member since: Jun 26, 2009

In theory a Blackberry could reduce police costs by increasing efficiency. If the officer is on site half the time then they can do twice as much.

posted on Sep 06, 2009, 10:01 AM 0

8. Vlondril

Posts: 91; Member since: Aug 22, 2009

Thank you...someone who is finally not self absorbed...you are absolutely correct due to the fact that the article did state that they made TWICE as many arrests...and that was just a test trial...imagine if it was fully implimemented...and just think for a moment...is the only reason you have your tights in a bunch is because you sometimes break the law and now they have a tool to stop you and hold you accountable?....Please 321 lets be real about this here...better tools for law enforcement means a safer environment for all law abiding citizens...Everybody gets mad at the government but the truth is without the government we would still be in the dark ages and you would have NONE of the "RIGHTS" you take for granted...wake up and smell the coffee and share a cup with someone else for once.

posted on Sep 06, 2009, 3:54 PM 0

3. Fanboys Suck

Posts: 609; Member since: Dec 12, 2008

It's amazing how unbelievably gay this picture is...

posted on Sep 04, 2009, 3:54 PM 0

4. Vlondril

dude like check out the super sized Blackberry!!! New and improved!! The real reason why there were double the arrests is because we can throw these at you and we dont have to run to catch you!! Better statistics for crime fighting AND more time for donut parties!!! For all cops on this website.....im sorry....i couldnt resist....i appreciate the job you do.