Technology in law enforcement to be discussed from unique perspectives

Most law enforcement officers deal with technology every day, but with huge technological leaps being made in various facets of the field, it’s hard for anyone to keep up. Today, law enforcement encounters everything from three-dimensional printing to the ever-changing face of social media – and there are no signs of slowing down.

The Police Innovation Conference is designed to bring progressive law enforcement agencies from across the country together with some of the great minds in technology and policing. Conference-goers will be attending workshops, moderated panels, and discussion groups where they can talk to other law enforcement officers and share their experiences about dealing with these ever-changing technological issues.

“Our goal with this conference is to provide timely content, an ambitious agenda, and a unique venue,” said Peter Olson, the founder of WiredBlue and conference organizer. “By bringing together these great public and private sector speakers to share their insights, we will provide the audience with new ideas and information to take back to their agencies as they move forward with future planning for their local community. “

So far, officers of all ranks from close to 50 agencies across the United States and as far away as South Africa will be attending the conference, which is being held at Microsoft New England in Cambridge, Mass. Olson said that in order to have a quality event, he wanted to cover a number of topics with experts from the private, academic, and public sector.

Speakers and panelists from cutting edge technological fields, include Mary (Missy) Cummings, the director of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Humans and Automation Lab, Joe Rozek, Executive Director Homeland Security and Counterterrorism of Microsoft, Tom Phelps, director of Robotics Products in North America for iRobot, Ezra Englebardt the senior manager of Brand Planning & Strategy at SapientNitro, Bryan Gulachenski, interim executive director at StopBadware.

Many agencies have been blazing the trail in various forms of technology. Representatives from such agencies will be offering strategies and solutions, including Commissioner Robert C. Haas of the Cambridge Police Department; Chief David Oliver and Internet Sensation of the Brimfield, Ohio Police Department; Cheryl Fiandaca, public information bureau chief of the Boston Police Department; Captain William Bongle of the Green Bay Police Department; Chief William Brooks of the Norwood, Mass. Police Department; Chief Billy Grogan of the Dunwoody, Ga. Police Department; Chief Brian Kyes of the Chelsea, Mass. Police Department; Roy McKinney, director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA); and John Daley, deputy superintendent and chief technology officer for the Boston Police Department.

“We at the Cambridge Police Department are proud to help organize this inaugural conference with our partners at WiredBlue and Microsoft,” said Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert C. Haas. “I encourage my law enforcement colleagues to attend and learn about the rapid pace at which technology is advancing in policing, and how it can be harnessed to provide a greater level of service to our communities.”

This police conference is not shying away from hot-button topics. A discussion on the emerging technology and privacy concerns of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) is on the agenda, along with current and future roles of robots in public safety, 3D printing, and wearable technology – just to name a few. These panels and discussions are geared toward not only talking about technology as it currently exists, but possible uses for it (both legal and criminally-minded).

The conference also will introduce new public safety focused startups and solutions to the attending agencies to allow for greater exposure and partnerships opportunities for the startups. Popular Science 2013 Invention Award winner Bounce Imaging is one of the attending startup companies. Another presenting startup is Bratton Technologies, the company founded by former NYPD, Boston, and LAPD Commissioner Bill Bratton.

“Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are now leveraging the very latest in mobile and cloud-based solutions to ensure they stay a step ahead of law breakers,” said Joe Rozek of Microsoft. “Those who choose to modernize have the smart tools at their disposal to help in the prevention and intervention of criminal activity, with more intelligence, better real-time decision making, and faster response.”

The conference aims to become an annual event which brings about discussions on the hottest trends and latest innovations from both police and private citizens. For more information on the Police Innovation Conference, including schedules and speaker information visit www.PoliceInnovationConference.com.