Once upon a time on patrol

   Florida and several other locations use satellite technologies to track the exact geographical location of offenders using global positioning systems (GPS). The system consists of 24 military satellites that orbit 11,000 miles above the Earth.

1991

   • The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C.

1994

   • Congress enacts CALEA, a program that preserves the ability of law enforcement agencies to conduct electronic surveillance by requiring telecommunications carriers and manufacturers of telecommunications equipment to modify and design their equipment, facilities and services to ensure that they have the necessary surveillance capabilities.

1995

   • More agencies experiment with Geographic information systems (GIS). Computerized crime mapping lets agencies plot crime-related data against a digitized map of a community, city, or region. Crime-related data can then be compared and analyzed with other external data sources.

1996

   • The National Academy of Sciences announces there is no longer any reason to question the reliability of DNA evidence.

2006

   • The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 creates a national sex offender public database, new registration requirements for convicted sex offenders, and a uniform national system for tracking and locating missing or noncompliant sex offenders.

2008

   • Several cities and police departments install wireless video surveillance systems, or expand upon existing systems, to better patrol communities.