When Hi-Tech Becomes No-Tech
It is not uncommon for an officer to return to the sergeant asking for a vehicle change because the computer in his assigned car was broken.
We could not get through on our cell phones.
The mobile computer network was down.
The station had emergency power. I had a portable radio and a battery with maybe an 8 hour operating life.
Gas stations, food stores, restaurants, and bank ATMs were all closed or down. Mid-shift, I was brought a burger that had been grilled on a large BBQ at the fire station. The meat and buns were donated by a local food store. Thank God.
The advent of technology has been good, except that we have unwittingly burned the bridge of manual operations behind us. We can't stop being the police because, "the computer is down."
