Making Technology Pay Off

Heal further believes police departments must work with manufacturers to help them build products with utility for the law enforcement market. Without this kind of collaborative relationship, many firms could end up making products that don't meet an officer's needs and, therefore, never get purchased.

Technology training is no simple process, requiring many components that must compliment each other - a well-informed trainer, training that is compatible with officers' work schedules, and timely, logical technology solutions with a long shelf-life. And, not only must police agencies and makers of technology products and software work with each other to ensure the usefulness of their offerings, but these products also must be easy and quick to learn.

"We need to make technology that supports the user, not the user supporting the technology," says Oldham. He adds: "The technology has to be something that you pick up the training for initially and you retain it because it's that easy."