The NYPD has been featured on a ton of TV shows and every time they get to use top notch high end gadgets to catch the bad guys. Well, today we learn that they’re also given Windows tablets and smartphones to fight crime in the city that inspired Gotham.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the decision that NYPD will outfit all the officers with a handheld device, with Windows. This is part of a $160 million technology program, called NYPD Mobility Initiative and it will also bring 6000 rugged tablets into police cars. The devices will be used while connected to a cellular network and offer the forces expanded search abilities. This means they can access the NYPD databases on the go.
They also get real time 911 data, including notes and contextual information. Fingerprint scanners installed on mobile devices will also be used more often in the future, including moments when on the field checks are required. The NYPD seems to have opted to Panasonic Toughbooks running Windows, as well as Toughpad devices, Lumias and probably a Surface tablet or two. An early pilot gave officers Android phones, but those were apparently unable to make calls…
Let’s hope the new devices work better.
