BlackBerry platform combined with partner applications can help improve situational awareness for law enforcement agencies.

Summary:

With public agencies across the country feeling the squeeze of declining revenues, impacts are far-reaching, affecting services across the board, including law enforcement. It has been widely reported that many local police departments are being forced to thin their ranks, and in some cases, change their service delivery model to reflect new staffing realities.

A reduction in officers directly affects response capabilities. Incidents that used to prompt the dispatch of officers may now be directed to online or telephone self-reporting tools. According to USA Today, budget cuts have led  many local police forces to limit officer responses to violent crimes only. This change brings an increased degree of risk for officers, who are now responding to a greater percentage of volatile, potentially violent situations.

According to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, 86 officers were killed in the line of
duty in the first half of 2010. In 2011, 92 officers have been killed in the same period of time, representing an increase of 7 percent. More disturbing is the fact that the number of officers killed by gunfire during those same periods has increased by 34 percent.