NYPD testing out Google Glass for police work

The NYPD is testing out the use of Google Glass for police work. According to a report published on Wednesday, New York City's finest have already purchased "a few pairs" of the connected specs and are testing them to see if there is any value to having them become one of the investigative tools used by the agency. The testing is being done for routine patrol work. With 34,500 employees punching a time clock at the NYPD, it is the largest police department in the U.S.and does have some influence over others.

On the other coast, the San Francisco Police also has an interest in the connected specs. The Samsung Galaxy S4 has become a tool for officers in the city, allowing them to run the department's database to check for outstanding warrants. The phone also helps officers view realtime mugshots of wanted criminals. Susan Merritt, the CIO of the San Francisco Police Department, says that Google Glass could have huge applications for law enforcement. One use could be as a wireless method for running facial recognition software.


The use of video recording and dictation could also help cops avoid long desk time typing out incident reports. On the other hand, there are those who say that Google Glass will violate the civil liberties of innocent people.

It will be interesting to see what police do throughout the U.S. with Google Glass. If it turns out that the device is indispensable as a crime fighting tool, Google will be richly rewarded.

Thanks, Anonymous Tipster!

source: VentureBeat via 9to5Google