WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) – Technology is becoming an increasingly integral part of everyday life, and that impact is being felt in law enforcement as well.
The Wausau Police Department recently demonstrated the important role of modern technology in solving crimes and enhancing public safety.
Earlier this month, police used advanced technology including heat sensors and drones to successfully arrest the suspect.
“This revolutionizes everything,” said Commander Ryan Hillman, a drone team member with the Marathon County Sheriff's Office. “It really changes the way we investigate, document scenes and search for people.”
Commander Hillman, who has been with the police force for nearly 20 years, noted that technological advances are happening rapidly in the field of law enforcement.
“Ten years ago, we didn't have any of this technology,” Hillman said. “The technology has gotten better and better, but the costs have stayed about the same.”
In a recent incident, Wausau police officers initially lost sight of a reckless driver but were able to track the suspect using a drone equipped with night vision.
“We saw them not because we had officers on the road, but because we had a drone that could fly over the water,” said Officer Eric Lemirand with the Wausau Police Department.
This type of technology has great versatility in policing.
“We can basically fly anywhere, go places humans can't go and get a bird's eye view, get into tight spaces and see what's out there,” Hillman said.
The usefulness of this technology extends beyond tracking suspects, as it can play a vital role in a variety of scenarios.
“Any time SWAT is called in we respond and we do 15 to 20 search and rescue missions a year,” said Commander Hillman.
Officer Remirand also highlighted the effectiveness of technology in managing emergency situations such as structure fires.
“The infrared camera can detect heat, so it can identify hot spots on the roof that the fire department can't see,” Lemirand said. “It's a really cool thing, and we're lucky to have it here.”
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