Technology Nassau County Police Department

chevy impala patrol vehicle @ hempstead turnpike , merrick ave. these being replaced chevy caprices , ford explorers.

the department has historically been quick embrace new technologies. marine bureau began in 1933 gift of 18-foot chris craft mahogany speedboat residents of manhasset bay. aviation bureau followed year later gift of stinson airplane wealthy county residents. aircraft grounded world war ii, air unit revived in 1968 purchase of 4 helicopters assist in pursuits , medical evacuations. highway patrol unit, covers long island expressway , seaford-oyster bay expressway , includes motorcycle officers, founded in 1935. police vehicles equipped computer keyboards, and, since 1973, air conditioning.

in addition these units, department maintains many features, such detective bureau, police academy, mounted unit, arson/bomb squad, hostage negotiation team, citizen-based auxiliary police program, , emergency services unit (esu), found in police departments of large cities. department has adopted own system computerized tracking of crime information known nasstat, called strat-com.

a ford crown victoria police interceptor model ncpd marked patrol vehicle parked @ booth f in wantagh. these cars replacing older vics , impalas.



patrol boat in port washington

traffic safety major department priority, given nassau s relative lack of public transportation , perpetually clogged roads , highways. unique feature of department children s safety town, actual village built 1/3 scale includes paved streets, 2 intersections equipped traffic signals, overpass, 2 tunnels, simulated railroad crossing , 21 buildings. managed department s traffic safety unit, allows ncpd teach traffic , bicycle safety grade schoolers under controlled conditions.

in 1989, concerned increasingly heavy weaponry being carried criminals, ncpd among first police departments in country trade venerable 6 shot .38 smith & wesson revolvers 15-round, nine-millimeter sig p226 semi-automatic pistol. more recently, department announced switching on sig p229 , sig p226, chambered .40 s&w double action kellerman (dak) trigger , integral accessory rail new standard firearm. also, officers re-equipping expandable batons replace straight wooden nightstick.

in 1995, ncpd became largest police department in country time, , first in new york state, allow officers work steady 10- or 12-hour shift, rather rotating 8-hour shift commencing @ different time each week. in 2007, ncpd announced 207 marked patrol vehicles equipped global positioning system (gps) devices, allowing live views of location of active units.

in late 2006, department undertook operation gotcha, deploying new technology scans license plate numbers of passing vehicles directly mobile crime computer, allowing immediate apprehension of drivers operating vehicles expired licenses, suspended registrations or outstanding arrest warrants. technology allows scanning of literally thousands of plates in single shift.