Technology

Post 2020 law enforcement has been geared towards an ever-changing world of technology. When I started in law enforcement in 2010, here at the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, we did not have body cameras, we were on low-band radios and the thought of UAS, Cameras, LPR’s, data mining technology, or a Real Time Crime Center was just imaginary.

In 2022, under my leadership in Special Operations, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office acquired our first drones. One drone was designed for exterior flights, equipped with high resolution cameras and thermal technology. The second drone was designed for interior flights. The purpose of the smaller of the two drones, which we nicknamed “hummingbird” was to provide our Special Response Team or deputies with a tool to clear a residence or structure with an un-manned aerial system (UAS) without risking the safety of the suspect or deputy.

I conducted the research leading up to the acquisition. I attended the training to become a drone operator and for a long time was the only drone operator at the agency. As a drone operator I have located missing people using our UAS. Additionally, our SRT tactics under my command were researched and appropriately adapted to incorporate the use of a drone. Technology evolves and so do tactics.

I recently attended congressional threat training focused on faith-based and public spaces. During this training, the topic was specifically focused on the increase in the use of drones by the public and how drones can and have been utilized by the criminal element.

It is important that we invest in the use of aerial UAS, to keep our agency in line with industry standards and upgrade equipment to enhance the capabilities of this office. I am currently exploring the expansion of the use of our drone program, the use of web-based live-video feed from aerial systems coupled with credible intelligence to aid in locating missing people and fugitives and increasing the number of trained operators for our UAS program.

It is important that the public is aware that just because someone runs into the woods a UAS Drone does not always work in locating them, even with thermal imagery. Thermal imaging is a measurement in which the thermal camera detects infrared radiation originating from the surface of objects. When someone runs into the woods, a thermal camera cannot see through the canopy of the woods. The leaves, limbs, animals and any other surface retain heat which is visible on the drone. We do not have x-ray vision on our drones to see through the canopy. It requires a trained eye, flight skills and luck to find the anomaly of a human body through the canopy of a wooded area. Yes, the thermal camera works great in an open field.

In early 2022, I began researching, weighing options, analyzing pros and cons, and strategically presenting the use of technology within the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office. With the blessing, support and trust of Sheriff Woodard, what started as a vision and an idea has turned into reality. We are currently operating a Real Time Crime Center, better known as the “RTCC”, inside the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office. We are currently and will be under my leadership, at the cutting edge of using technology to our advantage. Our Real Time Crime Center has data and viewing capabilities of over 20 cameras spread strategically throughout the county. Additionally, I have integrated digital maps into our camera infrastructure and designed a digital analysis workstation within the center. Since we began installing these cameras throughout the county, our detectives and deputies have solved several crimes including but not limited to homicides, larcenies, and locating stolen property with the leads developed from these cameras.

Literally the day after our very first camera went live, our intelligence analyst was monitoring the cameras and saw a male subject slumped over a chair outside of a store. We were able to quickly notify patrol deputies to this emergency, continuously providing real time information to the responding deputies who ultimately arrived on scene and provided this victim with lifesaving Narcan.

We currently serve and will continue to serve under my leadership, as a resource agency to other agencies. We have and will continue to help our partner agencies with technology that we have at our disposal. We have and will continue to assist other agencies with intelligence gathering/sharing, data interpretation, digital records analysis and locating and apprehending fugitives all over this country. If we have the technology and can help, we will be willing to help however we can. When we work together, bad guys lose.

This past October, I met with the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the NC Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NC ISAAC) and two other representatives from the NC SBI. We had in-depth conversation on how our agency applied funding towards technology to assist us in identifying threats, developing leads, preventing crimes and being proactive in our day-to-day operations. I was a bit curious as to why NC ISAAC wanted to meet with us and see what we had. I looked at the agents’ face a few times during the meeting to see awe and amazement. When I finished speaking with them, they said to me that this was incredible. I asked why? They said because we are a smaller agency and we have tools and have applied technology resources wisely. They were impressed at how we utilized the funding to get the best “bang for our buck” and improve public safety while doing it.

At the end of the meeting, this high-ranking official extended the opportunity to Sheriff Woodard to have me or a representative from our agency travel to other agencies and speak with their leadership to assist them in building the same or similar infrastructure that we have at our fingertips. I was asked if we would be interested in speaking at conferences to law enforcement leadership across this state to provide a roadmap of how this project came to fruition. Under my leadership, we will continue to improve and implement the use of technology in our Real Time Crime Center to give us the best advantage against the criminal element and protect our community.

Technology requires thorough research, knowledge, understanding, and an open mind. It also requires you to be knowledgeable about the ever-changing landscape of how law enforcement has been affected and has adapted to the use of technology. I am completely immersed in technology.

Under my leadership, I will leverage technology to aid this agency for the benefit of this community. I am 100% committed to that!

I have served as a law enforcement advisor and beta-tester to a “Inc.5000” Artificial Intelligence (AI) Company on their implementation of open-source facial recognition in the law enforcement community. During my tenure as a law enforcement advisor and beta-tester with this company, I assisted them with applying and implementing the use of AI facial recognition technology and the parameters and “real world application” within the constitution for local law enforcement. I helped them decide what worked, what didn’t work, and why.

I intend to continue working with county leadership to invest in and leverage technology. I will push investments in specialized software and databases. I will invest in software for data analysis, invest in modern infrastructure and invest in artificial intelligence to accurately and effectively analyze data for the purposes of crime prevention and proactive enforcement. I intend to invest in technology that keeps the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office above the industry standards, giving our deputies the technological tools that they need to be proactive, solve crimes, protect our citizens, and do their job safely, and efficiently with precision; within the guidelines of what is constitutionally accepted. Lastly, I intend to be transparent and accountable in the use of technology. Citizens deserve to know what their tax dollars are being spent on.

I am a realist. Technology is expensive and requires those seeking technological advancements to be good stewards of tax dollars. Tax dollars are important. I pay taxes in this county just like the rest of you. I want to know that my tax dollars are being used wisely to reap the maximum benefit of every penny for the agency and the community collectively.