This research examines the effectiveness of field mobile computing in law enforcement through the theory of task-technology fit. Field mobile computing has been at the forefront of police technology implementations throughout the United States for the past several years. This study measures how well these systems match tasks the field officers must perform and measures the effectiveness of field mobile computing as implemented in a medium-sized Southwestern police department. The authors found statistical support indicating that inquiries to local, state, and national criminal information databases increased with the implementation of mobile computing. The authors also found that field officers recognize the potential benefits mobile computing affords them and that the amount of time required for completing reports increased with the implementation of field mobile computing. Last, administrators, detectives, and records personnel all experienced statistically significant improvements in the tasks they performed, directly resulting from the implementation of mobile computing.

This research examines the effectives of field mobile computing in law enforcement through the theory of 'Task-Technology Fit'. Field mobile computing has been at the forefront of police technology implementations throughout the United States for the past several years. This study measures how these systems benefit investigators, administrators and records personnel. It also measures the effectiveness of field mobile computing as implemented in a medium-sized south-west police department. We found statistical support indicating that inquiries to local, state and national criminal information databases increased with the implementation of mobile computing. Administrators, detectives and records personnel all experienced statistically significant improvements in the tasks they performed, directly resulting from the implementation of mobile computing.

Bias-based policing is an issue that police departments all over the country are addressing. While police engage the public in many ways, traffic stops are possibly the most common way. This research project sought to broaden the approach to assessing bias-based policing beyond traffic stop data by surveying the officers and the citizens to compare the views of both of these groups. Our research found interesting comparisons that we discuss in this paper. These issues between the two groups are important to resolving the issues associated with bias-based policing.

Bias-based policing is an issue that police departments all across the country are addressing. Considering that bias-based policing undermines relationships between the police and the public, a considerable amount of research has been conducted to uncover and prevent the occurrence of bias-based policing. Past research has primarily focused on traffic stops to assess the level of bias-based policing. However, traffic stops are only one of the many ways police interact with the public. As a result, this research project sought to broaden the approach to assessing bias-based policing beyond traffic stop data by surveying police officers to determine if they are aware of bias-based policing practices occurring in police departments, either theirs or others. This research found that 21% of survey respondents believed that bias-based policing is presently practiced by officers in their department, and 25.9% believed that bias-based policing is practiced by officers in other Virginia police departments.

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