Police officers realize up-to-date information is necessary to fight crime. In addition, law enforcement administrators acknowledge they will be faced with dwindling financial and manpower resources and will have to rely on technological advances. Defense technology may be applicable to law enforcement agencies, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) wide-area networks and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) are typical examples of how information and communication technologies have emerged as strategic tools within society. New wireless technologies are revamping the communications industry and will result in less labor-intensive operations. The impact of new technologies on law enforcement may be felt in such areas as mobile data transmission to and from the field; high-resolution graphics transfers to police vehicles (mug shots and fingerprints); vehicle and personnel tracking systems (police officer safety); 911 emergency system reinvention; and E-mail, voice mail, and video mail with direct delivery to police patrol officers. Also on the horizon is a proposal for low earth-orbit satellites that will fill in the gaps of existing telephone systems. New technologies will require organizational changes in law enforcement and will alter ways in which police services are delivered. 3 photographs