U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Office Space: Today's Patrol Cars are Cramped with Radios, Computers, Data Terminals, and Video Cameras...Is There Any Room for You?

NCJ Number
198500
Journal
Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management Volume: 26 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2002 Pages: 44-47
Author(s)
John L. Bellah
Editor(s)
David Griffith
Date Published
December 2002
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the available space in today’s police vehicles to serve and accommodate the multitude of functions and needed equipment and options to increase the rolling office space with police officers’ vehicles.
Abstract
Today, aside from providing transportation and the means to apprehend suspects, the police vehicle serves a multitude of functions, such as office, shelter against inclement weather, interview room or jail, lunchroom, tactical barrier, and citation desk. Today’s police work requires a larger vehicle. The electronic equipment in police vehicles has reproduced ten-fold with mobile data terminals, laptop computers, cellular fax machines, printers, dash-mounted radar, global positioning systems, video cameras, and more. Proper vehicle selection and equipment installation can increase officer safety and comfort, and provide the officer with more usable room in his or her “rolling office.” Suggestions and recommendations discussed include: Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) which are larger and smaller electronics.