In emergency situations, speed is key for first responders. Law enforcement agencies need to have the tools in place to be able to communicate and coordinate quickly. Using old and clunky tools―like desktops and laptops―are simply not sufficient for teams to make decisions quickly and securely. And, the traditional radio system can present interoperability problems.
Given these limitations, law enforcement personnel are turning to more efficient―but insecure communication mediums that function over mobile. SMS texting, WhatsApp, or Facebook messaging are all risky. The lack of proper security may mean that malicious third-parties could gain access to sensitive conversations. Additionally, using such typically does not meet regulation requirements or those for FOIA.
At the same time, we all can agree that mobile communications that allow law enforcement to communicate quickly and more efficiently can have a positive impact on their response times, allowing law enforcement to:
Exchange sensitive information immediately Call for additional assistance paramedics, explosive experts, and field officers to immediately let responders know when back up is needed. Communicate securely rather than communicating over radio, where they might be overheard, law enforcement can communicate over text, ensuring they aren’t overheard. Gather evidence utilize camera features to take secure images (when using a secure messaging app) to take pictures and send directly to back end systems to maintain the chain of custody.Vaporstream believes that law enforcement agencies should be able to use such tools, without compromising on security of information shared or compliance. Vaporstream’s secure communication platform allows users to communicate immediately via end-to-end encryption. Its content control ensures that information cannot be inadvertently or maliciously shared once it reaches the device and its archiving capabilities ensure compliance with regulation. Additionally, Vaporstream allows information to be sent securely and directly to a backend system to ensure chain of custody. Nothing is ever retained on the device. To learn more about how we can help, contact us today.
Contributor: The Vaporstream Team