<title>Developing operational requirements for the design of law enforcement technologies</title>

Abstract

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) was awarded a two-year project to design and develop an air bag restraint for use in law enforcement patrol vehicles. The work has successfully proven the concept and is in the final stages of prototype development. The end product will be the design and delivery of one prototype unit to the National Institute of Justice for evaluation. The INEL also assessed possible technologies that could be used to halt suspects in fleeing vehicles and safely put an end to high-speed pursuits. During the assessment of these technologies, a set of operational requirements were developed that were useful in determining the appropriateness of the technologies for the law enforcement application. This paper discusses the importance of operational requirements in their application to the technologies assessment conducted in the laboratory. The paper discusses the law enforcement and pursuit environment in terms of liability, safety of operation, social acceptance, and effectiveness of technology.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.