The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Sheriff reflects on changes
Lake County Sheriff Daniel Dunlap has seen a lot of changes in his 45 years in law enforcement — many of them are based in technology.
No longer are fingerprints done with ink and paper. It’s a computerized process that can scan through thousands of files “while you’re sleeping.”
There are drones that can enter homes.
The image of a person using a stolen credit card can be captured by a security camera.
Then that image can be broadcast to thousands on social media who can help identify the suspect.
“There’s no question that technology is a good thing,” Dunlap said.
He said that while it was once believed that computers would make law enforcement’s job easier, that hasn’t been the case. It does however, help them do a better job he said.
As technology improves, new challenges arise. Internet crimes are something that didn’t exist when Dunlap entered law enforcement and they’re an every day event now. Technology comes with a financial cost, something that can be difficult
on already tight budgets.
Improvements in scientific technology can sometimes even be a handicap, Dunlap said. Juries expect every case to have DNA evidence that can give “absolution” in a case, but sometimes circumstantial evidence is still what needs to be relied on.
Changes in technology are happening at a faster rate than Dunlap said he’s ever experienced. He wonders what the future holds: will a fleet of drones patrol neighborhoods? Will law enforcement be able to remotely disable vehicles?
Changes are happening in other ways too. Drugs are more sophisticated now, Dunlap said. The opioid epidemic is an ever-evolving challenge. It’s moved past prescription drugs and heroin
to more potent opioids like fentanyl and its analogues and in recent years it’s being mixed with other types of drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine.
Dunlap admits that some first responders can grow
weary when they need to administer the overdosereversal drug naloxone to a person for the seventh time.
Attitudes toward drug abuse is changing, however. Dunlap said they’re not going to be able to incarcerate
Changes in technology are happening at a faster rate than Dunlap said he’s ever experienced. He wonders what the future holds: will a fleet of drones patrol neighborhoods? Will law enforcement be able to remotely disable vehicles?
their way out of the problem.
They’re trying to help get treatment for people. Through the Mentor Municipal Court, the county now has a drug court and a mental health court.
The jail is changing, too. There is a greater emphasis on what Dunlap called “habilitating” people. There are GED classes, anger management, there are even volunteers who come in to give yoga instructions.
“There are a lot of things there that never happened when I started,” Dunlap said.
Though changes are constant, Dunlap said there is one thing that has remained consistent.
“The men and women are the same. They put on their uniform and do they best they can.”