Book excerpt: Technology has always played an important role in the performance of police tasks. In recent years, that role has not only expanded, but has also been renewed. On one hand, technology plays a role in supporting policing (closed-circuit television, scanning equipment, technical methods of detection, etc.). On the other hand, new technology offers opportunities to commit crime, particularly in the sphere of information technology which requires constant adjustments of the police in their investigation methods. The use of technology raises many interesting questions. There are important privacy issues. There are also consequences of investing in technology. Additionally, are police investigations keeping sufficiently up-to-date with technological developments, including advances in computer technology as well as strong developments in the sphere of natural science? This book - originally a volume of the Journal of Police Studies - examines the concerns and necessity for technology in poli