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Police Vehicles: 6 Reasons Why Every Police Vehicle Needs an In-Vehicle Charging Solution

Posted on by Nathan Johnson

Vehicle Charging Series Map

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Keeping mobile devices alive inside a vehicle is something the police force is more than familiar with. Radios, computers,  and cupholder-warmers alike are mainstays of every police vehicle from neighborhood squad cars to the highway patrol. But as mobile technology evolves, so too do the way police connect with devices.

While cop cars are all equipped with powered computers and support features, the new market for gadgets and the new requirements for high-tech law enforcement make USB a must-have. One of the essentials is high-speed USB charge ports inside your vehicle.  In-vehicle charging stations provide more than just another spot to charge an iPhone. Here are the six substantial reasons why every police vehicle should have USB charging ports:

1. Universal Usefulness Factor

The first and perhaps most profound argument is simple usefulness. Cops carry certain equipment because it’s useful all the time, in so many everyday situations that you might as well have one or more with every police team. Flashlights, for example. Most police vehicles also have cargo nets or belts and often a handful of quarters. Why? Because they can solve problems in a variety of non-violent situations.

USB charge ports fall into the same rule. There are so many instances where being able to quickly charge, recharge, or maintain power to a mobile device is useful in modern policing. It’s a tool that every one of your officers could think of a different use-case example for.

2. Police Device Flexibility and Adaptability

Modern police forces also need to be flexible in the devices they can and do use on the job.  Not only are police forces across the country upgrading their in-vehicle, in-office, and line-of-duty technology, but officers also encounter technology in everyday situations. But charge ports without integral assigned purposes allow your officers the flexibility to power almost any modern portable device. From phones to appliances to K9 tech, a few open ports provide a great deal of adaptability.

3. Emergency On-Site Phone Recharging

When a police vehicle responds to an emergency, there’s a higher-than-usual percent chance that a dead cellphone will factor in. A driver or passenger in a car accident may need to recharge their phone to call loved ones for assistance and information. During an arrest, or even to prevent an arrest, phones can be recharged to help those involved retrieve information, photos, or phone numbers needed to resolve the situation. Citizens who are lost or stranded can also often be restored to independence by bringing their phones back to life.

On-site phone recharging alone is a community service that can resolve many accident-site problems.

4. Investigation of Devices On-Site

Devices that are found in the course of an investigation are often dead. The devices have been lost, dropped, or abandoned by the owners due to the results of a crime or other unfortunate circumstances. With the right warrants and permissions, police are sometimes able to use found devices on-site to aid an investigation. Having USB charge ports inside the police vehicle makes it possible to bring these found devices to life and gain any information that is immediately available, and possibly to begin a deeper investigation if the owner of the device (or their guardian) is present to grant permission on-site.

5. Lost Device Recovery

Phones are found by good samaritans and left with the police all the time. Verification of ownership is important when the police return a phone to its owner. In many cases, the best way to do this is to turn on the phone and have the owner unlock it or give the correct lockscreen information without being shown. If an officer is called to return a device on-site and needs to verify, being able to recharge dead phones will come in handy.

6. Community Recharge Services

Finally, there’s the simple fact that recharge ports inside police vehicles can become community recharging stations. From giving someone a ride home to resolving a problem without a mandatory report, having a USB charging solution on-site can really come in handy. Phones and other mobile devices have become so integral to modern life that keeping them alive is a real concern.  Being able to recharge on-site has risen to the place of a true community service. Whenever the time is right, your officers will know when to provide recharging services as a form of problem-solving that encourages citizens to help themselves.

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Here at Coolgear, we are dedicated to providing practical, high-quality technical upfitting services. That’s why we developed the CHARGEIT! Mini,  high-speed USB charge port that is integrally powered by the vehicle. For police officers, the fast-charging USB C and USB A station will provide a universal and flexible source of power for anything with a USB port. Whether you’re helping citizens recharge to call their loved ones or powering a new police device that doesn’t have an integral mount yet, these ports are sure to solve more than a few problems in the high-tech years to come.

Contact us for more police vehicle upfitting insights or to talk about USB charging solutions for your police fleet.