Trials & Litigation
Police in Fla. Town Use Email and Skype to Obtain Warrants While Still on the Scene
A police officer and a county judge in South Florida worked together with prosecutors to develop a Skype-based booking system for the town of Palm Bay that operates as a virtual courtroom at a crime scene.
As a suspect is arrested in a driving-under-the-influence case, police forward documents by email to the judge who then authorizes appropriate warrants in a Skype conference call, reports Florida Today.
“It’s like a virtual office and courtroom,” says police Cpl. Darin Morgan. “If an officer can stay within his patrol zone instead of having to drive to the courthouse or the judge’s house to obtain the warrant, it saves time and increases the officers ability to protect the public.”
