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This month, Envisage Technologies will host a live webinar entitled, "Months to Minutes," at 2 pm ET/ 11 am PT on Tuesday, July 28. This session will give participants the opportunity to learn how Utah's Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) streamlined their training and compliance process from 12 months to 5 minutes. Scott Stephenson, Director of Utah POST, will describe how he transformed the compliance process using software specifically designed for law enforcement.

Car accidents and fires are obvious situations that may require a call to 911. For the most part, doing so does not increase risk for the caller. However, in cases of domestic abuse or abduction, calling 911 can put the victim in grave danger. In these situations, new technology that allows people to silently text to 911 can be life-saving. The National 911 Office is driving the planning and adoption of the text-to-911 service to make communicating with emergency services more dynamic. This begins the process of increasing accessibility and a push for public safety answering points (PSAP) to begin Next Generation 911 (NG911) implementation. Text-to-911 is an interim step between current systems used in PSAPs and NG911 implementation. While there is a national push to upgrade, it is a lengthy and expensive process that will initially limit the availability of the service.

Disasters can strike anywhere and at any time. In recent years, many U.S. states experienced natural disasters firsthand, subjecting both civilians and first responders to a wide range of severe scenarios. When properly trained, emergency workers are able to care for themselves and others in these situations. The process of planning for and evaluating these events, however, extends beyond the crisis in progress.

Authorities evacuated hundreds of students in an orderly procession - a demonstration of aggressive security measures developed by police and schools following the chaotic 1999 shooting at Columbine, some 8 miles west of Arapahoe High. After that tragedy, police across the country developed "active shooter" training in which responding officers rush toward gunfire - and step over bodies and bleeding victims if necessary - to stop the gunman.

Behaviors and reflexes are not changed as easily as the law. In the wake of recent Supreme Court rulings, training coordinators and department heads must be deliberate about implementing policies and providing education to accommodate clarified law. Specifically, the judicial decisions will impact use-of-force procedures, surveillance strategies, and involvement of spouses in the criminal justice process.

Through the first half of fiscal year 2015, the Department of Justice distributed $505 million in grants to law enforcement agencies. Since each grant serves a distinct purpose, departments are required to follow specific guidelines both as part of the application process and after funding begins. Local precincts and sheriff's offices are advised to anticipate the depth and bureaucracy that accompanies such opportunities by thoroughly understanding how grants work and how they benefit law enforcement operations.

Agile development is no longer an alternative way to develop software. With the pace of technology adoption accelerating at a frenetic pace, agile is increasingly the only way to develop software. That is, if you want to stay in business.