Public Safety in 3D

Geospatial technology and Forensic Digital Twins transform how crime scene investigators, police officers, crash investigators, fire investigators and security professionals collaborate and manage pre-planning, forensic mapping, evidence gathering, and incident and scene investigation

Enhancing public safety through 3D reality capture

The common challenge for the Public Safety professionals at any incident scene is to capture, document and visualise the real world quickly, safely and accurately. Environmental factors or the movement of people and objects can affect on-site evidence collection and scene documentation: Streets must be reopened; a dangerous location must be cleared; or restricted access to certain areas must be restored. This is only possible through the smooth collaboration of many people from different units, teams and agencies on scene but also afterwards, in the office, police or firefighting station, or even in court.

For example: When a crash or collision case ends up in court, it is usually because there was a tragic death or serious injury, which may also mean that significant amounts of money are at stake. Accident investigation experts must present the captured evidence and their hypothesis of what has happened so that a group of nonexpert stakeholders, including insurance representatives, lawyers and the jury, can understand the events and collaborate in the critical decision-making process.

Leica Geosystems Public Safety-dedicated Reality Capture and Mobile Mapping solutions help to understand what caused the incident and assist the investigation. They capture and preserve the accident scene as quickly and accurately as possible while allowing officers, investigators and emergency response teams to stay out of harm's way. Leica's scene documentation equipment enables investigators to work safely, efficiently and confidently.

The forensic digital twin

Close collaboration and teamwork are also required on and after a fire or explosion scene. Objects, roofs, beams, or other things can collapse during fires. After explosions, there are usually a lot of scattered parts. Often these objects block access to crucial evidence that the fire/arson scene investigator needs to examine. And they are carbonised, meaning they break when one touches or treads on them. Also, the fire and emergency teams can face human casualties during a rescue operation. All the Public Safety professionals involved here must cooperate fast and safely during an operation while complying with the appropriate codes of practice and conduct. Fire investigators, whose work starts as soon as possible after the fire, collaborate with fire and rescue services and other partners to investigate, for example, by preserving the scene, "freezing" it in 3D and securing the unstable evidence as accurately as possible during the first walk-through. The Forensic Digital Twin is then created with Leica Geosystems Reality Capture technology and can be re-visited as often as needed by different stakeholders during the investigation process.

During a rescue operation or scene clean-up phase, the safety of the response teams and their collaborators is crucial. The stability of a building after a fire or a gas explosion can quickly change and usually poses a significant threat to the rescue units working on-site. Leica's Total Station solutions can be used to monitor the structural stability of burnt and close-to-collapsed buildings 24/7. If the structure starts to move, the device immediately gives the system operator visual feedback and sounds an alarm. These signals allow the unit commander and EMS supervisor to order an immediate evacuation and thus maintain the safety of the firefighters, the emergency response units and the living victims.

These are just a few examples of how Leica Geosystems' Public Safety solutions empower and support the collaboration between different stakeholders and ease complex workflows and processes. We and our technology contribute directly and indirectly to improving prevention and protection activities in the communities and improving law enforcement, firefighters, and the EMS teams' safety. We learn and cooperate with our customers and users every day and share the knowledge with our colleagues and Leica's development teams on the continuous development and invention of technologies. Our technology and data find broad use and acceptance in the justice system processes worldwide, where appropriate.

Technology that connects and aids collaboration

In the end, our high-tech solutions are not only about more features. For us, our technology is about enabling our customers to connect, collaborate and deliver best-in-class, reliable results safely and securely. At Leica Geosystems, we care about the continuous enhancement of our solutions for law enforcement, private investigations and all other Public Safety professionals interested in 3D technology because better workflows translate into real safety and quality of life improvements for our users and the public. Furthermore, knowing the truth about a crime, homicide, or severe collision and being able to present it convincingly in court helps drivers, victims, and their families to come to terms with what has happened and move forward with their lives. And, if serious incidents happen over and over at the same location, then the authorities can simulate and implement preventive measures with the help of our technology.