Police officers in Stoughton, Wisconsin, are taking a new approach to staying connected with the public. The Stoughton Police Department (SPD) has begun plastering QR codes on their patrol vehicles. The codes were tentatively used by the police department earlier in the year and seem to have been successful. In the coming months, all SPD vehicles will be adorned with the code in an effort to engage a society that is growing increasingly entangled with smart phones.
QR codes are well known, by now, for their ability to connect with mobile consumers. Though the codes are most often used in marketing campaigns, they present some benefits to other industries. SPD official say the codes will help align the department with modern times. Police Chief Paul Shastany says that the department has been stuck in the 1980’s ad far as technology is concerned, and hopes to change that.
Currently, the codes link to the SPD website where mobile users can find a variety of information. The department has plans to promote their social media presence through the codes at some point in the future. How far the codes will go for the department will depend on how the public responds. If the codes are unpopular, the department will likely limit their use of the codes. Given the growing popularity of smart phones, however, QR codes are expected to be quite successful no matter how they are applied.
