Boston College Police Dept. Adds QR Codes to Cruisers

You see them in restaurants, on coupons, and when you check into the airport on your smartphone; QR codes seem to be everywhere. 

Now, they're making their debut on police cruisers.

The Boston College Police Department (BCPD) recently implemented QR technology on its police cruisers, according to a press release issued by the school.

QR (which stands for for quick response) codes are two-dimensional barcodes that, when scanned with a smartphone, redirect users to a website or promotion.

When the codes are scanned with a smartphone, users are directed to the BCPD website and Facebook page.  

“We have embraced technology. Law enforcement and public safety agencies nationwide must rise to the level that our society and community are on. That means when the majority of our community is utilizing social media or web based research for information we must be up to the signs of the times, and be transparent,” BCPD Sgt. Jeffrey Postell said in the press release. 

Once users are redirected to the BCPD's website, they can access information on crime prevention education, print forms for bike registration and contact officers via email, the press release said. 

The BCPD is the first department in Greater Boston and the second department in the state to implement the QR codes on cruisers.

“We certainly take pride in being one of the first few agencies here in Massachusetts that has begun utilizing QR codes. QR codes will serve a great purpose for our community in having direct access to their police department. Our overall goal is to ensure that our community knows of the services we offer, how to contact us when needed and to have access to crime prevention information to help keep them safe," Postell said in the press release.

As BCPD worked through the process of implementing the QR codes, they received some guidance from the Stoughton Police Department. Stoughton was the first department in the state to implement the QR codes on to cruisers, the press release said.