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Law enforcement just got a whole lot better and scarier. The New York Police Department is testing a prototype cruise that has the latest in public surveillance.

The Wall Street Journal has a piece on the department's "smart car."  It is outfitted with gear they would like to see on the rest of their vehicles in the next decade.

The technology focuses on "counterterrorism awareness". Will the streets be safer? What can the car do?
It has two infrared monitors mounted on the trunk that record any numbers it sees—such as license plates and addresses. It has surveillance cameras and air sensors capable of sending real-time information to police headquarters.

[...] The car's scanner can read license plates, then check the results against a database that contains the plate numbers of cars that are stolen, may have been involved in a crime, or have outstanding infractions. The data is stored for an indefinite period, though that will likely change.
It can also scan for the air for increased radiation levels and send the data back to the police headquarters for further analysis.

Either way, who needs Robocop when all the popo have this.