All NYPD officers will soon use a translator app on their Windows Phone

The New York City Police Department started issuing Windows Phone devices to officers in 2014 as part of a trial program. It looks like the NYPD is pleased with its choice, as a press conference revealed earlier today.

Azi Paybarah, a reporter for POLITICO on the New York beat, posted messages on his Twitter feed from the press conference. One of them showed the typical home screen of an NYPD cop's Windows Phone device. As shown in the image above, the home screen shows a translator app. Paybarah added that the NYPD will soon have such an app for all police officers on their smartphones.

While it's not specifically mentioned, the app is likely Microsoft Translator. It can translate a number of languages via voice, and 50 languages in text form. This app should be very helpful for NYPD officers as New York City's populace is quite international.

As previously reported, the Windows Phones used by NYPD officers can also monitor 911 calls, along with showing the location of a reported crime and the phone number of the person who called it in.

Source: Azi Paybarah (Twitter)

John Callaham