COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH AND RECORD ENTRY (CADRE) (FROM MAPPING AND RELATED APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTERS TO CANADIAN POLICE WORK - PROCEEDINGS, 1977, BY J E WATKIN AND F R LIPSETT - SEE NCJ-47416)

• NCJ Number: 47418
• Author(s): W H BRODHECKER
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: National Research Council
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

A REVIEW IS PROVIDED OF THE FNCTIONS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO A COMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCH AND RECORD ENTRY SYSTEM FOR MEDIUM-SIZED POLICE FORCES IN ONTARIO, CANADA.

Abstract

THE COMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCH AND RECORD ENTRY (CADRE) SYSTEM FOR MUNICIPAL POLICE FORCES IN ONTARIO IS COMPOSED OF COMPUTER AND RADIO COMMUNICATION HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE EACH FORCE WITH: (1) RECORDS ENTRY AND LOCAL FILE MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY; (2) A STATISTICAL AND MANAGEMENT REPORTING FACILITY; (3) DIRECT DATA BASE QUERY CAPABILITY, FROM THE FIELD AS WELL AS LOCALLY; AND (4) A COMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCH FACILITY. TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES, EACH FORCE IS TO BE EQUIPPED WITH A COMPUTER SYSTEM UNDER ITS OWN CONTROL. A NUMBER OF KEYBOARD TERMINALS, AS WELL AS HARD COPY PRINTER TERMINALS, ARE PROVIDED IN EACH OF THE FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF THE POLICE FORCE: DATA ENTRY AND QUERY IN THE RECORDS AREA; COMPLAINT ENTRY, DISPATCH, AND SUPERVISION IN THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER; INFORMATION DESK; REMOVE DIVISION; AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, ADMINISTRATION, AND YOUTH DIVISION. THE SYSTEM ITSELF IS CONNECTED BY TELECOMMUNICATION LINES TO EACH OF THE DIVISIONS AND PRECINCTS WITHIN THE POLICE FORCE AND TO THE NATIONAL DATA BASE IN OTTAWA. IN ADDITION, EACH OF THE FIELD UNITS IS EQUIPPED WITH MOBILE TERMINALS CONNECTED TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM BY MEANS OF A DIGITAL RADIO COMMUNICATIONS LINK. THE CADRE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT A NUMBER OF LOCAL FILES WHICH IS TO BE CREATED AND MAINTAINED FROM THE NORMAL REPORTS AND DOCUMENTS CURRENTLY IN USE AT ALL POLICE FORCES. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CAPTURE THE MAIN CLASSIFICATION AND STATISTICAL DATA FROM THESE DOCUMENTS AND TO PROVIDE A RAPID AND EFFICIENT INDEXING FACILITY FOR RETRIEVAL PURPOSES. SUFFICIENT DATA ARE CAPTURED TO ENABLE THE SYSTEM TO PRODUCE THE REQUIRED STATISTICAL, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATIONAL REPORTS. THE DATA CENTER CONSISTS OF TWO CENTRAL PROCESSING UNITS. THESE ARE INCLUDED WITHIN EACH SYSTEM TO PROVIDE BACKUP FACILITIES IF THE PRIMARY UNIT FAILS. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW ACCESS TO THE DATA BASE THROUGH ANY TERMINAL, INCLUDING LOCAL TERMINALS IN THE FORCE AND IN-CAR TERMINALS IN THE FIELD. THE LOCAL FILES PINPOINTED FOR AUTOMATION ARE LISTED, AND THE FUNCTIONS OF THE COMPLAINT TAKER, THE DISPATCHER, AND THE REMOTE DIVISIONS ARE OUTLINED. A CHART OF THE CADRE SYSTEM LAYOUT IS INCLUDED. (KBL)