NCJ Number
122367
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 57 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1990) Pages: 46,48
Date Published
1990
Length
2 pages
Annotation
The St. Louis County (Mo.) Police Department has established a computer-assisted system called CARE for entering police reports and providing management information for police officers in remote locations.
Abstract
Agency staff produced the software, which leads the police officer through pre-formatted screens and questions to assure that each report is complete. Citizens can also call in police reports from their homes or offices. The system generates management information and statistics and also eliminates manual files. The investigating police officer asks for a complaint number from a radio dispatcher and then telephones the CARE specialist, who uses the pre-formatted screens and questions to gather and organize information. Completing a report takes an average of less than 7 minutes. The system has accomplished five main goals: 1) reducing the time required for writing reports, 2) improving the quality and speed of reports, 3) providing a 24-hour reporting service, 4) improving the availability of information, and 5) improving investigative followup by providing complete information faster.