NCJ Number
220640
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 34 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2007 Pages: 108,110,117
Date Published
October 2007
Length
9 pages
Annotation
After describing how three counties in Michigan have increased the mobility of law enforcement officers' access to key data while in the field, this article discusses the new generation of mobility applications and the future of mobility directions.
Abstract
Sanilac County, MI--a large, highly rural county--is patrolled by 15 officers in 20 cars. Each car is equipped with a rugged laptop for mobile computing, which provides officers wireless access to Michigan's law enforcement information network, a comprehensive data repository. Officers are also using their laptops to write their own reports. Kent County, MI, which contains 22 townships and several incorporated cities, has a fleet of 50 cars equipped with rugged laptops. Blackberrys are hand-carried by detectives in the field, giving them access to a comprehensive database while conducting in-field investigations. These new wireless systems link officers to multiple databases and records management systems. In St. Joseph County, MI, mobile access to information and data involves patrol-car laptops and a global positioning system (GPS) that allows dispatchers to see the locations of patrol cars throughout the county. Mobile technology is moving into new applications that will further facilitate in-field law enforcement operations. These include rugged laptops with digital pens, GPS/mapping for airborne operations, voice response instead of keying on a laptop while in a vehicle, and a handheld device that instantly accesses information about a violator that would normally require a handwritten citation. This is launched by one query on a person or vehicle license. The citation is completed with the data received from the query. The future of mobile technology promises increased ease of use; add-on applications; system reliability, security, and compliance; and cost control.