NCJ Number
109557
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 36 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1988) Pages: 46-48
Editor(s)
B Cameron
Date Published
1988
Length
3 pages
Annotation
By combining the Enhanced 911 (E-911) system with the existing computer aided dispatch (CADPlus) system, the City of Davenport, Iowa, has a public safety department that is now better prepared to protect and save lives.
Abstract
The numbers 911 are universally recognized as those that route calls directly to a centralized public safety answering point. An E-911 system immediately provides the dispatcher with the telephone number and telephone-related information such as the caller's location. Linking the E-911 and CADPlus systems allows the dispatcher to enter the telephone-related information into a computer-aided dispatch system with the touch of a key, allowing emergency personnel to respond even faster to the scene. Prior to the installation of the CAD system, the public safety department used a manual system which limited retrieval capabilities and hampered investigations. The system is now viewed as a management tool that has improved service to residents without major budget increases. Special features of CADPlus include hotspot and premise files to alert dispatchers to potential hazards at an address, watchdog timers, and extensive use of color to allow communications officers to gather critical information with a single glance at the screen. Since the CADPlus has been in operation, response time has been cut by almost 2.5 minutes. Plans are underway to install mobile digital terminals in patrol cars to give officers direct access to the computer for an inquiry.