GETTING THE MESSAGE - TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN THE PATROL CAR (FROM COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS, 1976, BY RICHARD A BASSLER AND NORMAN L ENGER - SEE NCJ-61573)

• NCJ Number: 61575
• Author(s): J F KIRK
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM FBI LAW ENFORCEMENT BULLETIN, (JULY 1975)

Annotation

THE MOBILE DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM USED BY THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT (FLORIDA) IS DESCRIBED.

Abstract

AS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF RADIO CHANNEL CONGESTION, OFFICER SAFETY, AND THE INCREASING NEED FOR MORE RAPID POLICE RESPONSE, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS DEVISED AND CONSTRUCTED A NEW COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTER. THE CENTER IS OPERATING WITH THE MOST ADVANCED MOBILE DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. THE MOBILE DIGITAL TERMINALS OF THE SYSTEM TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE DATA OVER THE EXISTING RADIO NETWORK INTO THE COMMAND AND CONTROL MINICOMPUTER IN THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. THE MINICOMPUTER PROVIDES THE DATA BASE INTERFACE INTO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DATA SYSTEM, THE FLORIDA CRIME INFORMATION CENTER, AND THE FBI NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER. EACH MARKED PATROL UNIT ON SHIFT IS EQUIPPED WITH A MOBILE DIGITAL TERMINAL WITH A 256-CHARACTER PLASMA VIEDO SCREEN AND A TYPEWRITER-LIKE KEYBOARD WITH 7 FUNCTION KEYS, 4 STATUS KEYS, AND AN EMERGENCY KEY. EXPECTED RESPONSE TIME TO MOST QUERIES IS LESS THAN 10 SECONDS. ALL TRANSACTIONS THROUGH THE SYSTEM ARE AUTOMATICALLY LOGGED BY TWO LINE PRINTERS. DATA RECORDED IN THE SYSTEM CAN BE PASSED INTO THE COUNTY DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM ON A REQUESTED BASIS TO PRODUCE REPORTS FOR ANALYSIS OF CRIME TRENDS, MANPOWER USE PATTERNS, RESOURCE NEEDS, PATROL ACTIVITY AND DEPLOYMENTS, UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS, AND LONG-RANGE PLANNING OF DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETING. THE TEXT IS ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS. (RCB)