New technology helps police

A new state-of-the-art mobile computer system has been added to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department’s fleet of patrol cars.

The Cops Making Officer Redeployment Effective (MORE) grant program, along with other federal technology grants, paid for the $900,000 installation of the Vision Tek mobile computers in the department’s 126 police cars.

“There is no cost to the county for installation of this system,” said Don Aguilar, a sergeant with the Sheriff’s Department. “We’ve been working on getting these new computers in the cars since June 2002. We launched the program in May 2005 and it is fully online now.”

The in-car computers with small keyboards and flat-panel screens connect patrol cars with the department’s main computer server via a wireless connection. Although patrol cars had mobile computers in the past, the new system is faster and offers a number of upgrades.

Using the mobile computers, officers on patrol can now access vehicle and driver information, crime analysis data, police investigation reports and wanted flyers. Before this system, deputies would have to radio their station for records and other communication needs. The system may even be used to help health officials deal with a chemical spill from an overturned truck.

“We enter the truck’s placard number into the computer and it will tell us what kind of chemical we are dealing with for safety concerns, evacuation considerations and requesting resources,” Aguilar said “It gives first responders an idea of what to expect before they arrive on scene and how they need to deal with the incident.”

The computers also are equipped with instant messaging capability, which allows deputies on patrol to instantly send information to another car, the county’s dispatch center or other units in the department, such as homicide or crime prevention.

In addition, each of the patrol units is outfitted with satellite global positioning systems (GPS). With the GPS capability, the department’s dispatch center can use a real-time digital map to track the location of each of the patrol cars. Deputies on patrol can also access the countywide tracking map.

The satellite tracking ensures more efficient response times by officers in the field. According to department officials, “silent dispatching” will be possible by next year.

“Silent dispatching means all of our calls will be sent over the computer,” Aguilar said. “Every patrol unit can see what’s next in the queue of calls . . . It helps eliminate radio traffic we have over our busy radio frequencies. Eventually, silent dispatching will virtually eliminate dispatching calls over the radio.”

Deputies on patrol can also use the mobile mapping system to quickly locate addresses to decrease response time.

“The digital mapping is so accurate we can zoom in on a residential address parcel image to find the exact location so we can effectively and safely approach a situation,” Aguilar said. “(The maps) makes it safer for a deputy responding to something like a domestic disturbance, where it might be safer for them to park a couple of houses away so they can assess what’s going on before they approach the house.”

With the new computers, all deputies have switched to a paperless reporting system. This new system means additional patrol time, as deputies will spend less time at the station writing reports and more time out in the field.

“At this point, most of the deputies feel comfortable with the new reporting system,” Aguilar said. “Like anything, it takes time to feel 100 percent comfortable with a new way of doing things.”

Aguilar said the department had taken bids from a number of other communication companies, but decided to go with Vision Tek, Inc., a Colorado-based company, because of the highquality of technology offered.