High-Tech Crime Fighters
Over the past four years, the Sacramento Police Department, with the aid of Hewlett-Packard (HP) technology, has transitioned to paperless operations that provides more effective and streamlined police operations. HP Defense, Intelligence, and Security solutions worldwide director Jim Ganthier believes the department is one of the most advanced in the transition and therefore a “lighthouse” for other police departments in the country.
One technology component used by Sacramento officers is a digital ink pen that writes with ink and also records each stroke digitally for easy transfer to a computer data sheet.
Officers are also using a high-tech helicopter computer that references the department’s mapping system and provides dual screens for more effective viewing of live events below.
Sacramento officers are also employing camera surveillance systems to keep track of protesters, and the technology will soon help the city’s fire departments see better images of fires and other hazardous incidents. Officers use their patrol car laptops to both fill out reports and communicate with other officers, and use of a GPS system allows dispatchers and supervisors to immediately determine the location of every officer in the city.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Sacramento Bee (CA) (02/11/05) P. B1; Brown, Mareva .
