Seeking efficiency
Joint effort helps two area police agencies
By JESSICA KELLER
ARGUS OBSERVER
Sunday, March 29, 2009 12:12 AM PDT
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| JESSICA KELLER | ARGUS OBSERVER
Payette County Sheriff Chad Huff demonstrates what features the new data management system can do to make law enforcement more efficient. |
PAYETTE—A new computer software system shared between Payette city and Payette County law enforcement will improve efficiency of police in Payette County by further integrating technology in day-to-day business.
For the past few months, the Payette Police Department and Payette County Sheriff’s Office have utilized new browser-based law enforcement software designed to make records management and information sharing easier and more efficient.
“What this will do is it will help us manage cases, share intelligence and information with each other, and we’ll be able to monitor crime trends,” Payette County Sheriff Chad Huff said.
The two agencies paired up to purchase the software by IntelliChoice, providers of eFORCE Law Enforcement Software. The purchase was made possible through a Homeland Security grant and a grant from the 911 Commission.
The Payette Police Department has had the records management system program on line since January. The sheriff’s office began installing its records management system as well as a computer-assisted dispatch program in February.
A third, jail-monitoring, software program was the latest to be installed with finishing touches still being worked out.
The entire cost came to about $100,000, but Huff and PPD Chief Mark Clark said they are enthusiastic about what the programs allow the agencies to do.
“We went into this thing together with the thought of saving taxpayers money,” Clark said.
A key program for each of the departments is the records management system software, which does much more than just store police reports, although they are now typed directly into the system. The records management system software, however, also allows police to track information by different search fields and allows the different law enforcement agencies to access, but not change, each others’ police reports.
Both Huff and Clark agree it allows them, as administrators, to keep track of cases much more easily, as well as follow up with police officers on case status.
“I like the case management aspects of the reporting system because this is going to help us manage criminal cases more accurately,” Clark said. “It helps us compile and keep evidence, witness statements, assisting officer statements.”
The computer assisted dispatch program is also making law enforcement more efficient because it allows Clark and Huff to keep track of what officers are doing on duty. The program, which allows dispatchers to type all the basic information from an emergency call as opposed to hand writing the reports, also has a feature that reports which officer is on scene at a specific call and what time they cleared the area. Should an incident arise that requires more than one agency to respond, the CAD system identifies which officers are on duty for all the agencies in Payette County.
Huff and Clark agree it has taken some time for all the officers to adapt to the new record management software. Huff said many officers don’t like change, but he said when they all grow accustomed to the programs they will see the benefits. Both Clark and Huff agree they are still learning all the different features the programs offer.
“We have a lot more tools in the bag now,” Huff said.
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