(CALGARY, AL) For many years patrolling police officers have had mini computers at their disposal. The mobile computers allowed cops to ‘run a license plate’, or run a name against a warrant for arrest. Most of us laymen were impressed, but for many departments, these computers were (and still are for many) simplistic and highly limited to a few tasks. I know personally a few cops that have not but a few choice words of frustration for everything these computers could not do.

In recent years, these mobile police computers have advanced impressively and lead the cutting edge of mobile computing and remote intranet access.

“As he prepared for a night patrolling the streets of Portland, Officer Frank Pellerin touched the screen of his cruiser's laptop computer, calling up a list of people wanted on arrest warrants,” writes David Hench in Intranet puts data at officers' fingertips ((Portland Press Herald). “With another touch, he checked the record of police activity on his beat in the past 48 hours, then looked for any alerts about threats to his safety.”

The system allows police to check on logs from the different beats, briefings from the intelligence unit, safety bulletins and special alerts, registered sex offenders, people who are on bail and on probation, and the names and numbers of probation officers. Information about individuals typically includes photographs and recent contacts with the department.

 

Officers also can look back at what has happened on the beat since they last worked, information that might come in handy as the shift progresses.

 

A safety alert might refer to a suspected drug dealer who has a pit bull, for example, or a suspected gang member who recently tried to purchase a gun. Or an officer may want to check on the victim of a domestic assault that occurred on an earlier shift.

Read Intranet puts data at officers' fingertips