In-car computers

[jeff92k7]

Does your agency have them? What do you like about them? What do you not like?

We have them but they could be alot better. When they work, they are great for receiving call notes and information so we don't have to ask the dispatchers over and over.

I don't like that they are very problematic and that some officers try to type long notes on them while they are driving and should be paying attention to the road.

I wish we could do full license checks on them and print tickets from them rather than having to hand write the citations.
It would also be cool if it was tied into a GPS system somehow and could give us directions to our calls. It would make it a lot easier with some of our new housing subdivisions.

[metallicat]

They do have them where I live, but to what extent they are used I am not sure, as I think they have been severly upgraded since my dad used the cars. All I know, is that we have a helicopter, and they are trying to get more funding for the chopper, so that the infrared sensor that the helicopter sees can be sent down to the police cars computer monitors. Sounds like a good thing to me.

[AmpDeck]

jeff92k7> The Westminster, CO PD has the GPS system included in their software package. It is a feature they seem pretty happy about. I saw it in action and it's very helpful.

Anyway, I am not an LEO (still debating if I should keep producing websites/cd-rom's or try something new), so I can't pitch in with much more info.

[Stump]

I can't say enough good things about ours! They help so much! Currently, our city PD is having a bid war with a new supplier, so all of the new cars don't have them. The guys can't stand not having MDT's.
I use ours constantly. It is great for asking questions, sending information, and sharing interagency information. Our jobs go right to the computer so all the information is on the screen. Licenses, plates, everything can be run while on the road.
The 2 worst things I can see with it is that the cops try to type while driving (of course, nobody will admit to accidents because they were playing with the mdt), and some mdt's are set on the dash so that if there were an accident, the airbag would be hampered by the computer screen.
We currently don't have GPS tracking, but will in the next few months. I can't wait for that! Some cops don't like the big brother aspect, but take it from a dispatcher, WE KNOW already where you go when you want to hide,sleep,etc.
Some of our newer cars have printers on them to print reports, but not all yet, and I haven't seen them use it that often.

[aussie1]

We have MDTs in all of our automatic transmission vehicles...What a waste of money. They never work and the touch screens always break.

They work ok when the vehicle is completely stationery but as soon as you move they freeze up. At $10000 a vehicle they should spend the money on updating the radio channels so we can do checks over the air. (I am not exaggerating. I spoke to the Techs and they said the screens are $4000 each and the boxes are $6000 each. Ouch glad I am not paying for it!!)


Millhouse

[Stump]

I just thought of one more con....
The MDT's set off some burglar alarms! I guess they are on the same frequency as some of the alarm companies.

[gdowkpc]

Portland Police are using the Motorola Mobile Data Computers with touch screens. The screen is separate from the screen. There are also hot keys around it. They are great.

We are transmitting on 800 MHz so we don't have the burglar alarm problem. And the screens only stop working and break when somebody carelessly removes a shotgun from the rack and the barrel fall into the screen.

Ours have more capabilities than what we are currently using them for. Right now, we can run everything from a DMV check to a full criminal history. I can pull up a call or unit history 6 months back. I basically have access to all the information the dispatcher has. All I have to do is hit the UPDATE button to get the latest details.

We used the GPS system, but nobody liked it. Portland has a big river running through it and the GPS didn't a bridge is needed to cross over. It would dispatch a unit that was closer by air, but not by land, because it was on the other side of the river. Also, supervisors and other officers could enter a command and get your exact coordinates. No more hiding or sneaking out of your area to grab a bite to eat (some officers covered the antenna with foil to disable it).

We also soon will be able to get color mugshots, write reports, and capture finger prints from the car. Our reports are supposed to be typed on the MDC, emailed to a Sgt for approval, then emailed to Records where they print the hard copy.

The MDC's have also cut radio traffic down dramatically. There is are ON SCENE, TRANSPORT, and CLEAR buttons, among others. Car-to-car messaging is also great.

I love them. We got a federal grant for them so every car has one.

[Stump]

Originally posted by gdowkpc
Portland has a big river running through it and the GPS didn't a bridge is needed to cross over. It would dispatch a unit that was closer by air, but not by land, because it was on the other side of the river.

That is an excellent point, bud.... our city has a river dividing it too. I'll have to ask about that.

I can pull up a call or unit history 6 months back. I basically have access to all the information the dispatcher has.... The MDC's have also cut radio traffic down dramatically. There is are ON SCENE, TRANSPORT, and CLEAR buttons, among others. Car-to-car messaging is also great.

About 90% of my guys don't know how to pull up anything other than jobs holding their section... lol.... I also like the hot buttons, but for liability reasons, we call out transport times and mileage on the air. A lot of coppers like to call out onscene on the air also so the guys in their section know where they are.

[gdowkpc]

Originally posted by Stump
[B...but for liability reasons, we call out transport times and mileage on the air. A lot of coppers like to call out onscene on the air also so the guys in their section know where they are. [/B]

Some officers here still call out transporting when they are transporting a woman or child. But there's really no need. It is recorded digitally anyways. I just put a comment in the transport field if it is a woman or child. It logs the time you hit the buttin and the on scene button. The only advantage to voincing it is that it is recorded on tape. But, IA would pull the CAD anyways to see the times as recorded either by you or dispatch before pulling any audio tapes.

We also always call out on scene for priority calls (higher priority calls are dispatched by the dispatcher along with a cover car). Cold calls, just use the hot button. priority calls, your cover needs to know when you arrive, absolutely. There's a lot of thought that goes into the etiquette and mixture of voice and computer dispatching.

[mcsap]

We have had computers in our cruisers for 3 yrs and and I can't remember what it was like to have to call EVERYTHING in by radio.

When we run a tag on a car , it automatically runs a drivers check on the registereed owner. So we can tell if the tag is any good, if the reg owner has a valid license and with another command, can run awarrant check. Our system lets us run a warrant check by last name only ( but not on a very common name) .

We can run NCIC, ck for protection orders, send messages to ANY other car in the county with IM, send a mail message in case the officer is off duty. When they do come on duty, they will get a message that they have a piece of "mail " waiting.

We can run any tag/driver from any state and get the results back in about 30 seconds. We can run instate drivers by NAME ONLY , no DOB or town needed but again, you try this with John Smith and you would get a thousand hits.

ON any shift while not handling calls , I just continually run tags all shift long. I have gotten suspended drivers, tags, expired, warrants and even a stolen car. Everytime I get a poss hit I always try to find some PC to stop them just in case. There is no case law in Pennsylvania on stopping cars from computer checks yet.

[gdowkpc]

I think you would like some of the features of our computers, and I would like some of yours.

We type the command in "QRW" followed by the Oregon plate. That stands for query registration and wants. It automatically runs the plate and VIN through LEDS (the Oregon data system), NCIC, DMV, and Portland's own Special Interest file. It then crosses the R.O.'s name and DOB to look for hits in the same.

"QL" query license plate is used to do the same as above without crossing the R.O., but a simple "!" placed in front of the R.O.'s name on the DMV screen launches the search on that person. "QL" with the state designator attached at the end searches the plate in that state. It can't cross the R.O., though. That feature you have where you can check in state for a DL without a DOB is way cool. We can't do that at all. In fact, the BDAY has to be within a year to even get a nearby by our own DMV.

Another cool command is "QD" followed by the license number and state designator if other than Oregon. It automatically runs the DMV, local wants, and NCIC. Response times are comparable to what you were saying.

There are other commands to run someone by social security, state id, and FBI numbers.

We just want the ability to see mug shots on our MDCs. The technology is there, but they are trying to solve a bandwidth issue. They need another dedicated frequency to run just mugshots since they are such big files. We use 800 MHZ here, and all the allocated frequencies are already in use. They are looking for a solution and it hasn't come easy. It would be so much easier to win at the 'name game' with the mug shots.

[mcsap]

Just bagged another one !

I was sitting in the lot of our local Judge about 10 min before my hearing was to start. I was runnning tags of cars in the lot. A girl came out looked directly at me and than got in her car and drove off. I ran the tag which had 2 owners. The 1st owner info came back on a 50 something female so I quickly ran the second owner info which the age and indicated height matched the girl I just saw and showed she was suspended . I went inside and asked the girls at the counter if " Jane Doe" was just in their office 2 min ago. They said yes , she was making a payment plan on a driving under suspension ticket. I went back to our station where wehave J net. We can pull up the drivers license photo from our Dept of Trans. BINGO , 100% match.

I contacted MS. Doe and gave her the news of her pending ticket.

[darrell]

I will keep it short. Very few officers around here like the CRT, MDT, or MCT. They think whyuse them, when thats what you pay a dispatcher for. (dont take it personal stump) (its what they think hun not me)

[Stump]

Nothing personal taken.
I know a few officers here that don't clear their jobs because it takes them too long to hunt and peck on the keyboard.
Personally, I don't mind doing all the work for them. It keeps me busy. I still have to run all the data for the general searches anyway.
A lot of our cars have no MDT's now, so I have to do everything for them, and it frustrates a lot of them. They feel guilty asking me to do things, although I tell them all the time I don't mind.

[gdowkpc]

We have a "SERVICE NET" that is seperate from the dispatch net that is used to run persons and vehicles, and order tows among many other tasks (all which can be done by MDC, but maybe you've stepped away or are too lazy to look up the commands). We also have desk clerks that can be reached on a tactical channel to make phone calls and other misc tasks for us (in case you don't wish to invest in a cell phone).

My gripe is this one officer on the shift who does nothing by MDC. He transmits his arrival, transports, and call dispositions on the air those times beyond what is prudent and appropriate. He is an extreme example. We have others that give discertations on the air about their calls when nobody but that person and the dispatcher would care. We have the ability to instant message the dispatcher or raise them on a tactical net. Most officers are pretty good, but we have some bad ones.

I know there are times when you need to use the air when you arrive. These would include hot calls when your cover needs to know you're there now. But there is no need to announce you are taking a person to jail or are clear your call by air.

We can even attach ourselves to hot calls and pursuits very rapidly by MDC, so I hate it when officers respond they are going to a hot call, a call for officer needs assistance, or a pursuit beyond the first two people dispatched. Just go and attach yourself by computer and save the air time.

Too many times an officer has needed to cry for help or give critical updates and can't get on the air because someone else is talking. Our radios are trunked and will not allow you to come up over the top of someone. Your radio just honks and its the most frustrating thing in the world. Dispatchers are exempt because they can transmit and listen at the same time.

We had a pursuit on the freeway, where in roll call the next day the officer complained that after he called he was in pursuit, it was 22 seconds (he pulled the tape), before he was able to retransmit because of all the traffic of the dispatcher arranging cover and the stream of officers announcing they are enroute. Everyone knows what can happen in 2 seconds let alone 22!

The reason I get upset is because I believe the time will come when I will need the radio in an emergency and will have to wait because someone has MDCphobia.