Government Technology - May 2008 - (Page Insert2) More Data Instantly The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office serves a population of 1.7 million people from the county seat in Columbus. The Sheriff’s Office was chosen as the lead agency in the deployment. With a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, the deployment’s goal was to find the best way to ensure law enforcement officers have wireless access to police databases, such as the Ohio Law Enforcement Automated Data System and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). In addition to Franklin County Sheriff’s officers and investigators, the system now serves users in the FBI’s Columbus office, the Metropolitan Parks Division, and Ohio State University, as well as the Columbus Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies. Today, 30 PocketCop-enabled BlackBerry smartphones are in use by patrol deputies, undercover detectives, FBI agents, and parks and university security teams. The small size and extended battery life of the BlackBerry smartphone are just two of many benefits. The solution also lightens the load on radio systems and dispatchers, and the BlackBerry smartphones are intuitive and easy to use. Access to more information in the field is invaluable, making the solution an extremely cost-effective aid to law enforcement agencies. “I can do anything from my BlackBerry smartphone that an officer can do in a police cruiser,” said Francescone. “I can see what officers are on duty, send them messages, run license plates and stolen vehicles, and determine whether individuals are dangerous.” Officers can search a person’s name and receive an individual’s complete record, including a photo if available. They also can look up warrants, license plates, Social Security numbers and more. During periods of reduced activity, officers can use the BlackBerry to take care of e-mail. They can communicate with other officers and supervisors, or arrange their schedules, all from one device. Officers in patrol cars can use laptops, but those who patrol on foot cannot. Neither can officers on motorcycles, bicycles or horseback. Undercover officers also have far less access to laptops than most. In undercover work, staying covert is a high priority. Officers can’t stay unobtrusive at night if they’re lit up by the screen from a laptop. They simply can’t use a laptop at night if they’re on a stakeout. With Sprint PocketCop on BlackBerry, undercover officers can still have access to the information they need — anytime, any place — without being noticed. Low Cost, Immediate Improvement Cost was another big factor. Small police departments often don’t have the funds for expensive technology. Thus, they’re always looking for the most cost-effective use of their resources. “The BlackBerry smartphones are a huge cost advantage to groups such as the Metro Parks organization,” said Thomas Welch, systems administrator for the county. “You can deploy a BlackBerry smartphone with software for about $1,000 per user, as compared to $4,500 for a laptop. So we spend about 20 percent of what it could have cost, and we get the same access to police information in a mobile device.” In addition to its numerous features, light weight and ability to access criminal databases, the Sprint PocketCop solution for BlackBerry allows officers to be more effective in the field. And their ability to pull up information themselves lightens the load on dispatchers who are busy enough — often serving multiple agencies. With Sprint PocketCop on the BlackBerry smartphone, officers are more likely to run a license plate or a suspect check, for example, because they can do it on their own without impacting dispatch. Dispatch is liberated from the more routine calls, and officers get the information they need when they need it. That’s just one more way that this powerful solution gives law enforcement officers more vital info and real-time intelligence in the field than they’ve ever had before. An Everyday Aid Officers like the fact that they can quickly check information themselves. For example, Francescone finds it useful when executing search warrants, which often involve numerous agencies. “I use my BlackBerry smartphone and PocketCop to pull up the auditor’s property database Web site and see the picture of the house at the address we’re at,” he said. “I can send my colleagues the link to the page, while we’re all onsite, so there’s no confusion about which house we’re about to enter.” For more information on PocketCop on BlackBerry, go to For additional information visit For additional information visit www.blackberry.com/go/publicsafety www.sprint.com/government www.bio-key.com/ps/pocketcop-reg.asp or call us at: 800.400.6311 This Government Technology Solution Spotlight was sponsored by BIO-key, BlackBerry and Sprint © 2008 e.Republic Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. Research In Motion, the RIM logo, BlackBerry, the BlackBerry logo and SureType are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries — these and other marks of Research In Motion Limited are used under license. http://www.bio-key.com/ps/pocketcop-reg.asp http://www.sprint.com/government http://www.blackberry.com/go/publicsafety
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