Aug 22, 2008 12:31 PM, By Mary Rose Roberts

Law enforcement agencies in western Colorado adopted a software suite from Spillman Technologies that will let neighboring first-responder agencies share information in real-time. The software also assists in investigations and tracking perpetrators across multiple jurisdictions, said Cedaredge (Colo.) Police Chief David King.

The Cedaredge police department is now part of a shared software system, along with the Delta County Sheriff’s office and the Delta and Hotchkiss police departments. The software suite that was deployed includes records management, computer-aided dispatch, mobile communications, corrections management, fire/EMS management, resource management and data sharing systems. All modules were loaded on fixed computers at the police departments and mobile computers installed in officers’ vehicles.

Using the software, officers can pull up incident numbers, access license driver information and automatically check multiple databases across neighboring Mesa and Montrose, Colo., counties for suspected violations. “We couldn’t share information before,” King said. “[Now] … if someone is pulled over in one county, all the counties’ officers know in real-time what is going on. We now have high-tech records management program that does everything for us. My guys now are spending less time working the [software] system and more time out on the street fighting crime.”

King said officers log on to the system remotely to access data. However, mobile computers often can’t receive a signal due to the diverse topography of the region—even though data transmission is supported by multiple hotspots throughout the Cedaredge area, such as the local schools and businesses. He said air cards are scheduled for purchase in 2009 to avoid dropped signals between hotspots.

The installation, including software and modules, cost $250,000, which will be paid over a five-year leasing period, King said.

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