New program puts info at police officers’ fingertips
PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY
Bartow Police Chief Joe Hall demonstrates the new software his department began using in April, which allows for computer-based dispatch, files and records, and GPS, among other features, greatly consolidating functions for officers in the field as well as office personnel.
PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY
City of Bartow IT System Administrator Bobby Hiers (left) and I.T. Manager Frank Canovaca )right) discuss some of the features available on the IPADS now in use in seven police car units and four Fire Dept. units. The IPADS will eventually phase in completely, replacing laptops at half the cost.
Paperwork, the bane of government agencies, just became less of a headache at the Bartow Police Department.
A new computer software program BPD is piloting for Tyler Technologies puts law-enforcement databases on patrol as well as in the office. Virtually eliminated are the overtime costs resulting from paper-based report-writing, according to Bartow Police Chief Joe Hall.
