North Bay Police officers will eventually move to a system that uses smartphones in conjunction with onboard technology in cruisers.
Inspector Kirk Kelusky says the local police service is keeping a close eye on existing and evolving technologies and will gauge the reactions from other police services before going ahead and outfitting officers and cruisers with cutting-edge technology.
Kelusky terms the process as more of an “evolution,” than a complete rollout but feels that the transition to secure, at-the-fingertips information for the city police is imminent.
Deputy Chief Scott Tod said at today’s monthly Police Board meeting that officers spend an inordinate amount of time commuting to police headquarters to file reports and continue investigations, rather than performing community policing. The new onboard and smartphone model will cut down on this practice that is necessary at this time with current technology.
Kelusky says the cost will be in line with what the police service currently spends on dashboard systems. He recently attended a conference in British Columbia with a focus on the technology and says police services from around the country are moving toward adopting it.
The in-car solution will make accessing confidential police databases a real-time option and will aid in the collection of evidence from crime scenes, says Tod.
Ultimately, says Tod, it is an in-car office that allows an officer to collect and manage information quickly, making the service more efficient by allowing its officers to perform many tasks in the field.
