For the first time in its history, the San Benito County
Sheriff’s Department is going wireless
– installing high-powered laptop computers in patrol cars to
increase deputies’ efficiency and effectiveness.
Hollister – For the first time in its history, the San Benito County Sheriff’s Department is going wireless – installing high-powered laptop computers in patrol cars to increase deputies’ efficiency and effectiveness.
The department recently installed two wireless computers, one in a patrol car in San Juan Bautista and another in a car which patrols areas of north county, according to Undersheriff Pat Turturici. Turturici said the department’s brass hope to outfit every patrol car with the wireless technology within several years.
The computers, which look similar to a regular laptop but can withstand being dropped, knocked around or having liquids spilt on them, will enable the deputies to write incident reports and send them to the department’s main database from their patrol cars, he said.
“This is especially important for San Juan Bautista,” Turturici said. “We had to have deputies come back to Hollister to write their reports, and that takes a lot of time. Now they’ll be able to write reports in their car.”
The computers aren’t cheap, though, with a $8,000 price tag attached to both, Turturici said. However, they were paid for with federal grant money the department received last year through the Homeland Security Act, he said.
Sheriff Curtis Hill said he plans to continue using the grant money available through Homeland Security to purchase more computers in the future. And as the department becomes more technologically advanced, Hill hopes one day to enable his deputies to access the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, the state’s criminal database, from their patrol cars.
Deputies would be able to run someone’s driver license, determine whether a car is stolen and check a suspect’s criminal history without having to call in to the county’s 911 communication center, Hill said.
“(Deputies) could run all kinds of vehicles that come to their attention instead of having to call it in,” he said. “I think we’d have a better stolen car recovery rate with it.”
But for now, installing the two laptops is a big step for the sheriff’s department, and highlights the sheriff and Hollister Police departments’ commitment in continuing to work collaboratively, Hill said.
The Hollister Police Department has had all of its patrol cars outfitted with wireless technology for several years, and the sheriff’s department will utilize the police department’s wireless towers, spaced strategically throughout the city, to pick up signals.
“We’re looking to really work on our communication capabilities and get us set for the future,” Hill said.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
