Law enforcement authorities see big upside to Coplink ‘node’
It is a lot easier for police agencies throughout the area to
communicate thanks to an information sharing system that links more
than 31 police organizations throughout South County and the
Central Coast.
Known as a
”
node,
”
the informational link allows the police departments to share
information regarding criminals and ongoing investigations,
Hollister Police Sgt. David Westrick said. The program, also known
as Coplink, allows the departments to consolidate the information
to one database. The current agreement is committed for three years
after it was implemented on June 21
– after that it will be reevaluated.
Law enforcement authorities see big upside to Coplink ‘node’
It is a lot easier for police agencies throughout the area to communicate thanks to an information sharing system that links more than 31 police organizations throughout South County and the Central Coast.
Known as a “node,” the informational link allows the police departments to share information regarding criminals and ongoing investigations, Hollister Police Sgt. David Westrick said. The program, also known as Coplink, allows the departments to consolidate the information to one database. The current agreement is committed for three years after it was implemented on June 21 – after that it will be reevaluated.
The program includes the Hollister Police Department, San Benito County Sheriff’s offices and police agencies from Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
“Member agencies shall work cooperatively to establish an integrated system of information technology that maximizes the sharing of data and communication between the member agencies while maintaining the confidentiality of privileged or otherwise protected information shared through the system,” according to the agreement, which is labeled as the South Bay Information Sharing System.
Since node went into effect in June it has already helped the Hollister Police Department, Westrick said.
Details of its use are cloaked in secrecy because of its value in tracking and charging suspects of crimes, he said.
“I can’t comment on what we use it for, but it’s a tool we use,” Westrick said. “It’s an investigative tool that allows us to share information with each other.”
The tool is managed and stored by the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office, but the San Benito County sheriff and Hollister police chief are members of the 11-person board of directors that oversees issues with the node.
To take part in the Coplink system, agencies must commit to contributing data to the record system and must pay a cost based upon the “member population,” according to the agreement.
Funding from the 2008 Homeland Security Grant Program paid for the hardware infrastructure, data integration and three years maintenance, but members will need to pay starting in the second year.
In the second and third years of the program the Hollister Police Department will spend $1,430.95 on the project, and the sheriff’s office will spend $782.77. In the fourth year, if the project is continued, Hollister police will spend $12,622.11 and the sheriff’s office will spend 6,904.67.
In 2012-2013, the county as a whole will spend more than $17,000 on maintenance costs.
Calls to San Benito County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Roy Iler were not returned before press time.
