The Associated Press
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) - Police here will soon have better access to records and each other through computers in their patrol cars.
Officer Frank Sexton expects to finish installing computer monitors and keyboards in 30 city police cars this week.
Police think the more than $400,000 in software and hardware will improve services.
“This will reduce communication on the radio and give officers immediate access (to information,)” said Major Doug Horton.
Officers not only can check driver’s licenses and registrations, but also information about fugitives. They also will have access to mapping equipment and will be able to communicate with each other electronically.
The computers will enable them to read past incident reports and submit new reports electronically from the computers in their cars, Horton said.
Reports are now handwritten and later typed by records officials into a computer.
“We are going to be able to get in a car and not have to worry about a piece of paper,” said Sgt. Phillip Moore.
The keyboard includes a button on the top left hand corner of the keyboard that says, “emergency.”
When an officer strikes that button, a supervisor is alerted to the officer’s location and need for help.