Winchester, VA - Today, James Davis, a Prince George’s County Police Officer, was recognized by Datalux Corporation with the Excellence Award for public service through mobile computing.
Datalux grants the Excellence Award to a police officer who demonstrates a high degree of competency, aptitude and commitment to law enforcement through the use of the Tracer, Datalux’s mobile data computer system. Datalux selected Officer Davis and the Prince George’s County Police Department to receive the first annual Excellence Award because of the tremendous number of mobile computer terminals and the large number of queries processed in 2002.
With 850 Tracer units installed since September of 2001, Prince George’s County is operating one of the largest and most efficient law enforcement mobile computing networks in the country. Last year, alone, the county processed 1,406,656 queries using the Tracer. The result was more then 5,499,431 returns from various local, state and federal law enforcement and motor vehicle databases.
Prior to purchasing 850 Tracers through COPS MORE, a federal grant program, Prince George’s County relied primarily on radio dispatch to process vehicle tags during a traffic stop. Requests for vehicle information frequently backlogged the dispatch center, limiting the amount of information that could be provided to an officer and increasing the length of time required to process a vehicle tag request.
How does the Tracer work? According to Lt. Jeff Youmans, Commander of Prince George’s County Mobile Technology Section, the Tracer works by connecting through a secure cellular network using a modem. The Datalux Tracer allows vehicle information to be downloaded in seven to ten seconds providing the vehicle type and the vehicle owner’s name, date of birth and driving record. In addition, the officer is able to process the vehicle owner or driver through national criminal and civil wanted files.
“This computer is fast, accurate and compact. It enhances a police officer’s ability to do the job,” said Youmans. “One of the most dangerous aspects of law enforcement is the traffic stop. The Tracer provides valuable safety information about the vehicle and its occupants, before the officer approaches the vehicle.”
The Tracer enables the officer to communicate with police dispatch and other officers, access local and national criminal, civil and motor vehicle information and notify the officer of potentially unsafe circumstances, including possible warrants or stolen vehicles.
Officer Davis was not surprised that he was identified as the top mobile computer user for Prince George’s County in 2002. “The Tracer computer is my lifeline,” said Officer Davis. “It not only helps the Department by leaving the radio clear for emergencies, it links me to numerous databases, provides me with timely information, and allows me to communicate with my colleagues through instant messaging. Most importantly, it’s easy to use.”
In 2002, Officer Davis used the Tracer to access information concerning stolen vehicles, domestic violence orders, prior driving records and vehicle insurance information more than 32,000 times. Prince George’s County is currently averaging more than 100,000 queries per month using the Tracer.
“Use of the Tracer mobile data computer has facilitated a quantum leap in data and information flow to and from our front line personnel,” said Police Chief Gerald Wilson of the Prince George’s County Police Department. “This improved communication enables us to do what our community at large depends on us to do – protect them.”
“We are proud to recognize Officer Davis as our very first award recipient,” said Mr. Robert Twyford, CEO, of the Winchester based Datalux Corporation. “The Tracer is all about reliability for the police department and the community they serve. This equipment could mean the difference between life and death. Datalux realizes that officers are on the front lines protecting us and we feel that they deserve the very best equipment available”
Prince George’s County Police Headquarters is located at 7600 Barlowe Road in Landover, Maryland. The Department is dedicated to work in partnership with the citizens of Prince George’s County toward providing a safe environment and enhancing the quality of life consistent with the values of the community. To accomplish this mission, the Department adheres to the values of professionalism, integrity, responsiveness, sensitivity, respect and openness.
Since Datalux Corporation’s inception in 1990, the company’s proprietary designs have made it a leading provider of durable, compact computers to customers with unique and limited space requirements in a variety of industries, including law enforcement.
The Datalux Tracer System consists of three major components: the Datalux Tracer computer, a vehicle mounting frame designed for the most popular makes and models of public safety vehicles, and a vehicle accessory package, which consists of a keyboard and a USB hub/DC-DC converter. The Tracer is a mobile data computer system designed specifically for public safety vehicles. The unit is an air bag and road-tested system used nationwide.
By designing, manufacturing and marketing its entire product line, Datalux ensures the highest quality control. Datalux Corporation is headquartered in Winchester, Virginia. The firm’s European wholly owned subsidiary, Datalux Europe, is headquartered in the United Kingdom. In addition to the company’s European presence, Datalux has distributors in Australia and Singapore. For additional information about Datalux Corporation, its products and services, please visit the company’s web site at www.datalux.com.