Over the past 50 years, policing has grown more complex in nearly every respect – including the vehicles officers rely on every day. Nowhere is it more apparent than in police vehicle consoles, which have evolved into central command hubs supporting radios, communications gear, computers, lighting controls, sirens and an expanding array of sensors and tools that have become substantially more sophisticated.
Facing that growth in complexity, clients of longtime police vehicle equipment manufacturer Setina – which developed the first partition for police vehicles back in the 1960s and continues to bring new innovations to the vehicle space – turned to the company for help.
“Consoles have been around for a long time, and we’ve repeatedly been asked to enter that space because of our reputation for testing and developing the highest-quality products,” said Judy Setina, the company’s vice president.
With recent shifts in the market, Setina determined the timing was right, and now it’s debuting its first police vehicle console nationally.
“We’ve actually been making consoles for decades for local, city and state agencies, and we’ve invested a lot of time refining them,” said Brett Ware, the company’s national sales manager. “This isn’t a sudden move; we’ve worked closely with agencies, upfitters and end users to design a console with key ergonomic benefits. Due to popular demand, we’ve decided to roll it out nationwide. We’re not the first to market, but we’ve put a lot of effort into getting it right.”
Built for fit, finish and flexibility
Setina has produced consoles in limited numbers over the years for a few select agencies, including key local organizations it works closely with in its home state of Washington. The experience and insight gained from that provide advantages in both a durable build and comfortable ease of use.
“It has some really strong advantages,” said Judy Setina. “We put a lot of effort into the construction, the functionality and the ability to customize a range of options we provide. Using aircraft-grade aluminum helps keep the weight down, and features like swiveling armrests enhance officer comfort during long shifts.”
Setina has produced consoles in limited numbers over the years for a few select agencies, including key local organizations it works closely with in its home state of Washington. The experience and insight gained from that provide advantages in both a durable build and comfortable ease of use.
Setina
One major aspect of the new console’s flexibility is its ability to accommodate both deeper- and wider-set radio equipment. A “deep body” console offers additional front-to-back clearance behind the control-head faceplate with space for bulkier equipment or connectors. This extra depth allows for larger or taller pieces of equipment (e.g., control heads, remote radio modules, amplifiers) that require a bit of extra mounting depth. It is suited for midsize and smaller SUVs.
For larger platforms, Setina offers a “deep and wide body” console which adds extra lateral space in addition to the depth, allowing multiple devices to be mounted side-by-side. This can hold two control heads horizontally and is useful when a vehicle is outfitted with accessories like communication devices, printers, siren panels, etc. It’s designed for full-size SUVs and trucks.
Space in the cabins of police vehicles is always at a premium, so this flexibility, and choosing the best model for your needs up front, can help accommodate everything officers need while preserving legroom, arm and side space, and safe ingress and egress.
“We hear from a lot of people who tell us, ‘This just doesn’t fit right’ or are having trouble with their faceplates,” said Judy Setina. “We’ve spent a lot of time listening, studying what people like and don’t like, and researching what officers want. We’ve done a lot of research into what people want to see with these consoles, and we are working hard for a better fit and finish and all the way around.”
Creature comforts make life better
Discussions of ergonomics signify just how far police vehicle consoles have come. At first they were strictly utilitarian, designed initially to hold officers’ new two-way radios in the mid-20th century. Interior layouts of the time were minimalist, with improvisations like added boxes or brackets attached to mount gear.
From the 1960s to 1980s, as radios became more common, vehicles came to include more dedicated mounting for radio control heads, as well as switches for lights, sirens and PA systems. Ad hoc consoles started giving way to more formal designs based on metal boxes or panels between seats (or replacing civilian consoles) to accommodate radios and switch panels. These designs were heavy and strong, often steel, but ergonomics weren’t yet a concern.
The earliest mobile data terminals came to police vehicles in the 1970s, challenging consoles with their size, heat and wiring, as well as cumbersome displays, large keyboards and limited connectivity. This complicated things considerably, but advancing technology in the decades since has relieved many of those pressures. Today, essential tools like computers and radios have gotten smaller and more powerful, and the growing importance of data has necessitated the development of clean, capable mobile offices that can optimize its capture and use. The physical toll of policing has driven attention to ergonomics, and manufacturers recognize needs for modularity and flexibility, durability and smart power management.
“Ergonomics is a really big thing with these consoles,” said Ware. “For example, one thing we have that a lot of consoles surprisingly don’t is a cutout for a sidearm. A lot of people complained that when you’d get in, you’d run into the console with your sidearm. That’s uncomfortable, and it’s digging up your holster. And if you were to get into an accident, that’s a potential place for injury.”
Less a safety issue but still important to user friendliness is small comfort features – one example being cup holders.
“Sometimes those little creature comforts can make life just a little bit better,” noted Ware.
Key benefits support safe policing
The small arms box is one of several additional features of the new Setina console worth knowing about. The system supports keyboards and laptop mounts and integrates easily with faceplates from major manufacturers. It provides USB and power ports to support additional items and discreet red and white map lights for targeted illumination. With integration of the company’s SmartBelt, it can signal officers if a detainee becomes unsecured in back. A mounting system with no drilling required simplifies installation.
These features combine to produce key benefits that underscore safe policing, including faster, safer workflows, reduced distraction and cognitive load, and improved connectivity and situational awareness.
“The quality you’ll see in this console,” said Judy Setina, “is the same quality people expect form every other Setina product we have.”
For more information, visit Setina.
