Thursday, November 21, 2013

Texas County Equips Vehicles with GPS Devices

If asked to identify the largest canyon in the United States, few American school children would have difficulty doing so—the answer is obviously the Grand Canyon, located in Arizona. Ask them to name the second largest canyon in the US, however, and most school children (and adults) would be at a loss.


Flag of TexasBut the residents of Randall County, Texas, just south of Amarillo, would know the answer. Why? Because Randall County encompasses the town of Canyon (the county seat) as well as the Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Palo Duro Canyon State Park, location of the United States’ second largest canyon.


In the interest of keeping its officers safe across the county’s sprawling and varied terrain, the Randall County Sheriff’s Office is installing GPS devices in its vehicles. The technology is being made available through Motorola Solutions Computer Aided Dispatch. Installation began in the summer of 2013, and the goal for complete implementation was October 2013. All officers received training on the new technology.


The office leadership says that the new GPS devices will increase safety for county officers and will also improve the department’s effectiveness. Safety will be improved because dispatch personnel will be able to locate officers and their vehicles no matter where they are—even if the officer leaves his vehicle. In addition, the GPS devices include a camera on the car’s dashboard that can be remotely activated in situations in which an officer is unable to respond to a radio call.


How will the technology increase department efficiency? Officers explain that currently, when they need to find out information on a suspect, they must call dispatch and wait for the dispatch officer to look up pertinent information and then radio back with the details. The new GPS technology will allow officers to access suspects’ information on-screen from inside their vehicles. Officers hope that having this ability will cut down on well over 50 percent of time spent in routine traffic stops and other activities. In addition, information uploaded into the GPS computer can later be downloaded onto other devices, such as department laptops, and used later without having to be physically transferred or re-entered.


Randall County residents are sure to benefit from this great technological step forward for their peace officers.



Texas County Equips Vehicles with GPS Devices

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