The county emergency services’ introduction into integrated computerized record management will soon become a reality, members of the Kaua’i Police Commission. learned yesterday. With a computer-assisted dispatch and records management system (CAD/RMS), the County of Kaua’i Police and Fire Departments
The county emergency services’ introduction into integrated computerized record management will soon become a reality, members of the Kaua’i Police Commission. learned yesterday.
With a computer-assisted dispatch and records management system (CAD/RMS), the County of Kaua’i Police and Fire Departments and emergency medical services would ultimately be able to serve the people of Kaua’i more efficiently and effectively, said County Deputy Finance Director Eric Knutzen in a presentation he showed to the police commission at their regular meeting Friday at the Historic County Building.
About $1.2 million is available, and according to a timeline from the county’s finance department, call dispatchers could be using CAD/RMS by 2004.
Police Chief George Freitas noted that the funding has been available since about 2001. Investigative Services Bureau Assistant Chief Gordon Isoda took over the project early this year and got the assistance of the finance department.
Dispatchers would see the first benefit with computer software that changes the way information is gathered and used when people call to report incidents.
Calls would be traced using a geographical information system (GIS), and the computer system could access maps and directions, even blueprints of selected structures. Using the records management system, dispatchers will be able to provide responding personnel with information including prior arrests and convictions, criminal history, firearms licenses, prior emergency medical services and contact information.
“It’s probably one of the most exciting projects that we have going on right now,” said Eric Knutzen, deputy director of finance. The county will target nine different systems and will also post requests for bids on their Web site and a bulletin board at the county building this Monday.
One necessity is a Hawaii response team who can replace or repair items in case of a catastrophe or other emergency, Knutzen said.
The funding includes $400,000 from the KPD; $300,000 from asset forfeiture; $450,000 from the fire department; and $50,000 from emergency medical services.
Knutzen said that records currently being kept in computers will be transferred to the new system, and that software the county chooses will have to be compatible, which shouldn’t be a problem once the departments upgrade their computer operating systems.
By late summer, a vendor should be selected and by next October, the CAD/RMS software should be installed. In 2004, more funding would be needed to purchase the GIS as well as mobile data terminals (MDT), portable computer devices that can be placed inside vehicles to assist responding personnel.
Staff Writer Kendyce Manguchei can be reached at mailto:kmanguchei@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 252).
