San Jose Police Department

Located in northern California’s bay area, the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) employs more than 1,300 sworn officers in its four Bureaus, comprised of 11 divisions with more than 67 specialized Units and assignments, and is responsible for the safety of the more than one million people residing in the nearly 180 square miles that compose California’s third largest city.

Challenges

Deputy Chief Diane Urban, who heads the SJPD’s Bureau of Technical Services (BTS), and her team have been working to decentralize and digitize SJPD’s records and field communications systems. The legacy solution consisted of an in-vehicle laptop connected to a mobile data terminal (MDT) integrated with a GPS tracking system for a dispatcher to locate the nearest patrol car to an incident. The mobile communications piece of the solution was enabled by Radio Data Link Access Protocol (RD-LAP), which could not provide a reliable connection and caused several performance issues.

SJPD was also trialing an electronic citation pilot using Wi-Fi-capable handheld devices that allowed officers to create electronic tickets and download records directly from the device once they returned to the SJPD main campus. Feeney Wireless, a full-service wireless and mobile broadband solutions provider and Sierra Wireless partner, introduced the BTS team to Feeney’s innovative CIRA (Cellular Internet Routing Appliance) - with integrated 3G WWAN, router, Wi-Fi access point and GPS – which enabled data to be downloaded in real-time from the patrol car in the field. Leveraging 3G broadband data was squarely in line with the SJPD’s ultimate goal of establishing a complete, automated field report (AFR) service, including e-citation, mobile fingerprinting and a comprehensive records management system (RMS).

Solution

The BTS’ goal was to support real-time broadband information exchange for their mobile fingerprinting project, which allows officers to immediately report citations and fingerprint information back to the main campus. In turn, investigators could search the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, or AFIS, to report back to the field officer in real-time any outstanding warrants or past criminal activity, including mug shots.

While the cornerstone of the CIRA GPS solution is the integrated Wi-Fi router, the intelligent 3G connection is provided by a Sierra Wireless AirLink™ gateway. Powered by ALEOS™ intelligence, the AirLink 3G Gateway, embedded in the CIRA device, enables a consistent, reliable cellular broadband connection, and enables the CIRA platform to work with AirLink device management tools to simplify management of remote assets.

SJPD began installing the CIRA in its patrol cars, providing dispatch with consistent, secure connectivity to GPS location information and enabling officers to file citations in real-time using their WiFi enabled e-citation devices. To further enhance the mobile office environment in the patrol cars, Feeney began working with the BTS on a mobile ID project that will automate suspect identification. With the CIRA solution, powered by embedded ALEOS intelligence, the SJPD has implemented a comprehensive in-vehicle mobile solution enabling officers to connect to the department’s main campus through a number of specialized law enforcement devices, creating a wireless office environment wherever they are.

“The CIRA not only connects officers with technology from the main campus, but, thanks to the embedded ALEOS intelligence, it allows the main campus to connect to and remotely manage the numerous devices in the field,” said former BTS member Dave Knopf. “With dwindling budgets and personnel resources, the ability to simplify management and reduce maintenance time becomes even more important.”

Officers can now submit citations and other field reports in real-time, reducing gas expenses and trips to and from campus to submit paper forms or download stored electronic information. Officers also have immediate access to all critical law enforcement data, from department policies to recorded fingerprints and mug shots. All of these capabilities provide the efficiencies and cost reduction sought by Urban and her team on their mission to eliminate centralized, paper-based record keeping, while providing an environment in which officers can more effectively perform the job of keeping San Jose communities safe.

The CIRA Wi-Fi routing solution provided the San Jose Police Department with the following benefits:

• Reliable connectivity – ALEOS intelligence provides always-on and always-aware connectivity required for critical mobile data applications.
• Mobile office environment - The mobile Wi-Fi network enables a multitude of external devices to be connected, such as handheld devices for fingerprint scanning, cameras, video systems and remote sensors.
• Cost and time savings – Mobile field reporting eliminates patrol car trips to main campus, as well as the extended staff and storage space required to manage paper records.
• On-demand access to real-time information – Intelligent, 3G cellular solution offers reliability and immediacy provided by real-time two-way communication data available anytime, and accessed from anywhere in the world.
• Resource management – AirLink device management tools provide the ability to manage and maintain the CIRA and its many connected peripheral law enforcement devices.
• Enhanced emergency response – GPS tracking provides the ability to acquire patrol vehicle location for quick, accurate dispatch without interruption.
• Product support – Feeney Wireless stands behind its product and works together with Sierra Wireless to provide reliable, quality solutions.