LASD Makes Smooth Transition To New Technology While Ensuring Deputy Safety

LASD relies on a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system to deploy resources across its 4,000 plus square mile service area. Calls coming into 9-1-1 go to the CAD system and then to an automated vehicle location (AVL) system provided by GeoSpatial Technologies (GST) that displays incident and vehicle locations, status, and critical information. On the vehicle mobile data computer (MDC), a GST digital map application showing the location of the sister vehicles assists deputies in their response to an incident or location. Besides providing deputies with in-vehicle mapping, the AVL system enables command staff and field deputies to know the exact location of resources across its jurisdiction, enabling quicker response to calls and operational awareness. LASD has been using this system for over 12 years. GST maintains the system and does custom development for LASD. 

In each vehicle, an cellular router manufactured by Sierra Wireless, takes care of wireless connectivity for each application, including the AVL system, laptops, and license plate recognition (ALPR) systems. The router connects applications over the best available network, with access to FirstNet™ cellular as primary and T-Mobile as back-up, and provides Wi-Fi connectivity when the vehicle is within range of the station hot spot, which helps with large software updates. 

LASD hosts its own on-premises management system in its data center. The AirLink® Mobility Manager and AirLink® Connection Manager allow real-time management of the fleet and end-to-end security of all data transmission. GST’s server is also resident in LASD’s data center, and the integration between the AirLink and GST systems is transparent, allowing the systems to share GPS location and providing storage of all call information. 

In 2019, LASD acquired the latest generation Sierra Wireless routers (Airlink MG90) for their 3,000 vehicles. The router switches traffic based on user-defined criteria and signal strength, providing high availability connectivity for field deputies anytime, anywhere, and does this switching transparently. 

LASD needed to ensure that the migration to the new router technology would be seamless with the existing network and server infrastructure. In addition, since deployment would take place over several months, the team needed to ensure that new hardware could run in parallel alongside the existing system. A mix of old and new hardware involved different data types and formats and with both datasets coming in, GST worked diligently to ensure the data flowed without interruption and combined properly with the databases, making a successful migration. 

The primary goal for LASD was to ensure the mapping application remained at its full service level, providing deputy safety throughout the integration process.