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Brookline Police Department Accesses Critical Information Using Verizon Wireless' Data Network
WOBURN, Mass., Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brookline Police Department is the first Massachusetts-based law enforcement agency to successfully integrate and leverage Verizon Wireless' wireless service, NationalAccess. Brookline Police has deployed wireless modems in 22 laptop computers in police cruisers and 14 handheld computers for officers on foot patrol, over the company's data network. Field officers are using NationalAccess to compile and send field reports and to quickly download information from state and Federal databases such as 'wanted' persons, stolen vehicle reports, arrest records and mug shots.
The Brookline Police Department cites reduction in radio traffic and an increase in dispatcher resources as major advantages of NationalAccess. Previously, field officers would call into dispatch to request vehicle or individual identification information, outstanding warrants and arrest records. These requests created a significant amount of radio traffic and tied up dispatchers.
Utilizing NationalAccess will reduce the amount of time officers spend writing daily reports. "Our officers can complete and post reports immediately without having to return to the office," said Brookline Police Officer Scott Wilder. "NationalAccess allows our officers to stay on the street, where they can best support our efforts to protect and serve the community of Brookline."
As part of that effort, the Police Department has made modifications to increase visibility of its officers around Brookline. The department has embraced technology as a way to improve its delivery of police services, and NationalAccess is a component.
Officers use handheld devices with PocketCop(C), a software application created by the Public Safety Division of Bio-Key International, allowing authorized users to access state and Federal databases using their handheld device over wireless networks. "Handheld devices can be a valuable tool to an officer on foot or motorcycle patrol due to its compact size and availability of quick access to information," said Don Nagle, vice president and GM of Bio- Key's Public Safety Division. "Verizon Wireless' high speed wireless network enables law enforcement agencies to leverage advanced applications like ours that were previously only talked about."
Wireless Data Benefits Public Safety
Wireless data has applications for use across the public safety field. Police officials, fire departments and state departments such as Health & Human Services, Child Protective Services, the Sex Offender Registry Board and many others, can leverage the rapid delivery of information when handling day- to-day operations, especially when working remotely or in the field. Fire departments responding to assist with unknown chemical spills can use high- speed wireless connections to remotely access HAZMAT databases to identify and remedy the spill quickly and safely. Information from the statewide and national sex offenders list can also be accessed quickly in cases where a child's safety may be in jeopardy.
"The increasing use of electronic images and information gives field operations teams remote access to important information when it is needed most," said Howard Lerner, director of Data for Verizon Wireless New England. "Now, with high-speed wireless service, data can be delivered more quickly - which may be a critical differentiator in emergency situations."
Verizon Wireless' data network, based on CDMA technology, offers picture messaging, Internet browsing and email, and many other enterprise applications and tools to organizations with mobile employees for increased productivity and efficiency. The company invests more than $1 billion every 90 days in its network, to offer customers the largest wireless voice and data network in the United States.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and data network and 40.4 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com/. To receive broadcast-quality video footage of Verizon Wireless operations, log onto http://www.thenewsmarket.com/verizonwireless.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
J. Abra Degbor
781.481.1314
Wendy Bulawa Agudelo
617.851.3426
Verizon Wireless
CONTACT: J. Abra Degbor, +1-781-481-1314, or Wendy Bulawa Agudelo, +1-617-851-3426, both of Verizon Wireless
Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/
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