NCJ Number
29087
Date Published
Unknown
Length
15 pages
Annotation
TWENTY-NINE UNITS WERE INSTALLED IN VEHICLES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA POLICE, HIGHWAY PATROL, GOLDEN VALLEY POLICE, ST. PAUL POLICE, AND HENNEPIN COUNTY SHERIFF.
Abstract
THESE TERMINALS ALLOW 2-WAY ACCESS TO THE CENTRAL INFORMATION SYSTEM, WHICH IS TIED INTO THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER. INFORMATION REQUESTS ARE TYPED INTO THE TERMINAL BY THE POLICE OFFICER WITH THE REQUEST AND THE RESPONSE BEING DISPLAYED ON A CATHODA RAY TUBE. THE SYSTEM ALSO ALLOWS MESSAGES TO BE SWITCHED TO AND FROM MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION AND ALSO FROM INDIVIDUAL UNIT TO UNIT. A SURVEY OF 20 OFFICERS USING THE TERMINALS SHOWED THAT THEIR AVERAGE ESTIMATE OF TIME INVOLVED IN AN INFORMATION REQUEST WAS 14 SECONDS, THEIR INDIVIDUAL ANSWERS VARYING BETWEEN 10 AND 25 SECONDS. TIMED TRIALS OF INFORMATION REQUESTS DURING THE PEAK SYSTEM USAGE HOURS AVERAGED 17 SECONDS FOR A VARIETY OF PROGRAM FUNCTIONS (INFORMATION REQUESTS). ALTHOUGH NOT QUANTITIVELY MEASURED, ESTIMATES BY COMMUNICATION PERSONNEL SHOW THAT USE OF THE TERMINALS HAS INCREASED THEIR TIME TO DEVOTE TO OTHER DUTIES. AS THE SQUADS CAN NOW QUERIE MINCIS DIRECTLY, COMMUNICATIONS HAS BEEN RELIEVED OF THE TIME NECESSARY FOR THE INFORMATION CHECKS (25.7 HOURS/WEEK).