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Making the Most of the MDC

NCJ Number
210844
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 32 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2005 Pages: 138,140,143
Author(s)
Joseph Brehler
Date Published
July 2005
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article presents ideas that police agencies can use to improve and expand the data provided to officers in the field and help them realize the potential usefulness of their cars' Mobile Data Computers (MDCs).
Abstract
One innovative use of in-car laptop systems is to provide officers in the field with an electronic display of their agency's standard operating procedures in lieu of reference manuals. Compared to the updating of manuals, electronic documents can be easily and quickly updated for officer access. Jurisdictional laws and ordinances can similarly be put in electronic format for access via key words, with regular legal updates. Further, the development of geographical information systems (GIS) and regional mapping systems integrated with CAD (computer aided dispatch) enable the mobile desktop to act as a road atlas and boundary reference. The layouts of significant public buildings, such as schools, can also be accessed through MDCs in preparing for and coordinating an efficient response to incidents in and around those buildings. The potential for MDCs is only limited by specifications on the amount of data that can be stored and retrieved. These limits are rarely reached under current MDC specifications.