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Tulsa - The new fiscal year begins Wednesday. And, it's bringing big changes to the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office, where two new pieces of technology are improving efficiency and public safety.
'Mobile Cop' is a computer information system. It allows faster and better communication between law enforcement agencies. Now, all 70 units in the sheriff's department fleet have them.
Only a few of the Mobile Cop computers are still in the box waiting to be installed. They are making their way to patrol cars and deputies in the field where the service they provide we're told is priceless.
"If a Tulsa County sheriff's deputy is out on I-44 and has a car tag and the tag comes back stolen, it will alert every other computer that's on it, that a deputy is at their location with a stolen car," says Deputy Chief Tim Albin.
What this amounts to is information sharing between law enforcement. And the goal is to get other police departments to join so more information is shared.
"If a Collinsville police officer takes a burglary report and suspect vehicles he'll be able to hit one database to see if we've had common burglaries or common suspects."
And that means a higher likelihood that deputies like Ethan Foster can catch the bad guys and faster.
"It's a lot quicker we get information just right then and there."
Mobile Cop also eliminates a dispatcher transmitting vehicle information or wanted suspects. Now, all officers on the network have it at their fingertips. What this means to residents is deputies have more time to respond to calls and more time to patrol.
Another benefit of the Mobile Cop system is the ability to check for a driver's proof of insurance. Fake cards will no longer be passed off with the new system in place.
Another change at the sheriff's office includes a new records management system that will go on at midnight. That means no more written reports. All the information is computerized.
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