By Christine Harland Williams
In October 2000, when TriTech Software Systems (at http://www.tritech.com) first deployed its Voyager family of applications for police, fire, EMS, public safety, and similar agencies, customers extolled the convenience the Palm OS-based applications offered to field personnel. The applications enable authorized field personnel to access critical incident information, query the CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Systems) database and other databases, transmit data, record incident details, and write tickets from a Palm handheld or other wireless device.
The Voyager handheld applications were intended to build on TriTech's computer-aided dispatch system, VisiCAD, which facilitates efficient dispatch of law enforcement, fire department, and emergency medical services units and personnel.
But just one year after its first deployment, the benefits of these handheld applications are being seen in a new light. The events of September 11 have placed Palm applications at the center of state, federal, and private efforts to bolster homeland security and improve emergency response. Many Federal agencies are evaluating Voyager. Trial programs are underway with agencies in many cities in the United States. Voyager is also gaining attention with airport security homeland initiatives including those at the Salt Lake City airport where preparations for the Olympic Games are in high gear.
Hitting the beat with handhelds
The Bellevue Police Department in Bellevue, Washington, was the first customer to deploy Voyager. Officers on motorcycles and bicycles carry Palm VIIx (and soon, possibly, new Palm i705) handhelds on field calls to confirm the validity of drivers' licenses, weapon registrations, license plates, and other information stored in the state's database. Officers can also view current and pending calls from computer aided dispatch software running on the Palm handhelds.
Bellevue Police Department public affairs officer Marsha Hondan recalls, "Previously, officers waited up to 10 minutes for dispatchers to reply to queries over the radio, but with our new handheld system, response times average two to four seconds for inquiries. This saves valuable time, especially during emergencies."
Wanted: a fast, affordable mobile solution
It's easy to see how state and federal agencies are attracted by the idea of using inexpensive handheld computers as a practical answer to the heightened emergency response expectations faced by state and federal agencies. They need quick access from the field to state and federal databases that contain valuable information about wanted individuals or suspicious activities. They also need a quick and easy way to exchange information with the rest of their department as events unfold at a scene.
