Cops Fight Crime With Wireless Palm Handhelds

Law Enforcement Agencies are using handhelds running the Palm OS to fight crime. Some are even using wireless handhelds to get the up-to-the minute information they need to make better-informed decisions more quickly while working in the field. Officers are getting information about suspects, vehicles, guns and even using their handhelds to keep track of evidence.

Police officers with Bellevue Police Department in Bellevue, Wash., use Palm VIIx wireless handhelds to stay connected to the state database while in the field. Thirty officers on motorcycles or bicycles carry the handhelds on field calls to confirm the validity of driver's licenses, weapons registrations, license plates, and other information stored in the state's database. Officers also can view current and pending calls from dispatch software added to the Palm handheld.

"We can access records much more quickly using the Palm solution than by calling dispatchers on the radio for the information," said bicycle officer Lisa Flores. "With this system, it's easy for us to look up records, check the status of criminal incidents, or even run background checks on individuals, while continuing to patrol the city." Previously, officers waited up to 10 minutes for a return of information over the radio.

The Santa Clara Police Department in California currently uses Symbol 1740 handhelds running the Palm OS to record data on traffic collisions and crimes. Officers also use the handhelds for evidence collection, using the built-in bar-code scanner to log and track evidence. The handheld runs software that allows users to import data directly into FileMaker Pro. The handheld also contains a detachable magnetic-stripe card reader, where officers swipe driver's licenses, electronically capturing data in the handheld. The handhelds help eliminate common manual tasks, such as note writing, data entry, and other paperwork associated with traffic collisions and crime reporting.

In the future, the police department plans to use the handhelds for citations and field interviews. The handhelds wirelessly synchronize with the computers located in the officers' vehicles, using a built-in 802.11 connection, allowing officers to collect information at the scene and finish reports as time allows.