San Diego police get new technology

San Diego Union-Tribune

SAN DIEGO — The Police Department is getting two high-tech upgrades, with the help of a $1 million contribution from Qualcomm Inc. that was announced yesterday.

Part of the money is being used to pay for 400 PDAs, or personal digital assistants, for officers. The other upgrade is an Automated Vehicle Locator system, enabling dispatchers to immediately find every police patrol unit in service.

Both sets of equipment already are in police hands.

The donation actually went to the San Diego Police Foundation, which purchased the technology for the department.

William Maheu, senior director of business development for Qualcomm, said the department will issue 400 Palm Treo 700 “smartphones” to officers who don't work from a patrol car and can't carry laptop computers with them.

“Beach officers, bike officers, motorcycle officers, all of these guys have never had access to some of those critical databases they need to function efficiently,” Maheu said.

The Automated Vehicle Locator enables dispatchers to know where a police patrol unit is at all times, he said.

“There isn't a cop on the beat who hasn't heard an officer yell for help (over the radio) in a critical situation, but not be able to give their location,” said Maheu, a former San Diego assistant police chief. “This is a critical item for officer safety.”

Copyright 2008 San Diego Union-Tribune