Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Sheriff’s Department now has new tools to help with law enforcement, and to help the deputies and staff handle their duties more efficiently. Sheriff Scottie Ward unveiled his deputy’s new cruiser computer systems, and is pleased with the results so far.

“This system really helps my deputies do their jobs better, and it saves them a lot of time and trips back and forth to the office,” said Sheriff Ward. The system is built around a Samsung tablet-based PC running Windows 8. Thanks to a Mifi connection through Bluegrass Cellular the system keeps the deputy connected to the KyOps network. KyOps allows law enforcement officers to streamline many of the jobs they handle in a typical work day.

“Now when one of my officers issues a citation it goes directly to the Circuit Clerk’s office and then they’re done, “ said Ward. Deputies use the computer and KyOps to digitally generate the traffic citation, even using handheld scanners to scan the backs of Kentucky driver’s licenses to automatically enter data into the system. On the scene an officer can print the driver’s copy of the citation. By digitally sending the citation to the clerk’s office it eliminates daily trips to the Sheriff’s Office for paperwork, and eliminates lag time between the issuance of the citation, and the time it is entered into the system.

The system also greatly aids officers serving warrants. Sheriff Ward told BtN that warrants are no longer printed and distributed on paper. “It’s all digital now, warrants are handed down over the computer. We print them and serve them,” said the Sheriff.  He continued, “If an officer is out and a warrant comes down he doesn’t have to come to the office to get his copy. He can print it in the cruiser and go execute it.”

Deputy Joe Alford was first to have the new equipment installed in his cruiser. He says that once he got used to using the system it has sped up the time it takes him to write a ticket, and makes his day much easier. “Everything is coming together now,” said the deputy, “It’s going pretty good so far.” Alford had the distinction of having the first system installed because of a purely practical consideration. “He had the newest vehicle,” said Sheriff Ward.

Taxpayers will be pleased to learn that Sheriff Ward was able to install the system, which is functionally equivalent to those used by the Kentucky State Police and other agencies, at a greatly reduced price. Ward said he shopped around for months to find the ideal computers to use. “I didn’t want to go with the Tuff-Books used by the State Police,” said Ward. “They’re too expensive and didn’t really do everything we wanted out of this equipment.”

Ward chose the Samsung equipment because of the price, and the flexibility offered by the tablet-based system. The system is comprised of a Samsung tablet PC, a Bluetooth keyboard and printer, and the handheld scanner. The entire system is easily removable to allow the officer to work at home or out of his vehicle, and the tablet features a built in camera and video recorder, eliminating the need for two more pieces of equipment. “We were able to keep the price right around $1,200.00 per cruiser by doing the way we did. The KSP system is close to $4,000.00 per unit,” said Ward. The system will eventually be installed in all 5 sheriff’s department cruisers. Currently the system is in three cruisers. Alford has had his system in the Dodge Pickup cruiser for about a month.

“Everything an officer needs to work a case is right there with them in the cruiser now,” said Ward. Ward said that one big benefit of the upgrade is the ability to work through a shift without trips or repeated calls to the office. “They get a lot more done because they’re out there working instead of driving back and forth to Morgantown all day,” said Ward.

The Butler County Sheriff’s Department system does have one notable distinction when compared to other equipment used by law enforcement agencies. Butler County’s PC is based on Windows 8, which led to quite a bit of work for Sheriff Ward and the technical support specialists with KyOps. “It took a lot of trial and error to get this to work, but now we’re the only department running this on Windows 8.” Alford said the touch-screen compatibility of the Samsung system was another feature that made the system ideal for Sheriff’s Department use. “It’s easy to use, you just have to get used to it,” said Alford.

Sheriff Ward said upgrades are in the offing that will make the system even more helpful to officers. “Sometime in the near future we will be able to run plates and do some other things on the scene without the need to call back to dispatch,” said the Sheriff.