Buying Computer Aided Dispatch Software
What Departments Need to Consider When Buying CAD Systems
Nov 11, 2009
Computer-aided dispatch software (CADS) are an important technology for protecting the public. Whether for fire, police, or medical, CAD systems enable departments both large and small to operate more efficiently as a cohesive unit and as separate units of an office. Without them, paper logs using spreadsheets would still be the norm, making the the jobs that now depend on this technology incredibly difficult.
What to Look for When Buying CADS
While CAD programs are readily available, it is often difficult to be sure of what questions to ask when a police department begins looking at a new piece of software. There are some things that are priorities when considering what program to buy, balancing different attributes for the best overall choice.
Interoperability
Interoperability is a term that began making rounds soon after the attacks on September 11th. Because of difficulties that arose with EMS, fire, and law enforcement agencies working together, interoperability has become a priority so that these groups can become a more cohesive unit, understanding and working with one another to benefit the public.
Interoperability has taken on various forms, such as many groups dropping 10 codes and using regular language, and with CAD interoperability it has appeared in a few distinct forms. One approach is to use the same software as other departments to make it easier to communicate and get information across departments.
While this approach is perhaps the easiest way to keep multiple dispatch offices in check, it can often be cost-prohibitive. It can be difficult to get a group of departments to come to an agreement over a singular piece of software, and if a system fails to work as well for one agency as it does for another, it can turn a good theory into a bad practice.
Ease of Use for Dispatch
While report writing often takes place in the same software batch as the CAD, the people using it the most will ultimately be those in the dispatch office. As such, this is the part of any CAD program, and it needs to as high a degree as possible to avoid difficulties trickling down into mistakes in other parts of records keeping.
After dispatch, its use for report writing should be the second factor to consider in its user friendliness. As this is connected to the information entered in through dispatch, these two pieces of software should come together and be heavily integrated with one another. Without interoperability between different areas of the same department, no department can work well with outside agencies.
Features of Current Generation CAD Systems
For most departments, connection to 911 program is one example of a smart connectivity within a CAD system. GPS to monitor the location of officer calls is another example of the kinds of features in well-designed CAD systems. While many of these vary in style from company to company, a good rule of thumb to keep is a blend of system integration combined with flexibility.
Another feature used among larger departments is the movement towards assigning calls through in-car computers rather than by radio. This style of dispatching is beneficial because it is not as susceptible to being heard by prying ears. This function has become common in varying degrees in agencies across the country.
What System of CADS is Best?
The answer depends on the factors listed above, as well as questions of budget. CADS are not cheap, and can cost into the tens of thousands of dollars for mid-range programs. When a department plans to buy a program, choosing a higher-end product is the smarter choice, as it should be an investment with planned long-term use. Buying a CAD is an important decision for any agency, and should be made wisely.
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