Grant will knock down cost of computer system
Police are excited about new capabilities department will have
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - A grant from the New Jersey 911 Commission will shave $260,000 off the costs of a massive police computer upgrade in the township.

This, combined with other grants the department has already secured, will take the price of the new system from $700,000 down to $403,000, though Chief Raymond Hayducka said previously that he was aggressively pursuing further funding options.

The new system, tentatively scheduled for installation on Oct. 1, was developed by Roseland-based firm Enforsys to replace an information technology infrastructure more than 20 years old.

The South Brunswick Police Department approached the Township Council in January of this year saying that the support for the current system would soon run out, meaning that the police would not be able to install key software updates or get technical assistance. This, combined with a general feeling that it was time to make an upgrade anyway, led the Township Council to pass an ordinance that formally began the overhaul, which will modernize computers both at the station and in patrol cars.

Detective James Ryan, the department's public information officer, said that preparations for the new system, such as staff training and address verification, are already well under way.

One of the biggest reasons the Enforsys system was selected for the computer overhaul was its widespread use among police throughout the state, including the Middlesex County Sheriff's Department. The software standardization is meant to allow authorities to coordinate their efforts more efficiently. This effort is part of a larger push by the federal Department of Homeland Security to improve communications between emergency response agencies. This, it is believed, will improve reaction times to potential terrorist attacks.

The new computer dispatch system will create a mapping system at the station and in each police car. As someone calls for aid, that call will automatically be noted on a map so that the dispatcher and officer can see where the caller is. The visual map, according to Ryan, will allow for quicker responses when time is of the essence.

In addition, the new technology will enable a faster transfer of information, from a suspect's photo to his or her previous history at a location. This information was previously unavailable to officers in the field without going through a dispatcher. Now with the click of a key, a driver's license photo and information on a wanted or missing person can all be displayed in a patrol car.

Hayducka said that the computer upgrades will allow the force to be a more effective agency, on the cutting edge of technology.

"With the enhanced technology we will be at the cutting edge of law enforcement. This technology will allow officers rapid access to critical information they need in any emergency," Hayducka said.