Car 54 -- we know where you are
In “Car 54 Where Are You,” the dispatcher of the 53rd Precinct in the Bronx always tried to locate officers Francis Muldoon and Gunter Toody; that was in the early 1960s; now, 47 years later, Chief Stan Bynum of the Ingleside, Texas, Police Department does not have to wonder where his patrol cars are; he just has to go to his new laptop to visually pinpoint every patrol car at the same time via GPS
Our readers may remember “Car 54 Where Are You.” Officers Francis Muldoon and Gunter Toody worked in the 53rd Precinct in the Bronx from 1961 to 1963.
Now, 47 years later, Chief Stan Bynum of the Ingleside Police Department does not have to wonder where his patrol cars are. He just has to go to his new laptop to visually pinpoint every patrol car at the same time via GPS. The tracking system is part of the newly acquired Mobile Data Terminal that brings modern technology to the Ingleside police.
The Ingleside (Texas) Index reports that Detective David Zamora searched grant opportunities for several months and found the perfect one through DHS. They applied for the grant, it was approved and now all eight patrol cars have a new laptop that interfaces with their exiting Report Management System. The Chief, Captain, Detective, and Sgt each have a laptop in the office. The Dispatcher now has the capability of rendering assistance by looking at the screen, locating the nearest patrol car, and sending emergency assistance. Critical information can be sent from the Station via computer right to the police officer inside the patrol car.
Chief Bynum said, “The dispatcher can see where the patrol cars are and dispatch the closest one to the scene in emergency situations. It enhances our abilities on the street by allowing the officers to do their reports in their vehicles after each call. They can report their dispositions right at the scene rather than have to return to the office to write reports.”
When an officer pulls a suspect vehicle over, the officer can run in-house information first. If the driver has a history of any kind with the police, it will appear on the screen immediately. Then it goes on to search the state data. Detective Zamora said, “When the system arrived 2 months ago, it was sort of a love/hate relationship with the officers. But now it’s all love.” He explained the safety advantages of the system. If an officer is in need of assistance, they know exactly where the trouble lies. Stolen property, guns, and other critical information appear on the screen without having to wait for information to be relayed and possibly overheard by a person of interest or others who do not have the need to know.
The laptops work with air cards that allow access to a virtual private network. The laptops are secured in the vehicles by being locked in a docking station. At the end of each tour, it is returned to the police station. Sgt. Christopher Brown said, “It is more convenient and faster for everyone. As a supervisor, I know what areas need to be covered by just looking to see where my officers are currently patrolling. In the past, two officers could be in the same neighborhood and not even know it until they passed each other. Now, we can easily see an officer is already in this neighborhood, so I can go somewhere else. When someone is stopped for a violation, we can get them on their way faster by being able to expedite the information.”
The technology will continue to improve offering even more capabilities to help law enforcement and the public. This technology is usually only found in big cities like Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Dallas, but through the perseverance of Chief Bynam and grant money from DHS, Ingleside Police Department runs with the big dogs. In answer to the song’s question, “What cha gonna do when they come for you…” it would be smarter just to surrender.
