Technology
Since early 2003, the Utah Highway Patrol has equipped its entire fleet of vehicles across the state with in car technology. This allows the troopers the ability to receive and transmit data via a wireless connection, and perform many other functions from issuing citations to typing reports. Additionally, this technology enables troopers to access all state and federal criminal justice information as well as communicate with other law enforcement agencies from inside their patrol car.
The addition of mobile computers coupled with mobile reporting software is providing many benefits including the reduction of obligated time by more than 39 percent. This increases the amount of time that troopers have for providing customer service and enforcing traffic laws. This mobile reporting software also provides many other features including electronic submission of citations to local courts and databases, electronic submission of crash reports, electronic review and approval of reports, real time GPS information of all on duty UHP vehicles, email, chat, and the ability toreceive instant notifications of Amber Alerts, Homeland Security Info, Missing Persons, etc.. Troopers can also monitor dispatch status screens so they are aware of what is going on around them and share data with other local, state, and federal agencies.
All of these systems working together provides supervisors and staff members access to a variety of databases, statistical information, and reports. This essential information on crashes, enforcement, and patrol activities, provides the ability to use nearly real time data to identify trends and develop effective strategies. These can be used for dealing with problems and challenges in a specific area or roadway on a city, county, or statewide basis.