How Computer Aided Dispatch Helps Law Enforcement

Technological advancements benefit law enforcement in several ways. For instance, computer aided dispatch (CAD) systems are a network of hardware and software programs that notify and monitor law enforcement unit’s resources in times of an emergency.

Modern policing isn’t complete with CAD. And in this article, we’re tackling how this innovation makes law enforcement more efficient and prompt.

The Functions of Computer Aided Dispatch

Before CAD systems emerged as we know them today, police units and emergency responders would rely only on a punch-card system to record their activities. Traditional phones were used to accommodate requests from the public.

Today, CADs are equipped with technologies such as an emergency communication systems for businesses to expedite employee safety and response times from law enforcement. Apart from keeping and managing records of law enforcement units, a well-equipped CAD can:

Pinpoint the location of the caller

Determine which in-field responders can be deployed

Track the status of the operation

Allow on-ground workers to report about their assignments

Which allows for an environment where dispatchers and higher-ranking officers can make critical decisions.

Better manage simultaneous dispatches

Reduce duplicate calls

Store and retrieve access to incident data

How It Benefits Law Enforcers and The Public

Across the world, law enforcement agencies leverage CAD to assist officers in making critical decisions while responding to calls for service.

CAD systems can help dispatchers route emergency vehicles to appropriate locations based on factors including location, time, weather conditions, road conditions, and the type of calls being responded to. This technology allows police departments to increase their efficiency and reduce the amount of time spent responding to calls for service while improving officer safety and public perception.

The advantage of modern CADs is that they’re interoperable and scalable. They can be paired with an existing radio dispatch console and two-way radio systems, making these communication tools’ functionality even more efficient.

If an agency or unit needs to expand its operations, it can seamlessly integrate new devices without incurring high scaling costs. If a mass notification system over IP networks is to be integrated, educating the workforce is also manageable and less disruptive.

While all these benefits enhance the services of law enforcers, they can also be used to communicate with other units in case they need to team up for inter-unit emergencies. This leads to lower crime rates in a wider geographic region.

CADs, however, don’t only help with a unit’s immediate needs. As mentioned, they help manage and store incident data. With this, they can be used to analyze data and determine crime trends. They can use such insights to improve their organizational planning and structure and maximize their resources.

On top of all this, users of CADs can rest assured that their data and operations remain protected against breaches and other security threats.

Today, computer-aided dispatching can be used by law enforcement units and other government agencies. These include fire services, EMS, marine and aviation units.