There are a number of business and technology issues in designing solutions for public safety. We are bringing the attention of IT professionals and business executives overseeing these initiatives to the following issues:

Business Applications to be Automated 

While officer dispatch to a general patrol area or to the actual scene of crime and access to police data bases were, by far, the most important applications in late 1980s and early 1990s, other applications that are being automated now include field record or report writing, vehicle accident data reporting on the scene and mugshot transmission to the police cruiser. There is enough business case for all these applications in terms of improving officer productivity (up to 20%).

Common Infrastructure for Police, Fire and EMS

Since funds for all three departments common from same source of taxes (local at the municipal - town or city level), application logic is similar and there are significant cost savings in installing a common infrastructure, more and more agencies are finding it efficient to pool their resources together.  In fact, MobileInfo.Com feels that there is justification for his integration to state or provincial level. See Ontario Government 's pilot project to try this approach.  Of course, there are a lot of jurisdictional issues when you move from local to state level. 

Extending the Automation to officers on Foot Patrol

Now the cost of technology for handheld devices and local wireless communication networks allow handheld devices to be given to officers on patrol duty.

Ruggedized Device Requirements for Public Safety Application

Public safety application requires that the mobile devices be highly ruggedized that can withstand extreme temperatures ranges (hot and cold), be shock-resistant and be fall-proof from a distance of 3 to 4 feet on a concrete floor. Several vendors provide such ruggedized devices. Go to ruggedized end user device pages and vendors such as  Itronix, Amrel and Xenocom.