This week’s featured question was submitted for an officer of the Merrill Police Department.
The question reads:
“What are the laptops or tablets used for in police cars?”
Answer given by MPD Administrative Captain Corey Bennett
“The laptops or tablets are now used for a wide variety of tasks police officers have to carry out. First and foremost, it keeps them connected to active calls for service so they can see what calls are dispatched and which ones are pending. Officers can also enter information into those calls, disseminating information to others or simply documenting their work. We use these devices to run other essential software like the TraCS software for crash reporting and citations. We use these devices to remotely access DOT records of drivers and vehicles. These devices also interface with our squad video systems allowing playback or transmission to the storage server. We have also begun using the tablets for digital photography and then remotely transferring the photos to the storage server at City Hall. I’m sure with time, these devices and their connectivity will play an ever-growing role in the day-to-day operations of our Police Department. I look forward to leveraging that technology in ways that make our jobs more efficient.”
Have a question or concern you would like to address? Simply send your question or concern to [email protected] along with an indication of which entity your question or concern pertains to. Current participants are the Merrill Police Department, Merrill Fire Department, Tomahawk Police Department, Lincoln County Administrative Coordinator Randy Scholz, Merrill City Administrator Dave Johnson and Merrill Area Housing Authority Director Paul Russell. Please note: Those who submit to the ‘Ask an Official’ feature remain anonymous.