After applying for state funds last summer, the Starkville Police Department is seeing returns on its investment of implementing new communication systems for nearly all patrol vehicles used by the department.
SPD gave a demonstration of the new Mobile CAD system Thursday at the Sportsplex, showing how the new hardware will increase departmental efficiency, community outreach and officer safety.
The upgrades—worth around $228,000—span dispatching, citation and mobile reporting systems, and officers will now be able to file reports in the field; locate all units on a comprehensive map and print citations from the vehicle.
The funds were approved after aldermen green-lit the technology upgrades in July, and stem from the Department of Public Safety's wireless communications fund. Currently, $10 per traffic citation is assessed by Starkville's Municipal Court and is deposited into the state communications fund.
For more, see the Nov. 4 edition.