Using New Technologies

Last week in this space the technology improvements achieved in the Police Department were explored. There have been a number of other uses of technology that departments throughout the City are planning, or have implemented. Let’s review some of these other technology advancements.

The Green Agenda

The City Commission recently adopted an amendment to the City’s Strategic Plan that directs staff to seek out ways for the City to “go green” – to conserve natural resources. One of the first projects in this effort is now in it’s first run: The Green Agenda. In this program, rather than copy hundreds of pages for City Commission agenda packets, the agenda is transferred to PDF files and loaded on to laptops for the City Commission. A side benefit is that the PDF files can also be quickly made available on the City’s website (http://www.cityoflakewales.com/) for everyone to review. The cost of this program is estimated at $9,500 which will be recovered in approximately 2 years from the savings in copy machine, bindery supplies, and paper costs.

Fuel Accounting

Until January 2006, City employees dispensed gasoline to city vehicles and then wrote down the number of gallons pumped in a book. This presented a number of problems, and staff found a company with software that:

• Records the number of gallons dispensed in a particular vehicle


• Records the mileage


• Downloads this data to a schedule for oil changes and other preventive maintenance items based on mileage.

Since the fuel accounting has been in use, expenditures for fuel are fully accountable and maintenance scheduling has improved. The new system also tracks the use of diesel fuel to off-road equipment, which has resulted in fuel tax savings. This investment of $13,098 paid for itself within one year.

Automatic Water Meter Reading

A number of cities use computerized devices to read water meters by transmitting the readings by radio frequency directly into the city records and billing department. The vendors for these systems insist that the city should change out all meters immediately to realize the savings quickly – except that would require borrowing about $1 million dollars, and result in laying off some water meter readers with valuable experience. City staff decided to go with a “pay as you go” approach, where new developments pay for their new meters, and the existing meters in the rest of the city are phased in as old meters are routinely changed out. The City is also taking a two-step approach, using a hand-held wand to collect the data, and later switching to the radio frequency method, to help ensure system accuracy.

Work Orders

There is an old saying in city government: “What gets measured, gets done.” To keep up with work assignments in the water, sewer, streets, building maintenance, and parks departments, City staff began using a computerized work order system a year ago. This system allows the City to keep track of work requests, and is building a database for measuring how long it takes to complete assignments.

Computerized Fire Pre-Planning and Reporting

The Fire Department utilizes computer technology for report writing and for “pre-fire planning”. Every commercial building in town has been visited by fire fighters who have drawn a floor plan and made notes pertinent to combating a fire. These notes include whether or not the building has a fire sprinkler system, and the presence and location of stored gasoline or other flammable materials. Another computer program, using “global positioning system” technology, shows a map of the fire hydrants in the area of the fire. These plans and maps are stored in laptop computers on our fire trucks and are accessed by one of the firefighters enroute to the fire scene. The critical information is then radioed to members of the department pulling up on the scene, and the scene commander makes decisions concerning how and where to begin the fire attack with the benefit of this information.

Fire Department Imager

Each of our two fire stations has an “imager” that allows fire fighters to find persons trapped in smoke-filled buildings. These units cost on the order of $10,000, and one was paid for by the Lake Wales Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary.

Technological Advances in the Police Department

Tax reform continues to be a popular topic in Tallahassee. The first wave of property tax reform hit the budgets that were adopted by local governments last September. One-third of the cities in the state chose not to comply with the state legislature’s intended reforms (our City Commission voted to comply with the reforms and adjusted the city budget accordingly). The second wave, voted in on January 29, will also affect schools and will be reflected in the budgets to be adopted this September. The third wave is now being considered as the state legislature is in session. Some local government observers, including newspaper opinion writers, are calling on state legislators for careful consideration this time around to prevent core services including police and fire from suffering substantial cutbacks.

The belt-tightening in City departments has required some creativity. In the police department, senior management had already implemented some technology improvements and has expedited this trend by carefully budgeting (and seeking outside funding) for additional technological advances. The use of technology will help improve productivity and the effectiveness of patrol officers. Let’s review the police department’s improvements that have been made and those that are being planned.

Leading-Edge Technology Already in Use (Year provided)

Mobile Data Computers (2002)
These laptop computers installed in patrol cars provide officers with the ability to complete required documents, forms and reports in the field. As a result, preventative patrol time increased and the response to calls for service improved.

Tasers (2007)
Tasers project two small probes via insulated wires and transmit an electrical signal. Violent offenders suffer an immediate loss of neuromuscular control for the duration of the impulse. Each Taser is equipped with an audio-video recording device that allows officers to record information prior to, during, and after its use.

In-Vehicle Video Recording (2007)
Each patrol vehicle is equipped with an in-vehicle audio-video recording system. These devices provide a recording prior to, during, and after calls for service. This provides for accountability, and video evidence.

SOFICS (State of Florida Integrated Citation System, 2007)
SOFICS is a fully automated traffic management system that allows officers to print traffic citations, collect and warehouse data and transmit records electronically to the Clerk of Courts. SOFICS allows for a reduction of personnel resources in the Records Section, as inefficient data entry is no longer required. Efficiency will be further improved when electronic transmittal of records to the Clerk of the Courts is implemented later this year.

LiveScan (2008)
Implemented in 2008, LiveScan allows for the digital submission of offender fingerprints. Positive identification can be obtained on offenders within minutes, and offenders arrested for misdemeanor crimes can be processed at the Police Department rather than the County Jail in Bartow. As a result, operational costs are lowered and officers remain in the community to respond to calls for service.

Leading-Edge Technology Being Planned (year anticipated)

Wireless Camera System (2008)
The Police Department is planning to implement a wireless video camera system to view public areas. The system includes public WI-FI access for residents and will begin with four cameras. Additional cameras will be added in the future, and cameras can be moved as needed.

Thermal Imager (2008)
The Police Department will receive a thermal imager through a Department of Defense technology transfer program. Needing no light to operate, thermal imagers generate high quality images on the darkest nights, even through smoke. Uses will include patrolling construction sites to prevent copper theft.

Chief Herb Gillis substantially contributed to this article.