Posted on: Monday, January 31, 2005

Kaua'i boosts police safety

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The county hopes to increase safety for police through a new computerized records-management system that would supply beat officers with detailed criminal or emergency information about the locations where they are dispatched.

The new system, added to a recently completed computer-aided dispatch program, lets radio dispatchers quickly review a history of emergency calls at specific addresses and identify potential threats there. Among the kinds of information available are whether residents have weapons registered or have outstanding warrants or temporary restraining orders in effect. It can help police determine whether officers need backup from other units.

The system also applies to fire and medical calls, since it will make available detailed information about the history of sites where personnel are sent.

"This is the capstone of a yearlong project to improve emergency response technology within the County of Kaua'i," said Police Chief K.C. Lum.

Mayor Bryan Baptiste credited information technology manager Eric Knudzen with overseeing the county's forays into technology.

In another technological improvement, Kaua'i is joining the other counties in using a computerized fleet fuel management system called Gasboy FleetKey. Each county vehicle will be supplied with a key with a memory microchip that will keep track of how much fuel the vehicle is using, when maintenance is due and other information.

Knudzen said the system will alert county officials when vehicles should be replaced before they cost the county too much in repairs.

The Gasboy program on Kaua'i initially will cover all county vehicles except the public safety fleet, although that may come later, he said. The program is in place with some agencies in Maui, Honolulu and Hawai'i counties.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.