Case Study: Calvert County Emergency Communications
- POPULATION: 92,094
- CLIENT SINCE: 2010
- PROJECT: Enterprise Public Safety
- PROFILE: Located in southern Maryland, Calvert County is known for its waterfront property and an influx of tourism during the high season. About 50 miles from Washington D.C., the Calvert County Emergency Communications Center has 32 dispatchers and approximately 150 officers. Calvert County dispatches for eight fire and EMS stations in seven different areas throughout the county.
CHALLENGE
Calvert County Emergency Communications was using an outdated system that was custom built but not able to be updated as technology advanced. This stand-alone application did not allow for integrations, which limited the communication center’s ability to meet community expectations for response times. This outdated technology limited functionality and impeded the overall process and speed with which they were able to dispatch emergency services.
SOLUTION
In 2010, Calvert County implemented Tyler Technologies’ Enterprise Public Safety suite to streamline its processes and improve dispatch services. The suite provides consistent updates, keeping Calvert County equipped with the most advanced solutions during their long-term partnership with Tyler.
In the world of 911, seconds matter. As a dispatcher or an officer, you have to be right 100% of the time, every day. It’s a lot of pressure, and anything we can do to take that pressure off is worth it — like using the 911 queue to start the call for service.
Timothy Biscoe
Communications Supervisor, Calvert County Emergency Communications
RESULTS
Calvert County was able to streamline its processes utilizing the seamless integration between solutions within the Enterprise Public Safety suite.
Dispatchers are now able to track calls using the 911 queue within the Enterprise CAD interface. With integrated mapping, dispatchers can see the exact location of all units on a map, allowing them to send the closest officer to a scene and improve response times.
Mapping capabilities also allow first responders to see the bigger picture, which enables dispatchers to select the best response possible by having access to all the data in a mission-critical situation.
The agency also utilizes built-in RapidSOS technology in Enterprise CAD, allowing them to pinpoint a caller’s location to send faster, more accurate responses.
For officers in the field, the process of writing reports and sending them safely and securely to connected applications has drastically improved. This improvement is due to the report writing technology within Enterprise Law Enforcement Mobile and its process that prompts the officers with the proper questions and autofill capabilities. With this tool, officers experience reduced errors and improved efficiency when writing reports.
Calvert County maximized the benefits of its technology by attaching body camera footage to reports created in its records management system. Officers can send this camera footage directly to connected courts and public safety administration applications, enhancing the speed and accuracy in which potential issues are addressed.
With Enterprise CAD, Calvert County has taken the extra step to control the information it receives and releases to the community. For instance, using advanced capabilities within Enterprise CAD, dispatchers can send help without verbally communicating details over the radio, ensuring sensitive data stays off the air. This information can also be distributed to all available units securely and simultaneously in the event of a large-scale response.
This proactive agency is always looking to do more and is planning on implementing Tyler’s CAD-to-CAD functionality with its neighboring agencies to continue providing the best service possible.