IU in the year 2015: IU Police Department

Money is an issue for the IU Police Department.\nAs other police departments move ahead in technology, IUPD in 2015 will look similar to IUPD today if the budget adheres to current trends, said Lt. Jerry Minger. \nMinger said although he would like the department to utilize some of the high-efficiency equipment already used by other police departments, budget restrictions make such upgrades unlikely. \n"We always keep our eye on the horizon for tech solutions such as 800-MHz radios, laptops in squad cars, digitized fingerprinting, etc. However, these items are cost prohibitive," Minger said in an e-mail. \nMinger's wish list could help IUPD save time and avoid confusion, two elements which work against a thorough police investigation. Laptop computers alone would create changes in the department's structure. \n"Ruggedized" laptop computers with Internet connections placed in the squad cars would reduce the amount of radio traffic, increase communication between officers and make it possible to generate case reports on the spot or during breaks, Minger said. \nLike many departments, IUPD still relies on a system of radio communication with a dispatch officer at headquarters. Many cases on the streets require some sort of broadcast, like license plate and driver ID checks during traffic stops, or calls for an ambulance during a medical assist. \nMinger said radio traffic can become a problem during seat belt patrols and other car stops, when one or two officers had to radio lots of license checks, causing congestion in the airwaves. \n"It causes much more traffic for dispatch," Minger said. "And if you're trying to call in, you have to wait your turn." \nWith an Internet connection, officers could do a lot of the work dispatchers have to do for them, like find phone numbers or run queries on the Indiana Data and Communication System to find information on stolen property, criminal records and missing persons information. \nCase reports for minor offenses could be filled out in the squad car, shortly after they took place, rather than the officer relying on notes and memory to write all of his or her reports at the end of a shift.\nWhile laptops would be expensive to put in all 11 squad cars, there's additional cost to secure and maintain the system as a whole. which the yearly equipment budget of $10,000 would not cover. \n"Even if we took our entire equipment budget for the year, each car would have to have a modem, antennas, we'd have to put it on an encrypted frequency," said Minger, adding that once each car is fitted with this equipment, there would be an additional expense each year for upgrades, repairs and maintenance. \nFor now, IUPD will have to wait until it can get a larger budget from the University and the state. Minger said until then, IUPD will make do. \n"IUPD has no mechanism to create a larger financial base ... The community will receive the best service its officers can provide based on the budget allocated to safety and security issues," Minger said.