Cairo cops new software helps fight crime
Squad cars installed with new equipment for faster processing
The Daily Mail
July 20, 2009

CAIRO—The Cairo Police Department has received two Traffic and Criminal Software units that will help officers quickly and efficiently issue tickets and report accidents and other incidents.

Cairo Police Chief Chris Sprague said his department was the first municipal department in the county to receive the TraCS units, although departments in Athens, Catskill, Coxsackie and Windham as well as the Greene County Sheriff’s Office hope to purchase their own equipment soon.

“It is a big accomplishment for a small department like ours,” he said.

The units, which are laptop computers connected to small printers and fit in housings next to the dashboard, will allow officers to enter data on incidents while in their vehicles. Information can be uploaded to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services database.

According to a New York State Police TraCS information page, license and vehicle data can be immediately searched through the database. The system allows officers to create diagrams of accidents with X-Y-Z coordinates. And, disposition data can be sent electronically from a court to the Department of Motor Vehicles and to officers and police agencies, according to the information page.

Sprague said the department was able to receive the new equipment through a $300,000 traffic safety grant. The process began a year and a half ago, he said.

The chief said all four department vehicles had been equipped with hardware to house the units, which can be moved from vehicle to vehicle as needed.

Sprague said his officers would receive software training in a few weeks so that all could use the new equipment.

“They will save time for the officers because they can do things in the field rather than have to bring people to the station,” he said.