The Portland (Ind.) Police Department has chosen Spillman Technologies for its computer-aided dispatch (CAD), records management (RMS), and mobile public safety software systems. The agency will join a shared Spillman system hosted by the Jay County Sheriff’s Office, which will optimize resources and efficiency by allowing the agencies to share data seamlessly across jurisdictional lines.

A Spillman customer since 2001, the Jay County Sheriff’s Office hosts the physical database that houses its public safety information, as well as that of the Redkey Police Department. By joining the existing system, the Portland Police Department will be able to search for address, vehicle, property, and incident records throughout the entire shared database as well as search name records by physical descriptions, nicknames, and associations with other criminals, among many other types of criteria. Because all data will be located on a single database, the police department will have the capability to access and contribute to that RMS. Because offenders in the region cross jurisdictional boundaries, the three agencies wanted to be able to share information about those offenders. This will increase data accuracy, add to the other agencies’ data resources, and promote information sharing between them.

Portland Police Chief Nathan Springer said that the agency is excited to share data with Jay County. “It is going to be very beneficial to be able to be on the same page with the county,” Springer said. “That is something we’ve never had before, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Springer also explained that the Portland PD had been operating with an out-of-date software system and cited that as one of the primary reasons the agency was in the market for a new vendor. He said that, in addition to coming highly recommended by the sheriff’s office and other surrounding agencies, the Spillman system presented the best value for the cost.“Shopping around, Spillman was very competitive in price,” Springer said. “[In] the price comparison between other things I’ve looked at and what Spillman had to offer, Spillman provided so much more.”

Springer stated he is very excited to begin using all of the Spillman tools, with the Mobile AVL Mapping module and Involvements feature being among those he most looks forward to utilizing.With Mobile AVL Mapping, agency personnel will be able to view the locations of nearby units in relation to one another and to CAD call locations. The software uses GPS tracking devices to plot each fleet vehicle on an on-screen map in real time, increasing efficiency by providing users with immediate access to accurate data.

The Involvements feature pulls data from the centralized database to intuitively link related information. This will allow Portland personnel to easily view relationships and conduct more effective investigations. For example, an officer can use Involvements when responding to a call to examine previous incidents associated with the address in question. Receiving warnings and alerts about previous offenses or possible weapon involvement beforehand will increase officer safety by allowing the responder to enter the environment better prepared for possible outcomes and request backup, if needed. 

The Portland Police Departments will join the 186 agencies in Indiana and more than 1,400 agencies across the country using Spillman software. 

Spillman Technologies serves sheriff’s offices, police departments, communication centers, correctional facilities, and fire departments nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated on-premises and cloud software solutions, including Computer-Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data and Field Reporting, Mapping and GIS, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, Personnel and Resources, and Analytics and Intelligence-Led Policing. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.