After a research and evaluation process, 29 public safety agencies in Monmouth County, N.J., are adopting a shared software system from Spillman Technologies for dispatching, records management, mobile data computing, field reporting, and investigations, according to the company.

The multi-jurisdictional data sharing system is one of the largest in the state, said Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden. It was created as part of a major Monmouth County initiative to increase efficiency and reduce operating costs by consolidating public safety services.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg," Golden said. "Our vision is that all public safety departments within the county will have the opportunity to share critical information on one massive system, if they choose to participate."

The sheriff’s office also plans to use Spillman’s computer-aided dispatching software at a state-of-the-art communication center under construction in Freehold. With 50 9-1-1 dispatch positions, the facility will be the largest of its kind in the state and will consolidate dispatch services for agencies throughout Monmouth County.

Purchasing Spillman will enable the agencies to go from using eight different software vendors to one shared Spillman system. By using a single vendor, the agencies will reduce the costs associated with maintaining their own software systems and gain the ability to exchange critical law enforcement data.

"A shared system gives agencies the interoperability they need to meet today’s law enforcement challenges," said Lance Clark, Spillman's president and chief executive. "Spillman software will enable the agencies to share a wide range of data across jurisdictional lines while helping them decrease the costs associated with operating separate systems."

The agencies are beginning implementation this month and plan to go live with the Spillman system in October 2012.

The decision to purchase Spillman was made after a committee representing almost all of the participating agencies evaluated multiple public safety software vendors over a two-year period. Public safety software vendors were rated on factors like ease-of-use, vendor stability, multi-jurisdictional data sharing experience, system integration, implementation track record, and searching capabilities, Golden said.