7.1. SR 05-11-19981998 Police Computer Needs
Elk River Police Department
SUMMARY: The police department has presented a request to the council for
funding to upgrade the police computer system. This request is based on a need
to make the computer year 2000 ready, allow addition of mobile data computers
to squad cars, and upgrade a system which was installed in 1984 and has
become vastly outdated. The current system is not year 2000 upgradeable and is
actually beyond its current capacity now.
TI:ME LZNE: To define the exact schedule which we would follow requires
defining the stages from start to finish.
ZMMEDTATE:
Upgrade all current computers to Window's 95 speed.
We have "dumb terminals" which will not function on
a local area network as well as older model
computers, which will just need to be upgraded.
This needs to be done so that the server and LAN
bids can be done correctly. The bids will be done by
inviting system engineers to our location to inspect
the personal computers as well as the physical plant
for cable needs. The brand of computer as well as
what it contains as far as sound cards, modems and
other hardware may affect the installation of the LAN.
]:f we wait and buy the computers alter we request
LAN bids we may suffer through hardware conflicts.
City Hall had to remove sound cards and other
hardware due to server/LAN conflicts. We can avoid
this pitfall and expense if we are properly prepared
for the bid process so the. engineers can specify the
design requirements prior to installation. The sooner
we can get the PC's in, the sooner we can start the
bid process.
SECONDARY:
Alter the PC's have arrived, we can contact
companies for requests for bids on the server and
local area network. This could take anywhere from
1 - 2 months, l~f we start by purchasing PC's now and
putting out requests for bids next week, we would not
actually have a network installed until late .luly or the
first of August.
FZNAL:
Once the Network is installed we can contact MaSys
for connection to the county Stratus system. This will
start with the translation of data from our current
system to the new system. It will also convert our old
data over to the new report format and will require
review of data to insure accuracy and need. While
this is taking place employees will be trained on the
new system and will also participate in developing
new report forms, procedures and common methods
for sharing of information between agencies. This
process will take 3 - 4 months.
CONCLUSZON:
If we start the process today, by upgrading current
computers and replacing the five which need to go,
we could be up and running on the new system,
at the earliest, by around the first of November.
Any delays in implementing will bring that date into
late '98 and possibly into 1999. The major concern
there is how long our current system will hold out.
The longer we delay, the greater the possibility of
having to spend money to upgrade memory on
the old system.
Respectfully submitted by:
.leffreyl~, .'LEte,~ h e n
Assistan~Police Chief