NCJ Number
224513
Journal
Law and Order: The Magazine for Police Management Volume: 56 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 93-101
Date Published
August 2008
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article provides technical information on the hardware features of police mobile workstations (MWS), so as to give law enforcement agencies guidelines for MWS purchasing decisions.
Abstract
Before deciding on the purchase of MWS for police patrol, an agency should create a project team composed primarily of operational front-line users. This team should review current business processes, determine what the agency needs, and research and test various solutions before making a final decision on a purchase. All MWS hardware applications can be broken down into the following subcategories: consumer grade, “semi-ruggedized,” and “ruggedized.” An important factor to consider is that a consumer-grade laptop becomes a projectile when a deployed airbag rips the screen off and sends it flying. Ruggedized notebooks, on the other hand, have survived many documented vehicle crashes. Also, in the mobile environment, vibrations, temperature, moisture, or dust can destroy computers, especially hard drives. Most manufacturers of MWS have gravitated to a variation of a standards scheme developed by the U.S. military. The MIL-STD-810F standards specify a variety of environmental tests that manufacturers can use to prove that equipment will survive in the field. The military expects its suppliers of rugged computing equipment to ensure or guarantee adherence to the standards. Although manufacturers may claim partial or near compliance with a particular MIL-STD-810F testing standard, it is critical that claims be tested and proven before a purchase is made. By purchasing a ruggedized MWS to tested military specifications, an agency is buying a purpose-built tool designed to perform under conditions where the hardware must operate under adverse conditions in order to ensure reliable access to information critical for safe and effective law enforcement functions. Other considerations discussed are removable laptops, keyboard features, heat dissipation, in-vehicle printers, docking systems, antennas, and wireless configuration.