KING COUNTY (WA) - ANALYSIS OF A COMPUTER-ASSISTED DISPATCH SYSTEM FOR KING COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

• NCJ Number: 25137
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 19 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Washington State
• Corporate Author: King Cty Law and Justice Planning Office
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED, COSTS, JUSTIFICATIONS, AND BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSAL FOR AN AUTOMATED COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHING AND DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM.

Abstract

THE CURRENT MANUALLY OPERATED DISPATCHING SYSTEM IS FIRST DESCRIBED. COST FACTORS OF THE PROPOSED SYSTEM ARE THEN REVIEWED, AND THE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT ARE EVALUATED. THE AUTHOR STATES THAT THE TIME-SAVINGS IN THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER TO WHICH THE GRANT SPEAKS ARE MARGINAL WHEN VIEWED IN THE CONTEXT OF OTHER LESS COSTLY MANAGEMENT OPTIONS SUCH AS THE INSTALLATION OF CONVEYOR BELTS FOR DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION. FURTHER, THE ARGUMENT THAT THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM IS NECESSARY FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EMERGENCY 911 TELEPHONE SYSTEM IS DISCOUNTED, SINCE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 911 SYSTEM IS NOT CERTAIN. THE LOSS OF INCOMING CALLS EXPERIENCED WITH A MANUAL SYSTEM IS ALSO SEEN TO BE AN INSUFFICIENT CONSIDERATION FOR IMPLEMENTING COMPUTER ASSISTED DISPATCHING. THE AUTHOR RECOMMENDS THAT THE PROPOSED COMPUTER-ASSISTED DISPATCH SYSTEM NOT BE IMPLEMENTED, AND THAT ALTERNATIVE MEANS FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE MANUAL SYSTEM BE ADOPTED.