Going Mobile to Increase Operational Effectiveness & Improve Situational Awareness: One Agency's Story

The Texas Department of Public Safety is one of the largest state patrols in the country and has an area of responsibility of almost 270,000 square miles. Texas DPS has recently expanded its use of smartphones to include issuance of mobile devices to all officers.

The agency established a Solutions Center to effectively work through bureaucratic constraints and provide space for collaboration that would identify business and operational solutions that would leverage technology as a force multiplier, thus improving public safety, enhancing communication, and increasing situational awareness. This presentation will include a candid sharing of the process, the lessons learned, and the proof-of-concept efforts that are underway to take full advantage of mobile technologies. The presentation will also include discussion of the importance of project management and leveraging the request-for-proposal process to ensure maximal use of the power of mobile. This information is applicable to all public safety agencies, regardless of size.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the expanded capabilities and benefits that can be achieved through a well-planned and comprehensive connected-officer approach that leverages mobile technology.
• Develop awareness of the need for training and the importance of balancing adoption of new technology and processes with the reality of officer expectations and the existing operational environment.
• Recognize the important role that the RFP and procurement process play when building a mobile program. Specifically, the unique aspects of mobile that require vendors to evolve beyond traditional public safety IT approaches.