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Criminal Division - Mobile Data Computer (MDC) System

The system includes ruggedized toughbook touchscreen laptops, a spill resistant backlit rubber keyboard, installed in all marked patrol units.  They are also in patrol boats, the mobile command center and dive van.  The connection between the patrol unit's computer and the sheriff's office computer network is achieved by using a vechile computer model (photo left).capable of transmitting data by cellular signal at up to 1 mb per second dependig on the area in the county in which the car is located.  

In addition, the system contains a computer server network capable of user expansion.  This server allows other municipall police agencies in Ulster county to "plug in" to the Sheriff's MDC system at a substantially lower cost. Currently these police departments are connected to the Sheriff's system: Village of Ellenville, Town of Shawangunk, Town of Lloyd, Town of New Paltz, Town of Plattekill, Town of Rosendale, Town of Ulster Town of Olive, Town of Saugerties, Town of Shandaken, Ulster County  Probation, Ulster County Social Services, and New York State Police.  The Ulster County 911 Center is also connected to talk with all the police cars.  Additionally the Kingston Police are connected also from their system to the County and also outside the county, agencies are connected for a fee.

By providing wireless computers in Sheriff's Patrol Units, the following goals are accomplished:

• Deputies are provided Rapid Access to critical information (NCIC/DCJS);
• Deputy safety is increased (with immediate field access to databases)
• Effectiveness and productivity is increased;
• Deputies are able to make better and informed decisions in the field;
• The workload of the Communications deputy is decreased;
• Silent and secure communications among mobiles is enabled.

Advantages of the Mobile Data System include:

• A system that can not be monitored by a scanner;
• Can prioritize messaging based on urgency
• Automatically notifies other logged-on laptops of emergencies.
• Provides a method of “next-shift” briefing of critical information;

• DMV files including Registration, Licenses, (In & Out of State);
• DCJS Database of Wanted/Missing persons, Articles, Guns and Vehicles;
• FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) 2000 Database;
• Sheriff's accredited Rules and Procedures Manual;
• NYS Laws (searchable) including Penal, CPL, Family, and V &T Laws;
• Law enforcement forms including legal court forms;
• Sheriff's Police Records Management system., jail records, agency photos of jail inmates and arrested persons.
• Other police agency police records, to see how many previous incidents were at a specific location so the deputy is prepared before going to a scene.
• AVL system to monitor vechile location of all other police agencies on the system for officer safety.
• TraCS (Traffic and Criminal Software) system for electronic traffic summons, accident reports and criminal complains/appearance tickets.  All forms complete on the system is wirelessly downloaded to the servers and transmitted to the courts.