Mobile computers and other technology requested by police chiefs were acquired with COPS MORE funding.^* The productivity gains achieved through technology should allow the redeployment of officers to engage in community policing activities.

By the end of 1998, an estimated 9,100 to 10,900 officers were redeployed, and between 23,800 to 28,500 are projected to be redeployed by 2002. These redeployments are the direct result of productivity gains made possible through the acquisition of technology. But are these gains significant and were grant application projections met? Yes and no.

Productivity Gains

Although COPS-funded technology is benefiting grant recipients, it has yet to meet productivity projections—about 2.4 hours of saved time per officer per shift. At a minimum, productivity gains associated with technology resources should be as cost effective as hiring new officers.

Low productivity gains may have been caused by several factors:

• Delays in technology implementation: Some mobile computers and administrative systems were not fully operational at the time of the evaluation.
• Recent acquisitions: Agencies had only recently acquired some technology such as CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) and telephone systems.
• Type of technology: wireless field reporting,^** mostly likely to save officers the most time, was not implemented or was in its testing phase as of June 1999.

Once all the technology requested has gone through the acquisition, implementation, and testing stages, further increases in productivity should be realized. Whether or not these gains will meet the grant expectations remains to be seen.

Other Benefits

Mobile computers, even without wireless transmission capability, offer many benefits:

• Automated field reporting: More complete, accurate, and real-time information.
• Wireless query and response functions: Improved officer safety because of faster, more secure responses.
• Increased effectiveness: Improved reports leading to higher clearance and conviction rates.

Technology Requested

Most of the benefits reported by agencies are derived from mobile computers, the most popular technology resource purchased by agencies. According to application grants, the types of technology acquired with COPS MORE funds include:

• Mobile computers—the number one choice, with an estimated 60 percent of surveyed agencies implementing them.
• Mangement/administrative computers (23 percent).
• Booking/arraignment technology (10 percent).
• Telephone reporting systems (2 percent).
• Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems (1 percent).
• Geomapping, reverse 911 systems, and other technology (4 percent).

^* Technology acquisition by law enforcement agencies was made possible through Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants, which are intended to place more officers on the street and encourage community policing. But hiring more officers would not be the only approach for changing the level and practice of policing. At the urging of police chiefs, the COPS Making Officer Redeployment Effective (MORE) Program was created to support alternative resources, specifically, acquiring technology and hiring civilians.

^** Researchers note that although the inquiry capabilities of mobile computers produce benefits, they are unlikely to save as much measurable officer time as can wireless field reporting. As of the close of the study, no major police department had achieved departmentwide implementation of wireless field reporting.