One of the biggest priorities for law enforcement leaders is to keep their officers – and the citizens they protect – safe. This requires a mobile platform that ensures the compliance and security of devices, as well as the security of the sensitive data accessed by officers.

We recently connected with several leaders in law enforcement to find out how their agencies are using BlackBerry solutions to help increase productivity, security and collaboration. Here’s what they had to say about their experiences:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Visit www.upgrademyforce.com to learn more about the BlackBerry portfolio of solutions for law enforcement.

Do you work for a law enforcement agency that uses BlackBerry solutions? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below.

When considering emergency services, mobile technology has the capacity to provide great benefit in rapid availability of information, security, communication, and even GPS data for tracking locations. The BlackBerry® platform is well-suited to meet these needs and help to push police services forward into a new era of mobility that is secure, managed, accessible, and reliable.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police is holding their annual conference this year in Nova Scotia, and during the conference global engineering company Intergraph® is showcasing their new BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet app Intergraph Mobile Responder. Mobile Responder gives personnel in the field access to a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, allowing for real-time situational awareness. A CAD system allows for dispatchers to view comprehensive information about where officers are located and what they’re responding to, and allows for much more intuitive and rapid deployment of first responders. The Mobile Responder app provides the capability to initiate queries, view responses, dispatch reports, update unit status, and issue emergency requests.

In addition to the app showcase, a police cruiser will be on-site at the conference including a dash-mounted BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in place of the traditional notebook computer. With mobile hardware integration into police vehicles, apps like Mobile Responder, back-end management, and end-to-end encryption of data, technology is beginning to be utilized as a holistic solution for police forces with positive results.

We’re excited to work with Intergraph and be a part of the transformation of law enforcement technology. Would your work be enhanced by a custom mobile application or access to data in the field? Share in the comments below.

Note: Do not use your PlayBook tablet while driving. Using your tablet while driving could put you and others at greater risk of an accident causing serious injury, death, and property loss. You are responsible for knowing and obeying the laws and regulations regarding the use of wireless devices in the areas where you drive.

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet holds a multitude of advantages in this position, such as freeing up real estate in the car by replacing existing bulky equipment; its ability to be detached and become portable; and the intuitive interface – not to mention Bluetooth® pairing with a keyboard and a tethered BlackBerry® smartphone.

Feature Overview

• The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet includes the full BlackBerry Tablet OS, allowing officers to access core and third-party applications on top of the custom tools tailored to police work. All of the existing BlackBerry PlayBook tablet features are included in the device, such as the popular multi-tasking functionality. BlackBerry PlayBook tablet applications specific to police work include access to databases, communications, task lists, and more.
• The tablet, even while remaining as a portable and detachable device, is hooked right into the mechanical functions of the vehicle. Pressing the right buttons on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s touch screen can toggle the emergency lights, raise the caution sign on top of the vehicle, control sirens, and eventually, video feeds from the car’s cameras. Trust me when I say that it was a “wow” moment when I touched the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet screen and the emergency lights came on!
• A Bluetooth keyboard is equipped below the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. Both of these are mounted onto a swivel that allows each to be positioned in the most convenient way possible for driver, passenger, or both to have access.

How is it connected?

The setup employs the BlackBerry® Bridge™ application to extend a BlackBerry smartphone’s security and data to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. This allows an officer to access information on their smartphone when away from the car, and then to continue where they left off on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet once they return. Bluetooth technology is also leveraged to connect the keyboard to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, as well as to aid in interaction between the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and the technology built into the vehicle.

So what’s the overall benefit?

This BlackBerry solution allows officers to use light, portable, and robust devices to quickly and conveniently interact with the data. The hardware and form factor also frees up a huge amount of space within the vehicle – a priority as the cars become smaller and older, and bulkier equipment becomes obsolete. The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet itself is outside of the airbag zone, improving officer health and safety. Integration of BlackBerry devices into demanding police work, especially considering the rigid security protocols, is a logical step forward.

What’s next?

The additional equipment that interacts with the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, such as a Bluetooth-connected printer and a barcode scanner that would improve the process of issuing tickets and scanning licenses was planned by Mobile Innovations, and brings even more tangible on-the-ground technology to the BlackBerry solution. This technology is currently being tested in Canada with interest in integrating secure BlackBerry solutions and products into law enforcement.