Local police department improves records management system

July 30, 2013

In the past, members of Springfield, Illinois’ police department had to complete a handwritten report on an individual, drop it off at headquarters and pass it on to the records office for them to complete a two-part data process that includes scanning and typing the information, according to the State Journal-Register. This is the system that officers have to do for every single report. This dated and inefficient police record management system will be gone by 2014. City council members have allocated $300,000 toward the police department’s technology budget to allow them to change their current systems. This includes replacing 50 of their oldest computers and upgrades toward their server and dispatch center. “We want to be paperless because we understand it will make our job easier and make us more efficient,” Police Chief Robert Williams told the Journal-Register. “You don’t want to do it so quickly you create other problems.” Officer Roberts’ point changing their database management services is an issue that many businesses go through. Organizations cannot throw out their traditional, paper records overnight or expect all staff members to thoroughly understand their online system. It starts with a large scan of paperwork that is still on paper and installing a new records management system for police departments. Springfield is one of the last police departments in Illinois that still records their accounts on hand whereas Decatur, Bloomington and other departments are able to electronically complete their paperwork from their cars. Tab Service Company is a Chicago based company with over 53 years of experience as a data processing service provider.  We provide business with outsourcing solutions for document scanning services, data entry services and mailing/lettershop services.  As a SOC2-approved organization, we apply industry-best practices to our approach with clients.