New technology is expected to significantly improve public safety response among agencies across Weld County.
For more than two years, the Weld County Department of Information Technology, Public Safety Communications, the Weld County Sheriff's Office and 42 first responder agencies countywide have collaborated to implement CentralSquare, according to a county news release.
The technology, which went live on Nov. 1, features a new computer-aided dispatch system, along with record management and booking software. CentralSquare's enhancement of workflow and communication between Weld's public safety departments and first responder agencies will also help enhance the quality of services for the public, the release said.
Commissioner Mike Freeman, a coordinator of the county IT Department, believes the investment will benefit residents while making dispatchers' and first responders' jobs easier.
"The fact so many entities came together to make this transition smooth speaks to the commitment agencies across this county have for serving residents in the best way possible," Freeman said in the release.
Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams seconded Freeman's remarks about the efficient technology, which allows first responders to focus more on public safety.
"CentralSquare provides a universal electronic platform for law enforcement agencies throughout Weld County to share data in a more efficient manner," he said."Being able to share data helps all first responders be more focused on providing public safety services that benefit the community."
The new platform also includes features that will increase efficiencies and processing times — a direct benefit to the public, according to Tina Powell, director of the Weld County Department of Public Safety Communications.
"There are a lot of features that benefit dispatchers and first responders, but that will also have a positive impact on the public, because it will enable us to deliver services more quickly and have greater communication with people calling 911 and emergency personnel," Powell said.
One benefit is the ability to offer multiple tools when a person cannot relay an address, including a caller location query capability. This tool enables dispatchers to send a link to someone's cellphone, which will then verify their address.
The capability that verifies location is especially helpful to children who may not know their address or to those who have difficulty remembering in a stressful emergency, Powell said.
Another addition is integrating RapidSOS, a feature that pinpoints a caller's location using their device's location, the release said. When available, the feature gives a more accurate location compared to other location services.
Location services, along with features that provide the quickest route to emergency responders based on real-time traffic flow, will enable dispatchers to deliver service in more ways than ever before, according to the release.
CentralSquare can also impact the Weld County Jail and Justice Services Department in relation to booking and records management. The new software had already shown enhancements to the workflow, which are expected to continue as staff becomes more familiar with the tools, according to Justice Services Director Doug Erler.
"Our department was able to contribute to certain design aspects of the Jail Management System component of this new application," Erler said. "Among many benefits, we are now better able to capture data that was previously gathered through various spreadsheets. We are excited to see this new software elevate our operations."
The Weld County Department of Information Technology, an integral agency in the installation of CentralSquare, provided training and ensured the software's functionality, security and usability. The department spent more than 13,000 hours on the project.
"Our previous system had been in place for 10 years and the county had outgrown its functionality," Weld County Chief Information Officer Ryan Rose said. "CentralSquare technologies is a market leader in Public Safety systems, and its implementation shows the county's continued commitment to consistently find the best ways possible to serve the public."
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