LA County Sheriff's Department
Sheriff’s Department believes in cutting-edge technology to help his deputies do their jobs. That’s why it’s no surprise that in this increasingly digital age, the largest sheriff’s department in the world is in the vanguard of implementing advanced digital communications in a law enforcement agency.
The Challenge
Open, timely communications is critical in law enforcement—no small task for a department with a large, mobile workforce that serves over 10 million residents within a 4,752 square-mile area. But conventional thinking and standard technologies simply were not sufficient to provide the networking coverage and performance the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department needed to communicate with its diverse staff of 18,000 deputies and professional personnel.
For example, the department’s correctional division had been using a system that was limited to a single subnet that could not accommodate multiple facilities. Other issues included a server that required users to remain logged in at all times and a limited structure that could only display certain file types. Meanwhile, headquarters and the substations were in search of a whole new approach that could provide a flexible vehicle for internal communications, digital signage, and on-demand training.
The Solution
It was clear that the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department needed an all-in-one solution that could serve a large number of users in many locations for multiple purposes. The department turned to Hughes for a comprehensive broadband communications system—one of the first of its kind to be deployed by a law enforcement agency in the U.S. The department selected the Hughes system for its unique combination of digital signage, on-demand training, and internal communications in an affordable, all-in-one package. When fully deployed, the system will include video screens in high-traffic areas at 23 stations and 10 correctional facilities.
Today, the Correctional Services Division is employing the system’s digital signage in its processing center to orient new inmates, ensuring that they are informed of jail rules, the availability of medical and mental health services, and relevant contact information concerning matters such as defense and bail.
“The Hughes system assists us in maintaining compliance with state regulations by displaying the length of time each inmate is in the processing center,” said Sergeant Scott Ponder, Correctional Innovative Technology Unit.
The system also assists the correctional division in maintaining compliance by displaying information regarding how long inmates are in the intake processes. These charts help employees move the inmates through the process in a timely manner, making sure that no inmate is left in the process too long. Looking forward, the department plans to extend the digital signage to inmate housing areas for both information and entertainment.
Digital Newspaper and On-Demand Training
But the value of the Hughes system doesn’t stop there. The department is also in the process of installing the Hughes broadband communications system in multiple substations for internal communications, on-demand training, and digital signage.
As a “digital newspaper,” the system keeps personnel informed and make this vast organization feel smaller and more intimate, publishing departmentwide news, messages from the Sheriff, and announcements about events like fundraisers or a downed officer’s memorial ride. Much more than a social tool, the system provides critical information that helps officers do their jobs, such as crime bulletins, information about suspects, and push-pin maps targeting areas where crimes may have been committed. In addition to delivering departmentwide content, local command staff at each station are able to publish content that directly relates to that station or locale.
The system’s on-demand training capability enables the department to provide training whenever it’s needed on a variety of topics, such as how to escort an inmate, or guidelines on conducting a high-speed pursuit. Eliminating the scheduling problems associated with classroom training, on-demand training also enables the department to track employee compliance with taking mandatory courses.
“We know that we’re just scratching the surface in leveraging this powerful system,” said Sergeant Rich Pena, Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau. “Part of the beauty of the Hughes system is its ease of use and multipurpose capabilities, which we plan to exploit in many other ways such as integrating our learning management system (LMS) and adding videoconferencing.”
According to Sergeant Steve Strange, Administrative Services Division, “We needed a way to efficiently communicate key messages to our staff. What we got was a state-of-the-art system that does that and much more—conveying command information instantly, providing training that’s convenient for a staff constantly on the move, and serving as a digital message board to share our department philosophy as well as news and announcements.”
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