1/27/2009 9:40:00 PM Sheriff plans for off-site electronic booking system to be ready by April 1
Les Stukenberg/The Daily Courier
A Yavapai County Sheriff patrol deputy tries out the new remote
booking application at the Prescott station on Tuesday. The new program will shorten the booking process.
PRESCOTT - Yavapai County Sheriff's Office is replacing its deputies' hand-scrawled pre-booking sheets with crisp, clear electronic text - and deputies can file the form electronically from anywhere in the county.
The sheriff's office is field-testing the electronic remote booking system in February, and Sheriff Steve Waugh expects the cyber-system to be operational by April 1.
"We are trying to fast track it to be ready by April 1 when the jail (Prescott Detention Center) closes," Waugh said. Waugh is targeting April 1 so that he can train municipal police departments, such as Prescott and Prescott Valley, on how to use the system before the booking desk and holding cells close along with the jail.
The electronic and remote (off-site) booking system resolves several issues for the sheriff's office and local police departments: it eliminates handwriting mistakes; shortens booking time; and is available to all Yavapai County law enforcement agencies.
"This will take us out of the interpreter role of trying to understand a cop's handwriting or what it is that they are trying to say in their report," jail records manager Carol File said. "Now, the officers can put exactly what they want in the booking sheets and we do not have to try and figure it out."
As long as an arresting officer has access to a computer and a stable Internet connection - 'flicker signals' activate security blocks - he or she can pre-book electronically. With off-site booking, an arresting officer could drive a prisoner to Camp Verde Detention Center and deliver him to detention officers without having to spend time handwriting a pre-booking sheet, File explained.
"For a routine arrest, an officer can enter the information electronically in less than 10 minutes," File said. "It takes about 30 minutes to do it by hand. So the electronic system will save time and manpower."
Officers can make changes and corrections to their electronic report before jail staff enters it into the justice system. Once the booking information is entered in the system, it becomes a permanent part of the arrestee's criminal history.
"We worked with Yavapai County Management Information Systems to develop a web form for the booking sheet," File said. "It is a familiar environment for the cops so the learning curve is very low. The arresting officer can sit at his station, or with a laptop in his car, go to the YCSO website and click on a hyperlink for remote booking."
During the month of March, sheriff's staff is training city and town police departments on how to use the remote booking system.
"Law enforcement on the Prescott side of the mountain are first because they have a greater need to learn it before the jail closes," File said. "After that, we'll go to the Verde Valley agencies."
Digital Solutions Inc., the software company that installed the jail's computerized management system, gave the sheriff's office the remote booking software for free as part of that project, File said.
Electronic booking helps the sheriff's office get in step with the court system, which is steadily moving toward a paperless file system, File said.
"Police can book off-site and transport, and by the time they get to the jail the booking is finished," Waugh said.
Reader Comments
Posted: Friday, January 30, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Hey William, This article is about a free elecronic system for local law enforcement to help with the booking process. I think you clicked on the wrong article. The million you want taken from the construction budget doesn't cover the $2.4 million. Do you have anything to say about this actual article on the electronic booking?
Posted: Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Article comment by:
William Wallace
I think I have finally figured it out. The YCSO and the BOS want some sort of detention complex over on Sundog Ranch RD. They also want to dedicate the Gurley St. Facility to the County Attorney's Office. They are moving forward with that 48 million dollar construction budget, and hoping to get the rest of the money to finish this when they come back for the jail tax. They want to close the jail. They want a new jail over on Sundog Ranch Rd. If they wanted to keep that jail open they could have easily dedicated a million dollars, out of that 48 million dollar construction budget.
Posted: Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Article comment by:
So what!
Ahh, Technology, my daughter, sister and brother-in-law are all left-handed. They also write upside down and backward. It is a practice picked up to compensate for the position of the pen/pencil on the paper and being able to immediately see what you have written (which is what you can do if your right handed). The practice of punishing individuals who were left-handed and forcing them to use their right went out of vogue in the dark ages. It is considered abusive.
Posted: Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Article comment by:
Technology was invented to be used
It's about time they come into the 21st century. Manual etchings and hand delivery went out back when they quit teaching penmanship in schools. Has anyone noticed left handed Obama writes upside down and backward. He too missed penmanship in school. Give that man his Blackberry. Alas, another lost art form!
Posted: Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Article comment by:
They have a HUGE budget
Well, considering Yavapai County's Management Information Systems has one of the largest budgets, its probably a good thing their doing something to help with the numerous problems cropping up with the closing of Prescott's jail.
