Systems Development Unit
The mission of the Systems Development Unit (SDU) is to maximize the Department’s operational efficiency through the use of technology and to provide competitive advantage in the process of delivering police services to the City of San Jose. The Unit’s overarching goal is to solve specific business and operational challenges by first listening to our customers and then responding with technical solutions that deliver beneficial and measurable results.
The SDU staff is comprised of 15 IT professionals and police officers combining their expertise to keep San Jose safe.
To assure SDU continues to contribute to the overall mission of the Police Department, we focus on these principles:
- Consistent effort to build and maintain a sustainable and robust technical infrastructure that can provide the highest level of technical activity possible
- Maintain a consistently high level of positive customer feedback in the process of service delivery
- Prioritize, manage and deliver technical projects in the order that has the most impact to overall department goals and to customer expectations
Our technologies decisions are also influenced by Local, State, and Federal policy regarding data security and connectivity standards. We work closely with the City’s Information Technology Department (ITD) on technology standards and alignment of the City’s overall technology strategy with the Police Department’s specific technology goals.
SDU is also responsible for maintaining and servicing thousands of devices utilized everyday to maintain a safe San Jose. This results in hundreds of requests per week from our customers for assistance with hardware, software or other technologies. This constitutes the most reactive part of the unit’s overall work product.
Department Technology at a glance:
As with most commercial operations, the department maintains a large range of standard commercially available components and many other technology components specifically designed for law enforcement. The department maintains a Network Operations Center (NOC) that connects to 23 remote facilities of various sizes with connections to local, state and federal data centers. Operationally the department mirrors a medium-sized commercial business operation. For example, we maintain:
- Over 1,500 desktop computers, printers and other devices
- 450 mobile computers and mobile routers
- Over 35 servers including file servers, data servers and web servers
- 7 separate wired and wireless networks
- 200+ software applications including software for our 911 center, Records management systems and standard desktop applications suite
- Internet applications & Web pages
- Handheld computers, video recorders and voice recorders
Policing Technology and our Technology Foundation
The vast majority of the SDU operation is providing tools that either create higher levels of employee productivity, or enhance or supplement policing activities. These tools include such items as email, internet access, storage, and computer security services. To provide a foundation for this and new police technology goals, we continually upgrade our core infrastructure. As of July 2010, a partial list of projects that help achieve this goal include:
- Campus network wiring upgrade
- Replacement of network switching equipment
- Upgrade of network storage capability
- Replacement of Mobile Data Computers (MDCs)
Providing and developing a solid technology foundation requires SDU to proactively search-out and implement new technologies that enhance the department’s ability to provide core policing services. Here are some examples of recent projects:
- Online Reporting Software – allows residences to create their own police reports online via the internet
- Online traffic accident report download (CHP 555) – Allows residence to download traffic accident reports from their desktops
- Mobile Identification – allows officers to positively ID a suspect in the field by capturing a fingerprint through a handheld device
- Electronic Citations (eCites) – allows officers to produce printable paper citations in the field
- AXON (In-Field Video Cameras) – Pilot–testing (in cooperation with Taser International) a head-mounted video camera that captures exactly what an Officer sees during policing activities
