TAKING THE COPS MONEY City officials are expected to accept $270,405 in state funding so the Santa Monica Police Department can buy 25 mobile computers from Motorola Inc. The money comes from State Citizens’ Option For Public Safety (COPS) and is provided to local jurisdictions to help finance front-line law enforcement expenses that aren’t in their operating budgets.
The mobile computers are intended to allow the high-speed flow of data to and from police vehicles with no impact upon the operation of the department’s voice radio system. The computers and related systems rely on wireless communications to send and receive information.
Since 2000, 75 mobile computers have been installed in SMPD vehicles, with nearly 50 newer mobile computers having been purchased as replacements to older models. The 25 remaining computers that were purchased in 2000 are still in service, but can’t run the latest software that is used by the SMPD for in-vehicle reporting and in-vehicle video cameras.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 14, 2006. Read the original PDF.