South Brunswick police to get computer system boost

BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - The Township Council passed an ordinance that appropriates $700,000 to upgrade the police department's dated computer system.

First discussed between Chief Raymond Hayducka and the council at the Jan. 9 meeting, the ordinance will enact a department-wide overhaul of its computer systems, both in the station itself and in the squad cars. The police currently use a system called CPLIMS, and have done so for about 20 years. The ordinance will upgrade the department's computers with the newer Enforsys system.

Capt. Patrick Owens, who will oversee the upgrade, said that support for the current system will soon run out, which means that the department will lose the ability to install key upgrades and will no longer have access to technical support. This, in addition to the general opinion that an upgrade to a more modern system is needed, led the police to push for a more advanced system.

The Enforsys system was selected among several other possible software choices for several reasons. First, Enforsys has been generally recognized to be one of the best available to law enforcement today. Second, the company that makes it is based out of New Jersey and thus support for the system will be more accessible.

Third, it is what's being used by many different police departments around the state, as well as by the Middlesex County Sheriff's Department, which will allow South Brunswick police to coordinate efforts more efficiently, since their software will be standardized. This third reason is a part of an overall push by the Department of Homeland Security to improve coordination and communication between different emergency response agencies, so as to be able to rapidly respond to a terrorist attack.

The upgrade, which would be estimated to take about a year, would cost $678,590. This is the combined cost for the software itself, the licensing from Microsoft, the new servers needed to handle the system, 44 mobile computers compatible with the system, 44 modems, phone service for the computers under the EUDO system and a 10 percent included buffer.

According to Owens, the department has secured $37,000 in grants to help defray costs and is currently pursuing two more worth $100,000 each. A third, worth $112,000, was recently applied for through the state's Enhanced 911 program.

Now that the ordinance has passed, everyone in the department, from police to civilian employees, will need to be trained in the use of the new system, which Enforsys will provide for free. According to Owens, there will be a three- to four-month period where the department will be running the old and new systems simultaneously as the transition is made. Owens is confident that the new system will be worth the cost.

"I think it's terrific that the township is supporting this. It's really going to enhance the performance and quality of our internal systems as well as our officers on patrol," said Owens.