NJ Police Department Leads State in Implementation

Tallahassee, FL – (February 10, 2003) – The Datamaxx Group (Datamaxx), with corporate headquarters in Tallahassee, FL and Vision Information Technology Corporation (VITC), based in Teterboro, NJ announced today that the Haledon, New Jersey Police Department (HPD) recently became a model for law enforcement communications in the state of New Jersey with the first installation of a high tech Field Operations Automation system. The MDC 2020® Data Computer Client Software (designed by Datamaxx) was installed by VITC in all of the HPDs patrol cars, enhancing officer safety, saving officers time by providing them with a direct connection to critical data within seconds, and allowing them to network with the HPDs records management systems (RMS) from their vehicle.

This state-of-the-art system is a major time and cost saving improvement for our patrol officers, and benefits the citizens we serve. In a time of increased national security, it is imperative that law enforcement has immediate access to as much critical data as possible", Haledon Police Department Chief Harold Engold commented. Our officers now have instant access to state, national and federal databases, from their vehicle. This enhanced system provides our officers with comprehensive, real-time information about a range of offenses, including moving or parking citations, stolen vehicles, suspended drivers licenses or pending criminal cases without the delay of routing these inquiries through a dispatcher. This also frees up the dispatcher from processing requests for information from multiple officers at the same time, allowing the dispatcher to handle more emergency calls from citizens. By directly accessing the source, officers increase accuracy while gathering critical data in less time, resulting in more time being spent on actively protecting citizens," said Engold.

The Haledon Police Department reported that during the first week the system was installed, an officer ran the plates on a suspicious vehicle and discovered the vehicle was reported stolen, the suspect and vehicle were apprehended. The specially designed Datamaxx and VITC program also connects with in-house records management systems, enabling officers to file reports immediately from their vehicle laptop. According to HPD Detective Donald De Virgilio, While the officers were somewhat skeptical at first, as soon as they saw how quickly and easily they could file a report and have it print out at the station without leaving their post, they wholeheartedly welcomed the improvement. Now they are raving about how much time they save and how quickly they can search all of the databases, we have the same capabilities as the NYPD. As an officer on the street, it is a relief to be able to check someone out before you approach the car so you know if you are about to enter a dangerous situation. This technology is tremendously valuable to agencies of all sizes and the installation and training went incredibly smoothly."

According to Kay Stephenson, president and CEO of Datamaxx, the Haledon PD system was deployed on Panasonic Toughbook notebook computers and communicates over a CDPD wireless network. The system provides instant access to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS), the New Jersey Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the Missing Children Clearinghouse and various other databases. We are excited about our partnership with VITC and the first installation in New Jersey. Datamaxx has a successful, long-standing relationship with the NYPD, and we are excited to see the Haledon Police Department and community benefit from this technology. We can configure systems to meet the needs of any size agency in any location. Enhancing officer and public safety by improving communications for all law enforcement officers is the foundation of our company."

Jon Miller, vice president of sales for VITC, also commends the creative funding implemented by the Haledon Police Department to procure this technology. Chief Engold and Detective De Virgilio are committed to increasing the effectiveness of the departments officers, and enhancing their safety with this technology, while being fiscally responsible. They researched and applied for a COPS More federal technology grant, which covered 75% of the cost. Mayor Kenneth Pengitore is pleased with the result of the Departments efforts – taxpayers benefit through increased patrol coverage by man-hours saved at a minimal investment. Before this system was implemented, an average domestic violence call would require the officer to return to the station to file a report, being unavailable for over an hour. Now, that officer can pull over on the street and file a report from their vehicle, and still be available for another call."

Datamaxx and VITC will be joined by the HPD to demonstrate the system at the 17th Annual Police Security Expo to be held in Atlantic City, NJ June 24 – 25.    

Knowledge about criminals and their operations multiplies by the minute and ready access to that information increases the chances of solving and preventing crimes. With experience that dates back to 1981, Datamaxx has established a solid and enviable reputation in law enforcement circles. Datamaxx was first to develop technology that allows agencies to exchange criminal mug shots via personal computer - a concept that also enables instant transmission of fingerprints. The company was also the first with data encryption across law enforcement networks and first with PC-based software.

Headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, Datamaxx is a recognized leader in supplying state-of-the-art law enforcement desktop workstations, mobile workstations, handheld devices and application software to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies throughout the nation. Datamaxx serves more than 70 percent of the law enforcement communications market in North America, including 15 federal agencies and state and local customers. With employees in eight states, the privately held, Florida-certified and woman-owned minority enterprise serves over 500,000 end users in 37 states, Canada and Guam, including every law enforcement agency in the State of Florida. In addition to Florida, the companys statewide contracts include Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, West Virginia and others. Federal agencies it serves include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Vision Information Technology Corporation (VITC) was established in 2000 as a collaborative effort between DMA Data Industries and Sunnytech, Inc. with the goal in mind, to service the data and network needs of municipal government customers effectively and as cost efficiently as possible without sacrificing the quality and performance that they required. VITC maintains Expertise in software development that comes from the extensive background of DMA Data Industries. Technical abilities have been developed with over 27 years of extensive combined experience. VITC takes pride in the practice of setting the highest standards of quality and commitment in order to satisfy customers and maintain positive relationships in all their efforts. Vision Information Technology Corporation, (VITC) is now expanding their offerings to Municipal and county customers with software solutions provided by Datamaxx. VITC is currently the first Value Added Reseller authorized to work with the Tallahassee, Florida based software provider in the state of New Jersey.

Vision Information Technology Corp. is a privately owned corporation established in New Jersey in 2000. For more information visit: http://www.visitcorp.com

Datamaxx Applied Technologies, Inc., is a privately owned corporation established in Florida in 1991.For more information visit: http://www.datamaxx.com

EDITORS NOTE: To schedule an interview and demonstration of the Datamaxx Mobile Computer System please contact Detective Donald De Virgilio (pronounced De Vir-jil-io) by calling the Haledon Police Department at 973.790.4444. Please ask the Dispatcher to page Det. De Virgilio if he is not in the station. To interview a representative of Datamaxx, please contact Gail Stansberry-Ziffer in Tallahassee, FL at 850.668.0010.