In Juarez, Mexico, police corruption is a costly problem. To better deal with this challenge, police officials turned to a mobile computing solution that would not only automate many routine police tasks, but also allow supervisors to more effectively monitor the activities of officers on the street. iData Wireless’ award-winning i-Patrol Wireless application suite, which relies on LinksPoint’s GPS application programming interface (API) and GPS receivers for its location capabilities, is now being used to monitor the location of officers on the street.

“When citizens were being detained for traffic violations, police officers would often ask for cash payments in lieu of issuing tickets. iPatrol with LinksPoint’s GPS provides much more effective control over officers in the field as it allows supervisors to know everywhere an officer stops and for how long” noted Alejandro Guzman, Director of Sales of iData Wireless. “Additionally, response times by officers and medical teams to traffic accidents have improved because of the GPS-based coordinated dispatch system.”

LinksPoint’s GPS technology also supports more effective command and control as law enforcement vehicle locations are tracked via GPS. This ensures better coverage of all areas of the city and enables location-based dispatch for police and medical teams responding to emergencies. The solution also provides wireless access to a vehicle information database, a national list of stolen vehicles and a database of unpaid traffic tickets. Officers use portable printers to print the ticket for the current violation and include fees for outstanding violations. The driver has the option of paying on the spot using their credit card or debit card, ensuring timely payment to avoid late fees, eliminating the possibility of fraud, and increasing the collection rate for outstanding tickets.

”This solution shows that GPS’s effect on field operations can go well beyond simply tracking vehicles and assets,” said Strite Potter, LinksPoint’s president. “The inexpensive addition of LinksPoint’s GPS technology to iData’s iPatrol software platform, allows officers to make a much more dramatic impact on the streets each day.

This solution has already resulted in the city recouping 3.5 million dollars in outstanding traffic tickets and recovered 20 stolen vehicles. In addition, 200 warrants have been issued to repeat drunk drivers.

About LinksPoint

LinksPoint is the leading provide of Location Powered Solutions™ that give enterprises unprecedented control over mobile operations. The Company offer solutions for vehicle tracking, navigation and field data collection. LinksPoint's products are used by organizations in distribution, transportation, utilities and government. LinksPoint’s technology provides measurable value to it’s customers in terms of increasing field productivity and decreasing costs. LinksPoint also designs and manufactures specialized GPS receivers for mobile computing devices and rugged handheld computers. For more information visit www.linkspoint.com.

About iData

Wireless iData is an integrator and developer of solutions of mobile computing and wireless data solutions for the Latin American market. The mission of the company is to extend the power of information systems to mobile and remote users to maximize productivity, improve worker performance and increase customer service. iData’s iPatrol solution is the winner of the 2004 Symbol Enterprise Mobility Solutions Award for Latin America. For more information visit www.idataw.com.

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