NSW: New terminals mean more information for cops on the road

AAP General News (Australia)
12-31-2003
NSW: New terminals mean more information for cops on the road

SYDNEY, Dec 31 AAP - NSW police officers will now be able to access the same information
from their cars as they would in the station, following a trial of the latest Mobile Data
Terminals (MDTs).

Minister for Police John Watkins said 45 general duties and highway patrol cars in
the Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle areas would be fitted with the upgraded MDTs.

The old version of the MDT is already in 545 NSW police vehicles, which will all eventually
carry the new terminals.

Mr Watkins said the new MDTs would increase the amount of information available to
police cars by 2,000 per cent and the time taken to access it would decrease from a few
minutes to 12 seconds.

"This new mobile data technology means that our police vehicles are more like mobile
police stations," he said.

"They can do that in 12 seconds."

The new technology would enable police to be warned about high risk offenders while
out on the job, Mr Watkins said.

"It means front line police are safer," he said.

"It also means they are more effective in catching crooks."

Head of Sydney police communications, Superintendent Mick Corboy, said the new MDTs
would also help highway patrol officers check on unlicensed drivers.

"Any police car can get any information about the compliance of your car with any regulation
or rules," he said.

"If you're disqualified, unlicensed driver or whether your car's registered - we'll
be able to find out that information very quickly and very anonymously."

Spt Corboy said he believed the new MDTs would put NSW at the forefront of world policing.

"We think we'll have one of the most up-to-date police fleets in the world," he said.

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KEYWORD: WATKINS MDT

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