Law Enforcement IT: Challenges, Pitfalls and Lessons Learned Kelly J. Harris, SEARCH (www.search.org)

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Law Enforcement ITChallenges, Pitfalls and
Lessons LearnedKelly J. Harris, SEARCH
(www.search.org)

• Community Policing Keeps America Safe
• National Community Policing Conference
• July 17, 2002

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SEARCH

• Private, non profit, funded by U.S. Department of
  Justice
• Improving the administration of justice through
  the effective use of information and
  identification technologies
• Not a vendor
• Strategic planning and IT implementation
• Primary focus technical assistance and training
  to justice agencies

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Todays Agenda

• Law enforcement IT has been experiencing massive
  growth in last several years, now more than ever
  due to homeland security and anti-terrorism
  initiatives
• Define law enforcement IT
• Talk about how it should work
• Identify the pitfalls to successful
  implementation
• Talk about success factors
• Coming soon! COPS Resources

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Law Enforcement Information Technology (IT)

• Information System
• A purposefully designed system that brings data,
  computers, procedures and people together in
  order to manage the information that is important
  to an organizations mission.

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Technology Definitions

• What they say
• If awarded, the grant will fund a new CAD and
  RMS system that will allow the department to
  migrate from existing MDT technology to MDCs in
  order to provide AFR capabilities. Additionally,
  we envision that new system will provide
  interfaces with the Countys JMS, AFIS and IJIS.

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Technology Definitions

• CAD Computer-Aided Dispatch
• RMS Records Management System
• MDC Mobile Data Computer
• MDT Mobile Data Terminal
• AFR Automated Field Reporting
• JMS Jail Management System
• AFIS Automated Fingerprint Identification System
• IJIS Integrated Justice Information Systems

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So What?

• Why are we talking about this, writing books,
  training, providing technical assistance?
• True or False
• Information technology implementation is as
  simple as purchasing an off-the-shelf product,
  plugging it in, conducting some training and its
  ready to go live

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What We Hear

• The system we bought doesnt
• Work!
• Do what we want it to do
• Integrate with other systems in the agency
• The sheriffs/officers/dispatchers hate the new
  system
• Weve been planning for more than a year and are
  no where near purchasing a system
• The vendor _______ us
• Didnt deliver a system
• Didnt meet their promises
• We paid them, but we still dont have a system
• Our chief/sheriff didnt support the project
• We missed important deadlines
• We cant capture timesavings and show
  redeployment

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Despite It All

• Information is mission critical!
• And technology makes information accessible,
  timely, can improve data quality and make
  important linkages between data elements (people,
  places, vehicles, locations, etc.)

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Information Technology Why Its Important to
COP

• Officers and dispatchers more efficient and
  effective in decisionmaking
• Command staff better informed to enhance crime
  prevention and response strategies
• Detectives better equipped to investigate crimes
  and accidents resulting in better case solving
  rates
• Patrol officers can stay in the community
• Public more informed through officers and web
  sites
• Change in policing from reactive to proactive

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How Information Technology Facilitates Business
of Justice

• A look at how the information and the technology
  supports incident response (looking in particular
  at CAD, RMS and Mobile Data Computing)

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How it WorksIt all starts with a crime
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The witness dials 911
Bank Robbery! 466 Main Street
Calltaker Enters Info into CAD
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The call is dispatched
CAD Display
GIS Display
BANK ROBBERY IN PROGRESS 466 MAIN
STREET RECOMMENDED RESPONSE 2 UNITS IN AREA
DISPATCH?
Calltaker Enters Info into CAD
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From CAD to MDC to RMS
RMS Receives CAD and MDC data and Stores It
CALL DATA ADDRESS TIMES RESPONSE
REPORT INFO
FINAL APPROVED REPORT STORED
CAD sends call data to MDCs and RMS
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Integrated Justice Information Systems
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Law Enforcement
LOCAL
COURTS
PROBATION
STATE
PAROLE
FEDERAL
PARENT ORGANIZATION
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So What?

• Technology planning and implementation is
  difficult!
• Requires in-depth understanding of
• Agency business processes
• User needs
• Legal requirements
• Procedural issues
• Technology
• Aligning each of these!

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IT Is A Strategic Issue

• Multiple budget cycles to build
• Multiple funding streams that must be leveraged
• In regional and/or integrated justice efforts
  that involve multiple agencies and different
  disciplines
• Independent agencies
• Separate branches of government
• Independent systems for collecting and
  maintaining data

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Case Studies

• Agency A
• Bought the farm, needed a barn
• Agency B
• Technology overkill
• Agency C
• We will gladly pay you today, for a CAD/RMS
  tomorrow

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Is it Just A Law Enforcement Problem? NO!

• The Standish Group surveyed hundreds of public
  and private organizations (of various sizes)
  regarding information technology initiatives
• Purpose
• Document success/failure rates
• Determine best practices
• Identify critical success factors

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Standish Group Findings
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Top Ten Critical Success Factors

• User involvement
• Executive management support
• Clear statement of requirements
• Proper planning
• Realistic expectations
• Interim project milestones
• Competent staff
• Ownership
• Clear vision and objectives
• Hard-working, focused staff

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The 10 Elements of Strategic Planning

1. Governance
2. Human Resources
3. Scope
4. Time
5. Cost
6. Quality
7. Communications
8. Risk
9. Procurement
10. Integration

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Pitfalls and the Top Ten List

• Common pitfalls we see in law enforcement
  technology procurements
• How they relate to the top ten
• How you can avoid them

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Pitfall 1 Failure to Establish a Governance
Structure

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Establish a formal governance structure
• Employ a steering committee with executive
  participation
• Create and use subgroups
• Hire or assign a dedicated project manager

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Sample Governance Structure
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Pitfall 2 Failure to Assess Human Resources

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Executive management support
• User involvement
• Invested and competent staff
• Hard-working, focused staff

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Pitfall 3 Failure to Define Parameters of the
Project

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Analyze needs
• Set realistic, achievable expectations
• Define scope with project team and vendor
• Develop/execute change management process

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Pitfall 4 Not Setting Realistic Timeframes

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Prepare a realistic timeline
• Identify resources within a Gantt chart
• Identify measurable interim milestones
• Develop/execute change management process

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Pitfall 5 Failure to Prepare an Accurate and
Realistic Budget

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Prepare one-time/recurring cost estimates
• Budget for all project-related costs
• Develop and utilize detailed payment plans
• Develop cost controls

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Pitfall 6 Failure to Understand and Develop
Acceptance Testing

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Clearly define requirements
• Identify minimum acceptance criteria
• Develop and execute acceptance test plan(s)

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Pitfall 7 Failure to Communicate at All
Project Levels

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Develop/utilize/update a communications plan
• Include users in communicating project status
• Analyze your performance
• Regularly communicate with the project team
• Develop a project website

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Pitfall 8 Failure to Conduct Risk Management

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Identify potential project risks
• Include contingency funds into project budget
• Develop a risk management plan

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Pitfall 9 Failure to Use Procurement Best
Practices

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Develop a detailed RFP
• functional specifications
• Conduct comprehensive selection process
• Conduct detailed contract negotiations
• Develop/maintain vendor action item list

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Pitfall 10 Failure to Integrate Where
Appropriate

• 10 Key
• Strategic Planning
• Components
• Governance
• Human Resources
• Scope
• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Communications
• Risk
• Procurement
• Integration

• For success you must
• Consider other IT efforts, and your ability to
  share data
• within the agency and
• with external agencies

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Process, Not a Project
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Symptom Root Problem(s)
The system we bought doesnt Work Do what we want it to do Integrate with other systems Lack of, or Insufficient Strategic/Project Planning
The officers/dispatcher hate the new system Lack of User Involvement in System Planning Procurement
Weve been planning for more than a year and are nowhere near purchasing a system Lack of Strong Project Management
The vendor ______ us Didnt deliver a system Didnt meet their promises We paid them, but still dont have system Lack of, or Insufficient Planning Lack of, or Insufficient Research on Vendor Product Poor RFP Design Lack of Contract Negotiation Skills (esp. for IT)
Our Chief Didnt Support the Project Failure to garner Executive Sponsorship from the Projects Initiation
We Missed Important Deadlines Poor Project Planning Lack of Strong Project Management
Cant capture timesavings and show redeployment Failure to Plan for Redeployment Failure to Take Advantage of COPS Office Resources
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Resources

• 2002 COPS TA Conference Series
• Law Enforcement Information Technology Planning,
  Purchasing and Managing Your Technology
  Initiative
• www.search.org/conferences/2002COPS
• Law Enforcement Tech Guide How to Plan, Buy and
  Use IT Successfully!
• Technical Assistance
• Video

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2002 COPS TA Conferences

• Conference Features
• How-to, training-oriented, complete with
  take-home tools
• Information Technology and COP
• Technology Challenges
• Strategic Planning Strategies
• Best Practices in Procurement and Contract
  Negotiations

• Performance Measures and Benchmarking
• Implementation Advice
• Peer Networking
• Keynote Sessions
• Technology Breakouts
• Redeployment and Timesavings
• Lessons Learned
• Video

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Law Enforcement Tech Guide

• Published by COPS
• For administrators, project managers, line level
  and technical staff
• First and only Guide of its kind that melds
  industry-wide best practices in planning,
  purchasing and implementation, uniquely tailored
  to the needs of law enforcement agencies
• Based on Dummies Guides
• Replete with tools, tips, checklists, how-tos and
  real-life examples.
• Due in 2 months!

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Law Enforcement ITChallenges, Pitfalls and
Lessons LearnedKelly J. Harris, SEARCH
(www.search.org)

• Community Policing Keeps America Safe
• National Community Policing Conference
• July 17, 2002