MURRAY — Utah Highway Patrol officers on motorcycles got a technology boost Wednesday. The UHP's 22 Harley-Davidsons are now outfitted with the same kind of computer systems available in patrol cars.
Motor officers have traditionally continued to use handwritten systems — whether for writing traffic tickets or incident reports — but with some research and some creative thinking, UHP designed its own system for carrying a computer and a portable printer. The equipment sits in a suitcase-like box behind the officer's seat and the roughly 12-by-12-inch computer is affixed to a movable arm that pops up and swivels.
The new equipment has several advantages, said UHP Capt. Robert Anderson, who was on the team of officers who designed the technology package.
"Number one is officer safety," said Anderson, adding that with global position system information, dispatch will be able to track the exact location of a motor officer while they are in the field. GPS will also allow for accurate tracking of locations and speeds during a high-speed chase.
Secondly, computerized ticket and report writing will streamline and speed up duties for troopers and allow them to get background information and data they need on a motorist in an instant. And finally, Anderson said the computerized data will provide better statistical information for the Department of Public Safety, which will help officers identify traffic problem areas.
UHP used $32,000 in grant funds to buy the equipment, and the swivel arms were built from scratch with surplus patrol car materials from patrol cars that were cut down, reconfigured and soldered by troopers themselves, Capt. Robert Anderson said.
After checking around the nation, he believes UHP is the only police agency to have such equipment, although other departments do use handheld palm-sized devices to do similar data entry.
"We believe we're one of the first in the nation to have this type of technology actually on the bike," UHP Lt. Steve Meyer said.
Of the 22 motorcycles in the DPS fleet, 10 are assigned to Salt Lake County, and four each in Davis, Utah and Weber counties. Weather providing, motorcycles patrol Utah roadways about eight months of the year, Anderson said. All have either been outfitted or are in the process of getting the new equipment.
E-mail: jdobner@desnews.com