Cad

[Noodle]

I was just curious as to how many departments still used run cards, or are all of your departments updated to CAD systems already. Also, if any of you remember the shift, what was the most difficult problems that the dispatchers encountered?

[MrJim911]

I started dispatching in 98 and my agency has had CAD since about 92 so I've never had to use cards on a regular basis. However in training we are taught how to use them in case of a massive computer/power failure. I think in the last 4 years I've used cards a total of 3 times and never more than an hour. Our CAD is currently HTE CAD IV. We'll be migrating to HTE CAD V in the next 90 days because they stop suporting CAD IV and CAD V is windows based. We look forward to the switchover. And what do you mean by your last question? What shift gives the most problems for the dispatchers working the CAD? I would say none of them. We've had the system for a decade and all the bugs have been worked out. The CAD does what it's supposed to do every shift. If your referring to cards we advise all units that the CAD is down and they know to keep all traffic to a minimum. (And if they don't we might have to hurt them) ;) We are too busy to do everything on cards so it's a serious concern when we need to use them. Having a CAD increases a centers speed, efficiency and capabilities enormously.

[Noodle]

Thanks for the reply. I am sorry about the confusion with my question. I ment, what was the most difficult problems that the dispatchers experienced when they shifted from the run cards to CAD perminatly. The first time. My department does not have CAD yet but rumer has it that we will with in 90 days. I was just trying to get a little more input. Any and all is welcome. Thanks.

[MrJim911]

Ahhh...Personally I wasn't there when the change happened but I've asked and the people that were there then said at first it was hard. Because the change is a complete 180. Your going from pen and paer to strictly computer. But once they got used to it they realized how much better it was. That's great your agency is getting a CAD system!! You'll like it, I promise! Congrats!!

[Lupey]

We have the cad ever since I have been there. In the process of updating to some new hi tech one that I don't know the name of it though. We still have the card incase our system goes down. I enjoy the cards much better. It is alot easier all around.

[Mtcat]

Lupey,

We went to CAD at the S.O I was at about 6yrs ago. I love it, although I think there are better programs out there than the one they chose. ( Swift Justice) I just got hired on with Montana Highway patrol and they are still paper and pencil. You could say a move up with a little step back. Heard they will be going to a CAD system in the future.

[Lupey]

My dept is for the most part having this cad system built to its needs. They started with an off the self one and from what I hear by the time they were finished taking things out, the only thing left was the computer equipment. They want every little aspect geared towards my dept and are going over everything with a fine toothed comb. Cant say as I blame them though.

[Duckie911]

We have a CAD system and have swiched to the HTE sys. in October, which I must say IS NOT dispatcher friendly at all. Our last CAD was slow and needed to be updated but this "new and improved" rotten thing we are using is more for the "white shirts" that do reports then for making things easier and quicker for dispatch and my officers. :mad:

[tuesjinx911]

The center I am with went live with CAD April of last year. They had been using JDC cards ever since the 70's when the center started. I think it was more difficult for those who had been around for a while and those who do not type very fast to adjust to the change. The most important thing to remember is to keep a positive attitude, and an open mind, even if the system is not very user friendly. With having to use the same system every day, we get more and more use to it. Those in our center who have fought it from the start are still having problems and haven't figured out all the little quirks to make things easier. Another very important chain is the IT personel. Our IT personel are the greatest. If someone finds a problem of any kind our people are there. They have been right there in the center when all you know what breaks loose, so they know how important it is to have the system up and running to its fulliest. On a personal note:I have found the CAD much easier than the cards. Keeping track of officers is easier, pending calls are easier to see as well. Plus you can write more in the comments section than you could ever put on a card. Good luck
:t- up:

[Duckie911]

Oh no doubt that the computer system is MUCH MUCH better then the cards, safer for my units. We use the cards when our system crashes, but we have changed CAD systems and the new system is not dispatch friendly ~ they asurred us we would be able to "customize" to our needs and now we find out we can't. I would not recommend this new system.....It's alot more work on us to make the job easier!!!

[MrJim911]

Duckie, What version of HTE CAD do you have, IV or V? V would be the windows based version. We currently have IV and we like it alot. Our director refuses to get CAD V until HTE gets alot more of the bugs out. Plus I think I read somewhere that HTE has decided to service CAD IV longer since people are not happy with CAD V.

[jbak]

None of you run ArcView, it's all CAD???

[MrJim911]

What's Arc View?

[Duckie911]

Mr Jim~
We have the windows based version - your director is right, there are way too many bugs in this system - I am very protective of my units (some more than others ;) ) This system is making MORE work for us if you can imagine. It is not dipatcher friendly, I am hoping it will get better, most of the officers are understanding.. We did go live with it on a friday night....talk about needing a drink when we were done!

[jbak]

MrJim,
I might of gotten myself in over my head here. ArcView is a GIS (Geographic Information System)program that I know some of the larger departments use to track officers and other information. I think the city of San Diego uses it and actually if you've ever watched "The District" ArcView is the program they use at all the command briefings. I believe it's use in LE is a recent one and is pretty expensive to implement, but provides a myriad of information.

[MrJim911]

Ahhhh...Kinda like AVL, Automatic Vehicle Locator. It is very expensive, especially the systems that use GPS to keep track. I've seen Chicagos set up and it is very nice. I wish more agencies could afford it, it's a valuable tool.

[ladymoonlite]

Okay, I'm a "white shirt" - guilty as charged - but I've been using HTE CAD V for Windows for several months (actually nearly a year, I guess) and I like it! It's got some glitches that we're still working out with HTE (not an easy thing to do, I grant you) but the future is here, we've got to deal with it. We're running both in our center (Windows & not) and I can't DEAL with the old version any more! I fumble like a trainee when I have to use that thing. Maybe I'm just an optimist, but I think this WILL be a good move in the long run. It's historical fact that there are grumblings whenever change occurs, but it's the only thing we can be sure of, right?

[KYEMT325]

Being a smaller department, we don't have to use "cards" like the larger agencies do when our CAD goes down or something like that. We just go to paper forms which are formatted just like our CAD screens and we fill in the blanks. Only had to do it like twice in the past 14 months since we got our new CAD system, but under the old system we had to do it quite often.

We are currently using Interact 911 CAD system...it has features for MDT's, an NCIC interface, GIS mapping, and all the bells and whistles on it (although we haven't enacted all it's features yet, but are going to as things progress). We love this CAD system, it's totally Windows NT based, and depending on how you operate, you can completely use the system with a mouse or with command keys on a keyboard.

Now, if you're agency is rumored to be going to CAD within 90 days and you've never had it before...I would HIGHLY suggest that they run their new CAD for a few weeks in test mode before doing so. This gives dispatchers the opportunity to get used to it, and what you would do is enter the calls in the computer AND do your cards too, that way you get used to using the computer without being bound to it yet. When we switched from ARMS CAD to Interact 911, we left Interact in test mode for 3 weeks before we went live with it, and we duplicated entering calls on both until we got comfortable with the new system, and we found that helped solve a lot of problems before they had the chance to occur.

So, if you've never had CAD before, you're definitely in for a treat, it makes things go so much more smoothly and faster for you as a dispatcher (that is, after the transition period of about 2-3 months, at first it can seem overwhelming). Good luck to you and your agency.

[ladymoonlite]

You make a good point! We actually tried starting up HTE CAD-V for Windows nearly two years ago as a beta site, and had to shut it down after a couple of weeks use when we found too many bugs to deal with. We're still not live 100% with it, but are running it from a couple of terminals only (including the Sup's console, so I am used to it), which gives everyone an opportunity to adjust to it, if only they take advantage of it.

[tcsd1236]

Originally posted by Duckie911
We have a CAD system and have swiched to the HTE sys. in October, which I must say IS NOT dispatcher friendly at all. Our last CAD was slow and needed to be updated but this "new and improved" rotten thing we are using is more for the "white shirts" that do reports then for making things easier and quicker for dispatch and my officers. :mad:

OH GOD!! We switched to HTE last fall and the system crashed and hasn't worked right SINCE!!!!!!!

HTE needs to be driven out of business NO ONE SHOULD BUY FROM HTE IF YOU WANT A SYSTEM THAT WORKS....

[Ky911]

Hey Duckie, you need to come down and see the CAD they put in the EOC for us to play with to see if it what "WE" wanted. lol its the same as our CAD we use now but set up in windows. Only thing I dont like about it is the fact you have to use a mouse. Screw that, Ill need a 3rd hand to type and deal with that ignorant mouse.