Page 26 - PCPA Spring 2025 Bulletin Magazine

PA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
REVOLUTIONIZING LAW ENFORCEMENT: WHY MODERN CAD SOLUTIONS ARE A GAME-CHANGER
Revolutionizing Law
Enforcement: Why Modern CAD
Solutions Are a Game-Changer
By Roman Garcia, Marketing Manager, ARMS
In today’s fast-paced law enforce-
ment environment, Computer-
Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems
serve as the backbone of incident
response & resource management.
Dispatch operations directly impact
officer safety, emergency response
times, & overall public safety out-
comes. However, many law enforce-
ment agencies still rely on outdated
CAD systems—or worse, manual
processes—that hinder efficiency,
delay response times, & increase
operational risks.
That said, the landscape of pub-
lic safety technology is evolving, &
modern CAD solutions offer a myriad
of benefits to improve operational ef-
ficiency. Leveraging a modern CAD
system is critical for staying ahead
of compliance requirements, cyber-
security threats, & growing public
expectations for faster, data-driven
policing.
The Shift Toward Cloud-Based
& Integrated CAD Systems
Modern policing demands real-time
access to information, seamless
communication between officers &
dispatchers, & automated compli-
ance tracking. Traditional CAD sys-
tems—many of which are decades
old—were not designed for this level
of connectivity & mobility.
Key Trends Driving CAD Adoption
Law enforcement agencies are in-
creasingly adopting modern CAD
solutions to enhance efficiency,
security, & compliance. The shift
toward cloud-based solutions im-
proves accessibility, cybersecurity,
& disaster recovery, reducing reli-
ance on on-premise infrastructure.
Mobile integration allows officers
to access CAD from their mobile
devices or in-car systems, ensuring
real-time updates & minimizing the
need for radio transmissions.
Additionally, enhanced interoper-
ability enables seamless integration
with Records Management Sys-
tems (RMS), body-worn cameras,
& license plate readers for improved
data sharing. With growing national
reporting requirements like NIBRS
& Clery, agencies also benefit from
automated compliance reporting,
which streamlines data collection &
ensures accuracy while reducing ad-
ministrative burdens.
Challenges with
Legacy CAD Systems
Despite advancements in law en-
forcement technology, many agen-
cies continue to struggle with out-
dated CAD systems, facing several
operational & security challenges.
Slower response times result from
the lack of real-time tracking & au-
tomated call assignments, delaying
critical dispatch operations. Lim-
ited mobility restricts officers to on-
premise access & manual data entry,
reducing efficiency in the field.
These manual processes also lead
to redundant data entry, increased
errors, & communication break-
downs. Furthermore, legacy sys-
tems lack modern security proto-
cols, making them highly vulnerable
to cyberattacks & data breaches.
Agencies also face compliance
challenges, as outdated systems
fail to streamline NIBRS & Clery Act
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