Software suite to bring greater efficiencies to public safety

Published on December 19, 2022

A collaborative process lasting more than two years between the Weld County Department of Information Technology, Public Safety Communications, the Sheriff’s Office and 42 first responder agencies countywide has resulted in the implementation of new technology that will bring efficiencies to public safety response.

CentralSquare, which went live Nov. 1, features a new computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system as well as record management and booking software, all of which will enhance workflow and communication between the county’s public safety departments and first responder agencies, enhancing the quality of services the public receives.

“This investment by the county is a huge benefit to residents,” said Commissioner Mike Freeman, Coordinator of the county IT Department. “The tools the new system brings to our law, fire and EMS agencies, as well as dispatch, makes their jobs a bit easier. And the fact so many entities came together to make this transition smooth speaks to the commitment agencies across this county have for serving residents in the best way possible.”  

Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams agrees. “CentralSquare provides a universal electronic platform for law enforcement agencies throughout Weld County to share data in a more efficient manner,” said Reams. “Being able to share data helps all first responders be more focused on providing public safety services that benefit the community.”

While many of the improvements and benefits of the CentralSquare system focus on tools and workflow enhancements for first-responder agencies, the new platform also includes features that will directly benefit the public as well.

“This new system is really about increasing efficiencies and processing times,” said Tina Powell, Director of the Weld County Department of Public Safety Communications. “There are a lot of features that benefit dispatchers and first responders, but that will also have a positive impact on the public, because it will enable us to deliver services more quickly and have greater communication with people calling 911 and emergency personnel.”

For example, the quickest way for someone to receive emergency service when calling 911 is to know and be able to relay their address. However, CentralSquare offers several tools that can help both the public and dispatchers when providing an address isn’t possible. Caller Location Query capability enables dispatchers to send a link to someone’s cellphone to verify their location. Powell said this can help children who may not know their address or those who have difficulty remembering it in the stress of an emergency.

 Another addition is the integration of RapidSOS. This feature can pinpoint a caller’s location using their device’s location. When available, this gives a more accurate location than other types of location services. Those features, along with the ability to provide the quickest route to emergency responders based on real time traffic flow through enhancements to closest unit dispatching, enable 911 dispatchers to deliver service in more ways than ever before.

CentralSquare also has tools that directly impact the jail and to the Justice Services Department in relation to booking and records management. Justice Services Director Doug Erler said he’s already seen enhancements to workflow, something he expects to continue as staff continues to train on, and becomes more familiar with, the new software.

“Our department was able to contribute to certain design aspects of the Jail Management System component of this new application. Among many benefits, we are now better able to capture data that was previously gathered through various spreadsheets,” Erler said. “We are excited to see this new software elevate our operations.”

Implementing this type of software, which impacts so many agencies, however, is no small feat. The Weld County Department of Information Technology was integral in the installation of CentralSquare software, while also providing training and ensuring its functionality, security and usability. In total, the department spent more than 13,000 hours on the project.

“Our previous system had been in place for 10 years and the county had outgrown its functionality,” said Weld County Chief Information Officer Ryan Rose. “CentralSquare technologies is a market leader in Public Safety systems, and its implementation shows the county’s continued commitment to consistently find the best ways possible to serve the public.”