Issue link: http://lawandordermag.epubxp.com/i/109778
FOCUS RMS: Tips for Purchasing or Upgrading car, and the computer then transfers that ticket to the record management system at the courthouse. When the person���s driver���s license is scanned on a magnetic strip on the car���s computer, that information populates the information felds.��� Since the consortium is part of the same RMS group, a name search gives them information from all the area departments and really opens up the boundaries on searches. Each agency has a membership and a delegate at the consortium meetings. All of them share in fnancing the system, allowing each member to not only have access to any information any other member might possess, but to also take advantage of the cost savings of a shared system with SunGardPS. chases for an agency. Budget and demographics are often important factors. Price is important but cannot be the single driving force for this purchase. Customer service and reputation are very important. Companies who provide information management technology can be very helpful in fnding solutions and may make innovations for one customer that can become part of the system for others. Cutting-edge technology is changing the face of law enforcement and agencies such as the Southern Michigan Information Alliance are combining forces to make this happen. Printing an e-ticket from an in-car computer and transferring it to the courthouse would have sounded like science fction only a few years ago. Unique Needs After that initial step of determining the most important information management needs of a department, that department can ask for referrals from other departments and proposals from different vendors. Many RMS systems are available, and any size department can fnd a program that will meet their needs. A lot of considerations come into play when choosing an RMS vendor because that is one of the more important pur- Kathy Marks has been a child abuse investigator for 30 years. She teaches classes regarding domestic terrorism and is a previous contributor to LAW and ORDER Magazine. She can be reached at kathymarks53@aol.com. LaO Post your comments on this story by visiting www.lawandordermag.com Click on EInfo at - www.lawandordermag.com reader service #23 38 LAW and ORDER I February 2013