Issue link: https://let.epubxp.com/i/423221
12 Law Enforcement Technology December 2014 www.officer.com STATE OF THE INDUSTRY C hief Scott McCollum has been with the College Station, Texas Police Department since 1985 and was named chief of the depart- ment October, 2014. College Station PD has an authorized staff of 132 sworn positions and 62 civilian positions with an annual budget of more than 18 million dollars. Currently McCollum's force is dealing with rapid growth in the university community and assessing technology solutions to better help the ballooning population. LET: Looking back on 2014, what would you say are the top four policing concerns in your community? Chief Scott McCallum: Addressing the growth of our community. Our com- munity recently surpassed the 100,000 mark. Our city is home to Texas A&M; University and its enrollment, along with nearby Blinn Junior College, con- tinues to grow at a rapid pace. With that kind of growth comes the need for additional resources to effectively police our area—more personnel to respond to calls for service and those person- nel need the appropriate equipment and training. We must also address our existing police structure and plan for the future as we continue to grow. We've implemented a new CAD/ RMS system—this project is very important and has a long-term potential impact…It is a 20-year decision and we are striving to put ourselves in the best position for the future. While we are blessed to live in a very safe community, we are not immune from crime problems that occur in other areas of the state and country. Recognizing growing crime trends and developing strategies to combat them is critical to this mission. We always remember that we as an agency police with the consent and sup- port of our community; without them we cannot succeed. LET: What type of training are you looking to continue or seek out next year? McCallum: Some of our immediate needs are training associated with our upcoming CAD/RMS systems. Our current system, while it has served us well, has been in place for over 20 years and places limits on our ability to serve the community to our capacity. We hope to use the new system to con- tinue our geographic model of policing and respond to criminal patters, and address quality of life issues within our community. LET: Since Ferguson, Mo. there is increased pressure on US police departments to equip officers with body-worn cameras. Where do you stand on the issue? McCallum: Our agency recently pur- chased 16 body cameras as part of a plan to outfit all of our sworn officers with them. This was a project that was already in progress prior to events in Ferguson. Any technology or process that we can implement to facilitate transparency and better equip our offi- cers to do their jobs and make better cases is beneficial to us as a department and community. We already have systems in place that we use to manage and store digital evidence from our patrol car video systems, so we are familiar with the demands and requirements that come with newer technologies. The body camera storage policies and procedures will be very similar to our current model, and [we'll] take into account the lessons we have learned from the in-car systems. LET: There was an uptick in media reports of 'police militarization.' Do you hear these concerns? McCallum: Our agency has acquired surplus equipment from military sources, but we have not obtained items like armored vehicles. We haven't heard this concern voiced by our community. However, it is critical that an agency remember that a majority of their juris- diction is not part of the criminal ele- ment. A balance and measured response to citizens needs is what is required. Of resources and response Two U.S. managers share their thoughts on radio upgrades, managing body cameras, and keeping up a positive public image By Sara Scullin Chief Scott McCollum