As patrol cars play double-duty as transportation and mobile offices, they have to be functional, safe and tailored to the officer. While there are some absolute necessities like lights, radios, computers and ticketing systems, there are options for customization. Do you know your must-haves beyond the essentials?
We outlined our top 3 added-features every fleet vehicle needs.
1. Mounting (part one)
Computers transformed patrol operations and efficiencies. However, adding an entire computer – whether laptop, tablet or convertible – to a mainstream car that was not originally designed to accommodate police tools (but can be modified to) mounting becomes everything.
With our decades in the public safety space we can confidently say that the two aspects of a mount you should look for are safety and ergonomics. Safety is the number one priority when it comes to mounting. Unobstructed airbags and full windshield view are critical in ensuring officers can safely operate the vehicle. Our expertise and problem-solving is showcased in our mounting solutions – see mounting options in our MDT gallery.
2. Mounting (part two)
You’re probably thinking, “Yeah yeah I need to go look at the Brite’s MDT solutions, you just said that.” Well, my friend, this is a different type of mount. Patrol vehicles are strapped for storage and need to be flexible for whatever mission is on the list that day. As a result, Lund Industries has an array for storage-saving mounts. From electronic storage to gun safes, the low-profile mounts are installed near the headliner and out of line of sight through the rear-view mirror, maximizing space and storage.
3. Real-time situational awareness
Every industry loves their buzzwords and right now public safety teams are all about ‘real-time’ and ‘situational awareness’ – and for good reasons too. Utilizing the latest technology to gain real-time insights helps keep officers safe and develop leads faster. Getac Video Solutions has developed a valuable real-time platform equipping officers with situational awareness when out in the field.
Focused around aligning and capturing digital evidence, the platform integrates body-worn cameras, in-car and dash cameras, rugged displays and server or cloud-based devices into one platform for easy management. Not only does it store evidence records in one location, alerts can be pushed to help during incidents.
Patrol vehicles may not be able to be decorated with the usual desk plants, family pictures or figurines to fidget with, but they can be outfitted with the latest technologies to protect officers and help them do their job. If you want to explore customizing your fleet, then reach out and we’ll get you in touch with your local rep.
