It is easy to see why the City of Rochester and Olmsted County has been consistently recognized as one of the best areas to live in the United States over the past decade. Olmsted County with a population of 115,300, includes eighteen townships and seven cities. The city of Rochester holds more than 80,000 of that population and has relatively little crime for a city its size. The county also offers an outstanding lifestyle with many opportunities for career and social development.
The area is home to one of the top health care and cancer research facilities in the world, the Mayo Clinic. It has attracted a number of technological and manufacturing firms, including computer giant IBM, who employs over 8,000 individuals. IBM developed the widely used iSeries platform in Rochester. The iSeries is installed in more public safety and local government agencies than any other mid-range computer. It is the most successful mid-range system developed to date, with over 500,000 systems installed worldwide.
It would be safe to assume that Rochester's Police and Olmsted County's Sheriff's departments are familiar with the technology industry, and it was no surprise when both agencies wanted a software provider that had a strong reputation for providing excellent software and service on the iSeries platform. In 1998, after a detailed search and evaluation process, performed jointly between the Rochester and Olmsted County project managers, and the Police, Fire and Sheriff's departments, New World Systems was chosen to partner with the City of Rochester and Olmsted County, Minn.
"We wanted a solid, stable company that had a proven system," said the project manager for Olmsted County, referring to New World's success in the public sector software industry since 1981. "New World met all of our criteria."
The city police and fire, and the Olmsted County sheriff's departments have a unique working relationship, which includes the sharing of many responsibilities. They have been virtually combined for the past 20 years, a rarity in the public sector.
"We work very closely in so many areas and I think it really has improved our efficiency," said Olmsted County project manager, who estimates the combined city police and sheriff's department work force is at 240. "The relationship includes a combined Police, Sheriff and Fire Dispatch Center and combined Police/Sheriff Records department, so it was key that we find a vendor who appealed to all departments and provided a fully integrated, multi-jurisdictional dispatching and records management system."
In addition to combined multi-jurisdictional CAD and Records Management, these agencies utilize Aegis Corrections Management, Civil Processing, Mobile Computing and Field Reporting. The City of Rochester and Olmsted County worked closely with New World Systems to further enhance the system's functionality in mobile computing and dispatching, which was added to the company's base product.
"There were functions that we wanted in the Aegis CAD and Mobile Computing, and New World was open to ideas on expanding their systems' features," said Olmsted County project manager. "We have had an excellent working relationship with New World, and I like the fact that they listened to what we wanted and incorporated it in their software. There are not many companies that actually listen to their customers and in reality work with them. We are now in the process of working closely with New World in designing and developing an expanded Fire mobile product also."
As population levels have gradually risen over the past 20 years, Olmsted County continues to face new challenges associated with being a growing, urban area. Since there is a direct correlation between crime and the city's proximity to larger metropolitan areas such as the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul, gangs, drugs, and other common crime-related activities are a cause of concern for the local law enforcement agencies. As a result, these agencies count on New World's software to help track and control these activities and ease the burden of filling out the related reports and forms.
One of the most impressive features of New World's software is its ease of use and reliability. "You load a new release and it runs," said Olmsted County project manager. "We've had very little problems with it at all. It's important for us to count on the software modules working."
Within the first year since Rochester and Olmsted County implemented the New World software, the records department saw increased productivity with reduced redundant data entry, and the information is easier to enter and access than with their previous system. The Mobile Computing software increases officer's safety and reduces response time by allowing them to access both state and local records, as well as warrant and vehicle information while in the field and also providing direct integration into the Dispatch System. Miller said the next step is to license mobile units for the fire department, which they are in the process of doing now.
The Rochester Police and Olmsted County Sheriff's departments have done a remarkable job of sharing resources over the past 20 years, so it should be no surprise they chose "The Public Sector Software Company" to ensure this positive working relationship will continue well into the next millennium.
