Wichita PD: upgrading police technology to protect and serve

• The Wichita Police Department has eliminated an improvised combination of communication devices in favor of smartphones to help its officers in the field.
  
  
• Since the department issued smartphones to its personnel, public safety officials have experienced improved operations, increased community engagement, and more positive police-citizen relations.
  
  
• Powered by the seamless T-Mobile 5G network, the equipment now forms the foundation of a more connected, mobile, and agile force.

Today’s policing requires the ability to gather, catalog, access, and analyze an ever-expanding amount and variety of data. It also requires reliable connectivity to maintain crucial communication with fellow officers and supervisors, as well as situational awareness. Smartphones allow officers to work more efficiently, spending more time in the field and increasing community engagement.

That was the case for the Wichita Police Department in 2020, which had been providing smartphones to a limited number of personnel such as command staff or special assignments. The force of 500 officers was spread thin serving the largest city in Kansas and its population of 397,532 people spread over 139 square miles. Though property crime and burglary declined significantly during the pandemic, motor vehicle thefts and homicides increased. Morale was low and officers struggled to communicate effectively with citizens amid pandemic concerns and social distancing restrictions.

The department was looking to leverage technology more intentionally but had been working with limited resources. Officers were using iPods in the field—a now-discontinued, phoneless handheld device—connected to Bluetooth to upload, title, and categorize footage from body cameras and handheld video cameras. The iPods offered other functions, including still photography, voice recording, and license plate readers, but at the cost of mobility. Every few hours, officers had to drive back to a station and connect to Wi-Fi to communicate and upload data to the network or to make phone calls.

Seeking to improve operations and police-citizen relations, the department issued smartphones to all sworn personnel as well as select support positions. The department now has 650+ mobile devices and approximately 400 mobile data terminals (MDTs) with T-Mobile SIMs. This equipment forms the foundation of a more connected, mobile, and agile force.

“It’s invaluable what officers can do with this service,” says Officer Timothy Baird. “It speeds up our response time and provides digital solutions for better policing.”

Now, with smartphones and high-speed wireless from T-Mobile for Government in the hands of every law enforcement officer (LEO) in Wichita, enhanced mobile connectivity is enabling fast data transfers and remote communications. Officers can log information while in the field, allowing for increased patrol time and improved community engagement. A tremendous amount of crime scene evidence—including photos, audio, and video recordings—can be quickly collected, and sent to crime analysts, even as the responding officer travels to another incident. Officers regularly use their smartphones to contact victims and witnesses from the field, rather than returning to the station.