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South Dakota Highway Patrol Goes Live with Zuercher Technologies CAD (8/8/12)
Zuercher Technologies’ ledsCAD CAD software is being used by the South Dakota Highway Patrol to handle emergency calls for service, dispatch responding units, and manage traffic stops and accident reports made by troopers.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol has three dispatch centers located in Huron, Pierre, and Rapid City, which receive calls for service from across the state. The system allows operators to pass calls from center to center and use each other as failover sites. In addition to handling calls, they provide support to local law enforcement agencies. The centers, referred to as State Radio, also dispatch for game, fish and parks units, as well as state and federal agencies.

The timing of the new system’s implementation was important because the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes place the first part of August and draws hundreds of thousands of riders and tourists. During the rally and the days leading up to it, the patrol sees calls for service double, with more than a thousand calls each day. Having the new CAD system in place a month early has given both the operators and the officers time to adjust to the system and take advantage of the new features. The system will also make the increased call load easier to handle.

The CAD software was the first step in upgrading the South Dakota Highway Patrol to a comprehensive software solution that includes a new records management system (RMS) and mobile data system. The integration of the Zuercher Technologies systems allows each vehicle to access both the CAD and RMS data in a manner which was previously not possible. With personnel spread out across the state, the immediate access to call for service information, as well as historical records, will reduce call response times and improve officer safety and efficiency throughout the organization.

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