Benefits of Mobile Capabilities for Enforcement Officers
Some government employees spend all their time behind a desk indoors – but for frontline staff like code enforcement and animal control officers, their vehicle often serves as their office.
For those boots-on-the-ground employees, cloud-based tools with mobile capabilities can be crucial to their success in the field. Here’s a quick look at four reasons why enforcement officers can benefit from mobile functionality.
1. Create cases from the field
For frontline employees like code enforcement or animal control officers, the ability to create a case on the fly can not only save a lot of time, but contribute to more accurate record keeping. Cloud-based software, when combined with mobile equipment like phones and tablets, allows officers to open a case, conduct an inspection, and upload any relevant photos or videos on the spot. With the ability to make notes in the moment and not rely on memory or quickly scrawled notes, it’s easier for officers to more accurately document the situation.
2. Improve safety for officers
Imagine this scenario. A call comes in while you are in the field to check out a residence. You roll up to the address, and while it seems vaguely familiar, you don’t remember why or if you have been here before – or if you should be on alert.
With the ability to access all records in real-time, however, officers can walk into a situation fully prepared with all the information necessary to keep them safe. Before arriving on the scene, officers can look up the address and/or any relevant contacts to research their history and have a better understanding of the scenario – and any potential hostility or threat – they could be walking into.
3. Save time
Whether it’s creating cases in the field, not having to run back to the office between inspections to print notices, or even just allowing officers to do away with the manual process of filling out and filing paperwork, software that allows enforcement officers to conduct their job from the field creates efficiencies, ultimately saving time.
Many agencies across the country suffer from a lack of manpower. Finding room in the budget for another officer to help alleviate workload isn’t always realistic – but it is possible for many agencies to find the resources to cover a tool that improves efficiency, freeing up officer time throughout the department.
Read More:
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4. Facilitate community interactions.
When officers spend less time working on paperwork, they have more time to spend in and with the community, educating citizens about the true nature of their role and bolstering public opinion for their department. After implementing Comcate’s code enforcement software, the city of Sedalia, MO noticed an uptick in their officers’ interactions with residents.
“Now that our inspectors are out in the neighborhoods with iPads, they’re more identifiable,” said John Simmons, Community Development Director for Sedalia at the time. “Residents have actually come out of their houses and been like, “Who are you? What are you doing?” It shows that we’re in their neighborhoods and we’re approachable.”
Cloud-Based Software with Mobile Capabilities
For many officers, their vehicle is their office – so why not ensure your office is fully equipped with the tools you need to accurately, efficiently and safely do the job?
With field-ready software like Comcate’s Code Enforcement Manager or Animal Control Manager, officers can create one central hub for case materials that is as easy to access from the office as it is on the streets in the community.
Interested in learning more about Comcate’s software products for local government agencies? Fill out the form below to schedule a demo with one of our consultants.
Schedule a Meeting with Comcate Today!
Learn how Comcate can help make government delivery simple, and offer a modern digital experience to help you increase transparency, efficiency, and performance across your departments. If you have any questions about implementing our software, please fill out the form below or call us directly at (415) 632-1248.
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