MONROE - The decision to move the Spillman data server from the Pleasant View complex to the Monroe Police Department is still on the table, but the system's oversight board is asking to see the cost of that option compared to others at its meeting next month.
"Access has always been the word, and this (move) doesn't eliminate anybody's access (to the system)," said Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley.
Moving the server to its offices is the option preferred by the Monroe Police Department, he said.
The city's Public Safety Committee approved the relocation June 6. At that time, Kelley explained the move would resolve issues the system had during adverse weather and would meet new federal and state requirements for accessing crime information.
On Tuesday, he added that, with the costs of all options being equal, he had looked at other benefits of moving the server to his department.
Those benefits included: Meeting higher security demands by the state Crime information Bureau (CIB); the elimination of one radio dish to connect with the server (the sheriff's department would still connect with a dish); easier physical access to the server without the need to bring in the county's computer system maintenance company; and cost savings from hiring the county's company to manage backup tapes.
Kelley also intended to eliminate an anticipated payment starting in 2012 to the county for Internet access, estimated at about $200 per month. That amount would be used for the police department's own Internet access, which would provide more bandwidth and faster performance.
But Art Carter, chairman of the Green County Board of Supervisors, said the county is "greatly involved in the system."
"My push is for more joint access and control," he said.
He stated Tuesday that he was concerned about keeping county maps updated.
Carter said the county has a new mapping server coming in its budget next year, which would allow better updating of the maps without re-downloading entire maps into the Spillman server.
"I want to be more proactive in getting updates into our system," he added.
Carter added that he was "not too concerned" about where the server was actually located.
Locating the system at the Sheriff's office would fulfill the security demands of the CIB, and still provide easy, 24-hour physical access to the system.
Board members also discussed the desire to have buried fiber optics or Ethernet lines connecting both the sheriff's and police departments to the server.
Buried lines would almost eliminate weather related interruption in service, according to Kelley
"The ultimate solution is not to rely on the air; the dishes were meant to be temporary," he said.
The city had not scheduled the Spillman server to be moved until late 2011.
The Spillman system, serving multiple public safety agencies - law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services - in the county, is not for storage and retrieval of law enforcement records only. The original server was purchased in 2005 by the City of Monroe for the police department as a permanent solution to meet the department's records, computer-aided dispatch and mobile communication needs, as well as provide electronic accident and citation reporting requirements set by the Department of Justice and Office of Justice Assistance. Its ability to handle multiple software applications allows agencies to share the server and exchange data. About 14 agencies use the system. The city recently purchased a more powerful Spillman server to replace the original one.
A multijurisdictional agreement gives all participating agencies in the county access to the server and software appropriate to their needs; gives the city an extra mobile data server; and establishes the oversight board to approve software installation and upgrades and to oversee users' compliance with regulations.
"Access has always been the word, and this (move) doesn't eliminate anybody's access (to the system)," said Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley.
Moving the server to its offices is the option preferred by the Monroe Police Department, he said.
The city's Public Safety Committee approved the relocation June 6. At that time, Kelley explained the move would resolve issues the system had during adverse weather and would meet new federal and state requirements for accessing crime information.
On Tuesday, he added that, with the costs of all options being equal, he had looked at other benefits of moving the server to his department.
Those benefits included: Meeting higher security demands by the state Crime information Bureau (CIB); the elimination of one radio dish to connect with the server (the sheriff's department would still connect with a dish); easier physical access to the server without the need to bring in the county's computer system maintenance company; and cost savings from hiring the county's company to manage backup tapes.
Kelley also intended to eliminate an anticipated payment starting in 2012 to the county for Internet access, estimated at about $200 per month. That amount would be used for the police department's own Internet access, which would provide more bandwidth and faster performance.
But Art Carter, chairman of the Green County Board of Supervisors, said the county is "greatly involved in the system."
"My push is for more joint access and control," he said.
He stated Tuesday that he was concerned about keeping county maps updated.
Carter said the county has a new mapping server coming in its budget next year, which would allow better updating of the maps without re-downloading entire maps into the Spillman server.
"I want to be more proactive in getting updates into our system," he added.
Carter added that he was "not too concerned" about where the server was actually located.
Locating the system at the Sheriff's office would fulfill the security demands of the CIB, and still provide easy, 24-hour physical access to the system.
Board members also discussed the desire to have buried fiber optics or Ethernet lines connecting both the sheriff's and police departments to the server.
Buried lines would almost eliminate weather related interruption in service, according to Kelley
"The ultimate solution is not to rely on the air; the dishes were meant to be temporary," he said.
The city had not scheduled the Spillman server to be moved until late 2011.
The Spillman system, serving multiple public safety agencies - law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services - in the county, is not for storage and retrieval of law enforcement records only. The original server was purchased in 2005 by the City of Monroe for the police department as a permanent solution to meet the department's records, computer-aided dispatch and mobile communication needs, as well as provide electronic accident and citation reporting requirements set by the Department of Justice and Office of Justice Assistance. Its ability to handle multiple software applications allows agencies to share the server and exchange data. About 14 agencies use the system. The city recently purchased a more powerful Spillman server to replace the original one.
A multijurisdictional agreement gives all participating agencies in the county access to the server and software appropriate to their needs; gives the city an extra mobile data server; and establishes the oversight board to approve software installation and upgrades and to oversee users' compliance with regulations.