Keeping communities safer is the primary goal of a new software system installed by the York-Poquoson sheriff's office in York County, Virginia.

The office has begun using a program called PowerDMS to give officers mobile access to maps, floor plans, policies, and training programs.

The map data allows sheriff's deputies to preview the interior of public buildings before entering in response to a trouble call, the sheriff's office said.Maps are transmitted from the central PowerDMS database to deputies in the field via cell phone.The data allows deputies to decide how to approach and enter buildings.

"The decisions that [deputies] make prior to responding to a call could mean the difference between a happy ending or a not happy ending," said captain Thomas West, "so they're given the resources to make those types of decisions now right from the seat of their car from their cell phone."

"Embracing technology allows us to better safeguard our citizens and the Deputies who lay their lives on the line each day," said J.D. "Danny Diggs," sheriff of York-Poquoson. "PowerDMS provides a secure, streamlined platform where our Deputies can access valuable intelligence, information, and training needed to do their jobs."

PowerDMS is also instrumental in informing deputies of office legal requirements and policies, on matters ranging from ticketing to searching vehicles, from high-speed pursuits to the use of force.PowerDMS tracks deputies' access to the material, which creates a record that they have reviewed the policies, essentially signing them digitally to acknowledge receipt.

"All of these documents are fully audit-able, so we can show that the deputies received them, acknowledged them, and signed for them," West said.

The software will also help deputies complete some on-the-job training programs.

From: PowerDMS