Cellphones a key tool for police taking notes in Burlington, Oakville, Milton
Published July 4, 2022 at 9:28 am
If you see a Halton police officer on their cellphone during an investigation, don’t worry they’re not checking for the latest baseball score or surfing Facebook.
All Halton Regional Police members are now using electronic notes (eNotes) during investigations.
Notetaking is one of the most recognizable and key function a police officer is responsible for and it has remained largely unchanged for over a century. Officially doing away with traditional paper-based notes for notes via smartphones is an important milestone for the HRPS.
“Members of our community will notice our officers using their smartphones more, working hard to capture information in a faster, more accurate and effective way,” said Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie.
“eNotes is just one of the ways we are purposefully harnessing innovative technology to better serve our community.”
The force believes the tool provides officers with unparalleled functionality, allowing officers to securely obtain audio statements and take supplementary photos or recordings within their reports.
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Officers are also able to access and add to police databases and record systems from the palm of their hand, meaning they are no longer tied to the computers in their cruisers.
If you see an officer using their phone during your interaction they are using their new electronic notebook.
“The efficiencies and time savings created by eNotes means our officers will have more opportunities to focus on operations and community safety.”
HRPS eNotes are completed using the Smart Squad app, developed by Faction Four Systems Inc in consultation with the HRPS. The HRPS has been operating eNotes, via Smart Squad, on a limited scope since 2015. In fall 2021, the HRPS committed to adopting eNotes Service-wide.
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