Police Computers Go Under Cover

As a deputy sheriff worked an accident in the middle of a heavy rainstorm, water dripped from his sleeve onto the keyboard of the laptop computer that was mounted on the floor of his squad car. Corporal Tom Wood of the Marion County Sheriff's Department in Indiana says that later, when he used a blow-dryer in an attempt to minimize the damage, "eight of the keys melted."

Coffee spills and dome-light leaks are more frequent hazards to the laptops used in squad cars. But regardless of the perpetrator, Marion County decided it was worth investing $10,123 to purchase 1,200 waterproof plastic shields to protect the high-tech equipment.

Spill-proof magnesium- and titanium-based laptops are available, but they do not fall within the department's budget. For the cost of one of these expensive notebooks, Wood says, five regular laptops and covers could be bought. The Metropolitan Emergency Communication Agency granted the sheriff's office a group rebate for purchasing the laptop shields, selling them for half of the original price of $16.95.

Within the past two years, the Sheriff's Department has replaced mobile display terminals with laptop computers because of their versatility and convenience. The 1,000 officers now can type reports in their laptops and then download them at their respective base headquarters.

The covers are also expected to cut down on costs since computer warranties didn't cover such damages. Initial incidents have been covered by the department, but any additional mishaps and repairs are considered the responsibility of the officer. In next year's budget proposal, the department plans to set aside money for more covers.