TTU’s New Dispatch Program Answers Issues Found By Comptroller’s Office

Tennessee Tech’s new dispatch program has fixed record keeping and call log deficiencies in the department.

The university moved from a manual paper system to a new automated program after a State Comptroller’s report found inaccuracies last year. Dispatch Operation Supervisor Elizabeth Clemens said the software allows the department to function as a true law enforcement agency.

“So not only does it help us manage our calls and radio traffic on our computer dispatch, but it also significantly improved how we are able to handle our police reporting side,” Clemens said.

Clemens said the software keeps up with the time of the call and the type of crime. Clemens said this has helped with staffing especially in a catalytic converter theft trend on campus. Clemens said the department was able to increase patrols in the areas based on the data from the program.

“We were able to utilize the analytics to determine at what point it tended to happen,” Clemens said. “SO we increased patrols to decrease theft, and we think that it was successful.”

Clemens said if an audit on call logs was conducted today, she believes the university would have no findings. Clemens said the program still has some finishing touches before utilizing all the features.

“We’re able to track statistics like response time,” Clemens said. “Our old system we couldn’t track any of that information. It was very difficult for us to search any type of data. This not only lets us search the type of calls, the people and the location, but also how officers are handling those calls.”