HUPD Installs New Computer Network

The Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) has installed a new computer network that will speed up daily operations by giving officers easier access to information on current and past cases, Harvard police Lt. John F. Rooney said Monday.

The system, which went on-line on March 1, is an in-house computer network, Rooney said.

The network links the police stations on Garden Street and at the Medical School Campus.

All incident and arrest reports, existing warrants and property records will now be at the fingertips of HUPD personnel, Rooney said.

"It merges the vast amount of information that comes into the department on a daily basis," Rooney said. "It coordinates information much more quickly and efficiently."

Officer Thomas B. Mercier said he's glad the system is finally here.

"We're getting into the year 2000, so it's time it's arrived," Mercier said.

He said the system will help officers most in the area of report writing.

"A police officer will write the report, and it will be file-stored," Mercier said. "It can be brought up by supervisors, used for future information...We can use it for stat[istic]s, logging all the information and all the incidents."

Until now, all reports had been written by hand and stored in file cabinets. Reports made in the field will still be handwritten, Mercier said, but they will be entered later into the computer system for storage.

The new computer system will come as a welcome change to officers, Mercier said. But he noted that officers are still getting used to the new system.

"As time goes by, things will be worked out, and it will be a useful tool," Mercier said.