Monday, October 17, 2016

Virtual Desk Officer

The Virtual Desk Officer


If you've ever had to go to the police station to ask a question, pick up a copy of a report, or file a complaint, chances are that you had to wait in line. Most times, there will be a desk officer there to assist you, or perhaps the desk sergeant. However, if they are tied up assisting on an arrest or have to be called out on an emergency, you would have no choice but to wait until someone is available to assist you. What if there was another way, other than a human officer, to assist you? Enter the "Virtual Desk Officer", a computer kiosk that can help out with those non-emergency requests. Allow my new assistant, the "Technology Cat", to elaborate further on the topic. For those of you wondering, he was created for free using Voki, available at www.voki.com. His friend the squirrel was also included free of charge. Click on the link below the photo to hear more about this topic.


Now that you know a bit about "Virtual Desk Officers", I'd like to show you some photos of what the kiosks look like.



As you can see, the kiosks com in all shapes and sizes, and can free up a desk officer from non-emergency requests. Departments can customize what the kiosk can do. In Hamilton, NJ they decided that citizens utilizing the kiosk can:

File a Report
Register your Alarm (Home/Business)
House Watch
Request Records (OPRA)
Contact an Officer / Detective
Police Tip Line
Police Complaints/Commendations
Municipal Ordinances
Pay Local Taxes
Pay Traffic Tickets
Directions
Access the Town Website

The kiosk can help out desk officers during high-traffic hours or when the front desk is closed. A great feature is that the software can be completely customized for every department's specific needs. However, many people might be uncomfortable using a kiosk and would prefer interacting with a human police officer.

What are your thoughts on a "Virtual Desk Officer"?

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