Amidst New State Laws, Denver Software Company Provides Cutting-Edge Technology to Increase Law Enforcement Efficiency and Build Community Confidence

DENVER – December 16, 2021 – (Newswire.com)

Colorado-based SmartForce® offers its latest app, CitizenContact, free to law enforcement agencies in Colorado. With an earlier-than-expected deadline for compliance and a slew of new requirements, local agencies need all the reliable help they can get. The tool is designed specifically to help local agencies comply with new state law which includes required data entry and report format compliance. More generally, it helps law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to use data, facilitate transparency and communicate more effectively. Senate Bill 217 was one of many important laws passed in the past two Parliaments. The law requires, among other provisions, that Colorado law enforcement agencies collect data about the contacts they make during investigations and responses to calls for service and submit the data to the Justice Division. state criminal law. The Denver-based company has established a strategic partnership with law enforcement and has been providing software solutions that complement evidence-based policing practices since 2015.

The logic behind the SmartForce approach is that if technology supports law enforcement in the most effective and efficient way, then officers can be the most effective in protecting their communities. Collecting, analyzing and reporting data are tasks for which software tools like CitizenContact are designed. SB 217 requires officers to collect demographic data perceived on every contact they make in the field during investigations and when they answer calls and submit data to the state. The Colorado legislature in 2020 passed SB 217 which requires this increase in reporting to be initially effective January 2023. The 2021 legislature then passed Bill 1250 which moves the date to April 2022.

Preparing for new major changes takes resources and time. Local agencies are eight months shorter than the original timeline when SB 217 was passed to have systems and processes ready for compliance. Lack of time and resources sometimes leads agencies to use outdated systems, pen and paper, cumbersome reports at the end of the shift, rigid software designed for a different purpose, etc. Some agencies even try to build their own IT systems, but this resource-intensive approach is not feasible for many jurisdictions and is financially expensive. Hours of precious and already scarce agent time can be wasted using these methods while trying to reshape processes across the organization.

SmartForce staff’s in-depth knowledge of law enforcement operations along with the latest research helps create products that support the latest innovations in policing. Chris Arvayo, Product and Customer Success Manager, explains the motivations and values ​​of the company: “We want to connect the community with the data that agencies collect. After all, the ability to fight the surge in violent crime is to be able to partner with the community while engaging in ethical policing. “

Simplified data collection, reduced crime, and increased public transparency are all aligned goals to equip officers with the right tools to do their jobs. CitizenContact has already been piloted and tested by dozens of local law enforcement jurisdictions such as the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan Police, and Fort Morgan Police. Castle Rock Police Department Chief Jack Cauley recommends it to neighboring jurisdictions, “[The SmartForce® staff] have built a very easy to use and streamlined Citizen Collection in accordance with Senate Bill 217. “

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Amidst New State Laws, Denver Software Company Provides Cutting-Edge Technology to Increase Law Enforcement Efficiency and Build Community Confidence