ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and the Police Chief for the SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE of Forty-Five (45) CF-31 Panasonic Toughbook Laptop Computers for Use in the Police Squad Cars from CDS OFFICE TECHNOLOGIES, in the Amount of $172,575.00, from Approved Capital Improvement Plan Funds. (CDS Office Technologies holds the statewide computer master contract.)
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BACKGROUND:
The Peoria Police Department uses Panasonic Toughbook laptop computers for everyday use in our marked and unmarked fleet. Currently thirty-nine (39) of the department's ninety (90) laptops deployed in the field are the discontinued model CF-30 Toughbooks that were purchased in 2008. These older model laptops run on Microsoft Windows XP operating system which as of April 2014 is no longer supported by the manufacturer. As a result of this discontinued support, the Panasonic model CF-30 Toughbook has become obsolete leaving our current inventory susceptible to malware and viruses. Temperature extremes, normal use wear and tear, and extended life usage have resulted in the need to replace the amount requested. Many of the computers in use have been repaired by parting out older models. By purchasing forty-five (45) of the Panasonic Model CF-31 laptops the police department's inventory of CF-30 models will be replenished with current models that are capable of effectively running the numerous programs required by officers in the field.
In-car laptops are an integral and critical part of an officer's equipment and to maintain an efficient patrol operation requires a reliable laptop supported by a current operating system that is further supported by the manufacturer. The myriad of software programs relied on by officers in the field has increased over the past years. Our fleet of older laptops are not effective at collectively running the technology those programs provide. Some of those programs include: MDT Force, Map Force, Write Force, Accident Repo...
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