Chatham-Kent police is conducting a 60 day pilot project that, Chief Gary Conn says, will better serve the community and improve officer safety.
Chief Conn says tablets in 5 of the cruisers will allow officers to communicate with dispatch directly and provide instant access to calls and data.
Conn says the new software turns cruisers into a rolling office or a mobile workstation.
"Free up and increase more time for not only for the emergency communication operators but also our officers in finding efficiencies with regards to their general patrol and being out in the general public more often than not," says the chief.
The new software has a GPS system that provides coordinates and tracking.
The initial cost is $40,000 for licences and software.
If all 30 cruisers are outfitted after the pilot project, the total cost is $132,000 for software and $1,000 a year for licensing each cruiser.
Conn says police response will be quicker and more efficient.
"This really allows the officer to become self sufficient. It allows the officer to really have a mobile office on wheels," Chief Conn says.
Conn says officers will have the ability to self-dispatch to calls.
"Accept the call and they will show themselves on route. They will show themselves at the call and once they're clear from the call, they'll show themselves free from the call and be able to put on the computer assisted dispatch program clearing comments in regards to that call," says Conn.