Every now and then, an unpleasant story comes out of a law enforcement agency about missing assets: an officer’s equipment, tools, or even weapons and vehicles. This puts officers in a dangerous position, because in their work it can come down to life and death.
In situations that intense, officers cannot rely on poorly maintained vehicles or equipment such as firearms and machinery. That is why law enforcement needs asset tracking and maintenance. It can be a matter of life and death.
Police officers die in the line of duty in the United States every year, killed feloniously or in accidents. It is the department’s responsibility to equip its officers with the supplies they need to protect themselves and civilians. Those supplies include IT equipment, radios, weapons, patrol cars, station furniture and more.
What is Asset Tracking & Management Software? Why use It?
Asset management is the process of tracking and monitoring fixed or movable assets for financial accounting, preventive maintenance and theft deterrence.
The main objective of an asset tracking system is to keep tight control of assets and reduce equipment loss. Organizations should use asset management software to solve these issues, with automated tracking methods such as fixed scanners, barcodes and asset tags that feed reports for managing assets.
When asset management is not done properly, it leads to forgotten items, broken or lost equipment, human errors, hours spent searching for items that seem to have vanished, and inaccurate information. These are just a few of the possibilities.
An asset management system solves these issues and improves overall efficiency. It is simple and capable, and it can be customized to your requirements for better outcomes.
Effective asset tracking solutions are highly effective for location monitoring, inventory counts, maintenance oversight, asset condition and depreciation for high-value and business-critical assets.
Asset tracking software assists law enforcement in several ways
Always know equipment’s real-time location
Law enforcement works hard to keep the public safe, often with limited resources and a strict budget. It is important to keep track of asset locations to avoid unnecessary expenses.
Many operational processes in a police department are done manually, which makes them slow and prone to human error. When assets are lost, unmaintained or damaged, the result can be life-threatening if vital equipment is not available in an emergency.
Asset tracking management software monitors assets, keeps them tracked and reduces the chance of losing them.
Analyze asset performance
When budget is a big issue, the police department should ask the following questions to save money.
How is an asset performing?
Is it taking more maintenance than it should?
Keep asking these questions, and make sure you understand the lifecycle of each asset.
Compare the costs of an asset with the performance you need from it. If an asset is no longer productive, the responsible person can dispose of it, sell it or donate it. You should always keep track of asset performance, and asset tracking software makes that easy.
Also Read: Key Features to Look for While Choosing Asset Management Software
Reduce maintenance expenses
Poor asset management shortens an asset’s lifespan. During the operational stage of an asset’s life cycle, the department can face several maintenance issues, and these can be expensive.
Asset tracking software keeps all the information and data on every asset. It also helps schedule maintenance jobs and creates alerts for you, and it saves money by identifying unproductive items.
Under-maintenance can reduce efficiency, so maintenance should be done regularly, and you can keep track of it with the software.
With asset tracking software, you can see the records that show which asset needs maintenance and avoid unexpected repairs.
Dependable Geo-location
GPS location data improves calls for backup, helping teams arrive when and where they are needed. Live GPS mapping lets backup teams see where other units are heading, whether or not the lead vehicle is moving.
Asset history & records
Whether an officer is assigned equipment for a long-term assignment or just for the day, asset tracking software records who has which item and logs it in the database. This gives a complete chain-of-custody record for all assets.
Suppose a set of car keys goes missing. With RFID, the software can show who last had those keys, which saves time and helps you find them. Items recently checked in or checked out can be viewed in a few clicks.
It is easy to see any outstanding equipment, who holds it and when it is due back.
Check-in & check-out
Check-in and check-out is a very useful feature of asset tracking software. It improves accuracy and reduces the time spent handing out and receiving assets. With search, you can find an asset by its name, tag, employee name and more.
For example, you can check which police officer a particular car is assigned to and when it will be returned to the department.
Check-in and check-out is especially useful for police departments because they have many assets and supplies, such as cars, firearms and ammunition. It lets you check multiple assets in or out to multiple people in a single transaction.
Also Read: Powerful Asset Management Features Provided by Asset Infinity
Tracking Saves Officers Time and Departments Money
The overall aim of asset tracking is to save time and money. It makes police officers more productive and lets the department monitor its supplies, assets and inventory as they move.
Asset tracking software tells you how many fixed assets you own, where each asset is and what condition it is in. It can notify you when an asset needs maintenance. It also plays a major role in tracking the assets any government enforcement agency allocates to its officers, including vehicles and weapons.
Tracking is done with various asset tracking techniques such as barcodes, QR codes, RFID, GPS and NFC.
Asset Infinity offers a variety of tracking solutions to support law enforcement, and we can help decision-makers choose the hardware that suits their department’s requirements. Get in touch with us today and we will help you assess your needs.