Modern police work challenges law enforcement officials to combine their own observations with vast quantities of data – information spanning everything from public records and databases to book-sized manuals and real-time communications. Thanks to the latest Samsung technologies, America’s second-largest police force now has secure access to these critical resources in the field, and can quickly pivot from mobile to desktop experiences inside their vehicles – all without needing to return to their stations.
The Chicago Police Department and Samsung first partnered in 2018 to launch a technology proof of concept.
“Since then, we’ve grown our relationship to equip the city’s entire fleet of law enforcement, and now, have expanded into the Chicago Fire Department,” explained Todd Maxwell, Samsung U.S. Director of Business Development.
Today, the city’s police and firefighters rely upon Samsung mobile devices, Samsung Knox security and Samsung DeX – which gives users the experience of working on a desktop by connecting a smartphone or tablet to an external display device such as a TV, monitor or PC, to maintain reliable, secure communications links as they protect and serve Chicago’s neighborhoods.
Giving public servants the modern mobile tools they need to serve the public
Chicago’s mandate was to empower officers with technologies that enabled them to personally engage with the people in their neighborhoods.
“Since we started working with Samsung, we were tasked with getting officers out into their communities, and reducing their time spent at desks processing paperwork,” said Dennis Baliga, Deputy Director of IT Infrastructure, City of Chicago’s Office of Public Safety Administration.
Modernizing policing requires new mobile devices that thousands of officers can comfortably rely upon every day. Chicago’s police department is one of the oldest police forces in the United States, and the second largest by sworn member size, representing a diverse range of user needs.
“We have officers of all ages and all levels of experience,” noted Aaron Levine, Chicago Police Department Entertainment Venue Team Sergeant. “We needed very user-friendly technology, so everybody will be able to use the devices.”
Paired with vehicle-mounted docks, Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets proved to be the perfect solutions for today’s officers. Moving from laptops to handheld devices enabled Chicago’s police and firefighters to carry their tools everywhere, dramatically improving their ability to gather and access information in the field.
“Thanks to Samsung DeX, we went from 3,000 vehicle-mounted laptops to around 10,000 Galaxy S-series phones that are now either assigned to officers or in a specific vehicle on a daily basis,” Baliga continued.
The Chicago Fire Department chose Galaxy Tab tablets with unified mounts.
Simplifying onboarding and streamlining user experiences
Streamlined, secure software experiences are the other key to equipping public servants with modern technology. Using Samsung Knox Suite – Samsung’s enterprise-grad security platform, technology teams can design the mobile and desktop interfaces they want users to see on their devices, streamlining access to critical and secure applications.
“Samsung’s Knox Suite gives us a centralized management tool for user experience and for security that we need,” said Dan Sullivan, Electrical Mechanic, City of Chicago’s Office of Public Safety Administration. “Knox Configure helps us give every user a unified desktop experience with DeX in Vehicle – when an officer docks their phone in the car for the first time, it’s going to look exactly like the screen full of apps we set up.”
Chicago firefighters can rely on the same consistent desktop experience when docking tablets,” Sullivan added. “If they get a fire truck on the South Side, on the North Side, no matter what, that’s what it’s going to look like.”
“We prepare the phones knowing that they’re going to work reliably in the vehicles because of the process we’ve developed,” Sullivan noted, and best of all, the setup process is fast. “I’d say the amount of time it takes us to provision a phone now, compared with three years ago, is down 75%.”
Officials trust Samsung as business partner – and with sensitive data
Samsung’s work with the Chicago Police Department has given the city a trustworthy partner to efficiently advance its digital transformation strategy.
“They are really a multi-faceted agency, utilizing our Galaxy devices, Knox Suite, and Samsung DeX to really increase efficiency and improve their cost savings,” said Maxwell.
“Trust is immensely important for what we’re doing in public safety IT,” Baliga added. “We need the vendors to be there for us as a 24/7 business that needs stability at all times in their products. Samsung’s been there for us every step of the way, helping address issues we’ve had as we’ve come up in this ecosystem, which we’ve grown to 10,000 devices. We’ve given them ideas, and they’ve given us ideas on how to improve their products and our operations, to make things better for both of us.”
The partnership enables Chicago Police Department officers to quickly access a wealth of specialized information directly from the field. “Our Galaxy apps allow us access to state and local databases, city licensing and permitting, so at a special event, I’m able to check the parameters of a special event permit. We also have access to specific applications, like the Department of Transportation hazmat guide – instead of carrying a big book, I have an app on my phone. And I can access city service requests, so if I want to report a pothole, traffic lights out, or something like that, I can do it right from the phone,” said Levine.
Samsung Knox offers unparalleled device security – a must-have for officers who routinely handle sensitive data in the field.
“We trust the partnership we have with Samsung,” explained Sullivan. “As officers run people’s names, run their license plates, and are also logging into their systems, we have to worry about security things like data leaks and HIPAA information. We feel really good about Knox security. It ensures that they can do their job safely and securely.”
Supporting the future of public safety and services
From the versatile mobile-to-desktop transitions powered by DeX to the streamlined yet powerful and secure customizations enabled by Knox, Samsung equips public agencies and organizations with the technologies they need to meet modern challenges – from their offices and in the field. Samsung is dedicated to continually improving its products to support customers with cutting-edge innovations that precisely meet their needs.
The Chicago Police Department and Chicago Fire Department’s successful implementations of Samsung’s solutions are already changing the way public servants interact with their communities, better preparing officers and firefighters to meet today’s neighborhood challenges. Samsung is continuing to develop tools that will improve communications, in-field research, and outcomes for an even wider range of public agencies throughout the United States.
For more information about Samsung DeX, please visit https://www.samsung.com/us/apps/dex/
For more information about Samsung Knox, please visit https://www.samsungknox.com/
