6 Benefits of Asset Tracking for Law Enforcement Agencies

Missing assets and deteriorating equipment are part of the problems any organization is bound to face. Whether it is by human error or outside circumstances, it helps to create systems that mitigate or prevent the effects of such incidents.

Improper management of equipment can lead to careless mistakes, an unhealthy reliance on human intervention, broken or lost equipment, and so on. This is particularly dangerous in law enforcement, as unmaintained vehicles, guns, and other gear can cause unnecessary deaths to both officers and the people they serve and protect.

1. Prevention of Death or Injury

Asset management and maintenance software can streamline the process of taking care of an agency’s equipment and make it easier. Depending on how an institution decides to use it, it can account for preventive maintenance, financial accounting, theft deterrence, and more. At the end of the day, a good tracking system should both be efficient and minimize human error.

Tracking systems often implement the use of specialized equipment, such as fixed scanners, bar codes, and asset tags. Once an object is scanned, it can bring up important information, such as the object’s history of repair or use.

They are also good for location monitoring, counting inventory, recording the condition of equipment, and asset depreciation.

2. Analysis of Asset Performance

A system can track asset history, and can therefore flag when assets are underperforming, like when a specific police vehicle is taking up more gasoline than the others. A firearm that frequently malfunctions could be flagged by the system, making sure the gun is replaced before it puts an officer at risk.

3. Database Export and Sharing

A large database can be exported to sync with case files. A detective or inspector can pull up a file and receive information on where the evidence is stored as well as its current state. This can even be exported to be cross-referenced with other databases, such as the ones for criminal records, fingerprints, and so on.

4. Cost Reduction

Budget is a concern for any organization, and with proper asset tracking and management, a law enforcement agency can reduce the costs from losses and redundancies. It could ensure that all equipment is maintained at appropriate intervals.

5. Location Tracking

Losses can easily be minimized with an efficient tracking system. That same system can also incentivize officers and other law enforcement professionals to take better care of their equipment, as digital records are often difficult to refute in situations where liability is under question. For vehicles and other specialized electronic equipment, an asset tracking system can work to record the operations, travel, and location of police vehicles.

6. Evidence Management

Managing equipment is only the first step in how good tracking software can improve law enforcement operations. It can be used to track precious evidence, making it easier to locate and look up the details of case files as they relate to pieces of evidence.

The Asset Tracking System You Are Looking For

Law enforcement is a difficult and dangerous profession. PMI Evidence Tracker™ is an evidence management tool that can reduce the difficulties of being a police officer, on both an institutional and personal level.

PMI Evidence Tracker™

For more information on asset tracking and management, send us a message. We are a Florida-based company owned by a former police officer, designing tools to make the lives of other police officers easier and safer!