• Police departments produce more paperwork than any other agency.blue police lamp image by green308 from Fotolia.com
  
  Police departments and other law enforcement agencies around the world generate more paperwork than any other commercial or government mechanism. You collect details of crime scenes, witness statements, reports, supplemental reports, evidence catalog cards, chains of custody and other miscellaneous forms. All this paperwork is required so that all aspects of a criminal investigation are documented and preserved appropriately. Keeping track of this ever-growing pile of paper is a task that, by itself, generates additional paperwork. Using a paperless digital storage mechanism reduces costs, improves environmental issues and increases data security while it facilitates access to key personnel.
  
  

Cost and Resource Consumption Reduction

• Large archives can be replaced with smaller processing centers.public computers image by araraadt from Fotolia.com
  
  Computer-based report management systems, though costly in the beginning, prove to be cost effective. They also reduce the need for large traditional archive facilities. In 2010, an investment of about $200,000 will save a department millions in the 10 years to follow as the need for buildings, archival material and personnel decrease.
  
  

Improved Security and Access

• Digital encryption secures data better than traditional physical security does.schlo?? image by Annett Goebel from Fotolia.com
  
  The implementation of a computer-managed records management system will also triple security. Paper documents can be stored in safes and behind locked doors, but burglars always find a way in. When the data is digital, stored behind traditional physical security systems and scrambled in a 32-bit encryption code, the possibility of stealing the data is 1 to 100 million. Also, through encrypted digital direct and even radio-based networks, officers in the field can access much-needed reports where they could not in the past.
  
  

Less Support Personnel Required

• One man with a laptop can do the work of five people.businessman with laptop image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
  
  When a digital records management system is in place, you will no longer need a large work force to manage records, maintain facilities, maintain records on the records and maintain security. What was once performed by 20 or more people can now be reduced to fewer than 12. As many departments have done, a significant share of the remainder can be on contract basis, which will further reduce costs.