A software problem is at least partially to blame for Westbrook Fire Inspector Lt. Charles Jarrett’s name being left out of the public arrest log following his Jan. 18 arrest, according to police.
Police Chief Paul McCarthy said the problem is “tied into a bigger software issue” with a new system implemented about five months ago, which still is not working up to expectations.
The city purchased a new software system in October for about $73,000 from New Jersey vendor Orbacom, which has since been bought out by the much bigger New York-based company, IPC.
The city maintains that since its installation, the system has not provided the capabilities that were promised by the original vendor. The city maintains IPC has not provided adequate customer support to get those capabilities on-line and has sought legal assistance.
Michael Nelson at Jensen, Baird, Gardner, and Henry, the city’s law firm, sent a letter to IPC on behalf of the city on Feb. 13 asserting that the system “is not as IPC represented it to be, is riddled with defects, and, indeed, does not include required components which Westbrook bought and paid for but which IPC never installed.”
“I think all of a sudden we became a little fish in a big pond,” said Greg Hamilton, Westbrook director of communications. “We’d call about problems and two or three weeks would go by without a response. (After five months) we should be working on customizing the system to Westbrook. Instead, we’re still working on problems.”
The major problem with the new system is that it was promised as a comprehensive tool that would enable police to keep records as well as access the state’s records systems in one system. However, dispatchers are using the new system to keep records but are also having to use a different system to access state data.
“My folks are doing extra work,” said Hamilton. “From the end user, the cop on the street, we used to have a better flow of information.”
“Looking up stuff for officers is very difficult,” said Jean Marie Malloy, supervisor of communications. “It’s slower because we’re going back and forth between two computer screens just to get something we should get from one screen.”
Other problems exist with the software, including the ability to retrieve information from its records-keeping portion once data has already been entered. “Most notably, reports such as the press log are inadequate for intended purposes,” said McCarthy, who pointed to this as a possible cause for Jarrett’s name not appearing in the log.
IPC Spokesman John McSherry said “my understanding is that both IPC and Westbrook, both before and after the letter (from the city’s law firm), were working to resolve things. I’m confident we’ll get there.” He also said a number of the issues between the city and the company regarding the software are “not IPC issues” but would not comment further.
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