New Smartphones Will Impact Columbia’s Police Department

Columbia, SC (WOLO)– The Columbia Police Department is getting smarter. New smartphones will be in the hands of every single officer soon. The Columbia Police Department said using smartphones will improve their capability to address crime concerns by allowing them easier access to internal information, sharing information and connecting with the community more on social media.

“It’s a total game changer, in my opinion.  We’re in a digital media age, where our officers have their personal cell phones and we’re essentially connected to it. So, by having that instant access to officers, it gives us the opportunity to securely send and receive internal correspondence, but it also gives us the opportunity to correspond externally with the community,” Lt. Robert Calby said, Exec. Officer of Columbia’s Southern Region.

Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said CPD expects the new phones to connect officers with the community they serve, but especially young adults.  He said it is critical in the “real time” era of policing they are now living in. They believe the smart phones will increase their ability to obtain and process information. Chief Holbrook said the phones are going to help them share pictures, information, and even dial into the city’s video surveillance cameras sometime in the future.

“It’s us keeping up with the ever changing and advancing social media platforms that are being used today. We know it’s very important for us to give timely and correct information, and have a correct narrative about things that happen both internally with us as an agency, but also as crime as it occurs,” Chief Holbrook said. Many in the department said the thing that makes Columbia’s Police Department stand out is their connection to the community. With new initiates like Coffee with a Cop, Front Porch Roll Call, and Bigs in Blue, they’re hoping the community will be more comfortable communicating with them.