We have a PD Sgt. who is pushing their new chief pretty hard on adopting the LEADRS system. My initial view of the system is pretty dim, but I wanted to see what the opinion was in the offices that have actually used it. Is it worth implementing or not?

Tom,

Why the dim view? I have been using LEADRS since its creation in 2003. It is a great system and many, many Troopers, Deputies and Police officers across the state use it. In fact, TMPA has been tasked with creating the same type of system for several other states and that number grows yearly.

One of, if not the greatest deterent to DWI enforcement, from an officer's perspective is not the lack of ability to gather evidence but the redundant, excessive paperwork that goes along with it. LEADRS cuts the necessity to do redundant paperwork way down and it cuts reporting down at much at 60%. Less time spent filling out paperwork means more time on the street and increased officer safety.

If you have questions about LEADRS, please contact me off-list and I will gladly answer your questions and/or put you in contact with the LEADRS team at TMPA.

I like it when reviewing cases because everything is usually in the same place so I can go straight to the page with what I want to check.

The officers here have used it for a while now, and most seem to like it, but I don't think it cuts down as much on the time for paperwork as they originally thought (but seems to reduce the time, to some extent).

I have not had a DWI trial yet where the officer used a LEADRS report, and I have been somewhat worried all along that they will get tripped up on what is in the report, because similar info is repeated in more than one place. I think this is generally a prep issue and not a down side of the system itself.

I have worked with TMPA for the last 4 years on the project and frankly I think it is a god send. They also have me on their update committee, so I do have an inside track to fix things folks don't like. If anyone has questions call me at TDCAA.

LEADING USERS

The following agencies had the most cases entered in LEADRS for March 2008:

Lewisville Police Department
Dallas County Sheriff's Office
Huntsville Police Department
Texas DPS - Conroe (West)
Texas DPS - Georgetown (West) and Texas DPS - Sinton (tied)
Burleson Police Department
Flower Mound Police Department and Round Rock Police Department (tied)
Pearland Police Department and Texas DPS - Winnsboro (tied)
Grand Prairie Police Department
Texas DPS District 2A
Texas DPS - Tyler
Texas DPS - Sulphur Springs and Lampasas Police Department(tied)
Texas DPS - Canyon
Boerne Police Department and Texas DPS Region 1A3(tied)
Texas DPS - Beeville and Texas - DPS Waxahachie (tied)


The following agencies had the most cases entered in LEADRS for February 2008:

Lewisville Police Department
Dallas County Sheriff's Office
Huntsville Police Department
Texas DPS - Conroe (West)
Burleson Police Department
Texas DPS - Sherman
Texas DPS - Sulphur Springs
Texas DPS - Beeville
Texas DPS - Freeport
Santa Fe Police Department, Pearland Police Department, and Texas DPS District 2A (tied)
Lampasas Police Department, Texas DPS - Waxahachie, and Texas DPS - Tyler (tied)
Texas DPS - Winnsboro, Texas DPS - Sinton, and Tarrant County Sheriff's Office (tied)
Magnolia Police Department
Baytown Police Department, Flower Mound Police Department, and Grand Prairie Police Department (tied)
The following agencies had the most cases entered in LEADRS for January 2008:

Dallas County Sheriff's Office
Texas DPS - Conroe (West)
Lewisville Police Department
Texas DPS - Georgetown West
Santa Fe Police Department
Burleson Police Department
Texas DPS - Beeville
Texas DPS - Canyon
Texas DPS - Sherman
Texas DPS - Tyler
Texas DPS - Winnsboro
Huntsville Police Department
Lockhart Police Department
Texas DPS District 2A
Flower Mound Police Department
Texas DPS - Waxahachie
Texas DPS - Laredo
Grand Prairie Police Department
Lampasas Police Department
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office