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Chicago Tribune
02-08-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Aurora considers new $4 million public safety dispatch, records software
The city of Aurora is considering buying new dispatch and records management software for its public safety departments for just over $4 million. Through the proposed five-year contract with Mark43, Inc. of New York, Aurora would be replacing its Computer Aided Dispatch system used by both the fire and police departments as well as its Records Management System used just by the police. The $4.02 million price tag includes replacements for both systems as well as any work needed to interface the new software with others the city has. That's according to Aurora Police Cmdr. Bryan Handell, who presented the proposal to the Aurora City Council's Information and Technology Committee late last month. The proposal was unanimously recommended for approval by the committee, so now it is set to go before the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday. During his presentation, Handell called the software 'probably the most vital system for public safety.' The Computer Aided Dispatch system, also called CAD, is used to dispatch and track calls for service not only for Aurora's police and fire departments but also for the North Aurora Police Department and the Fox Valley Park District Police Department, according to Handell's presentation. He said that police officers and firefighters use a mobile version to get those calls for service plus see additional information such as notes taken by the dispatcher and location data. The other part of the software, the Records Management System, or RMS, is just for the police department, Handell said. The police and fire departments' records systems need to be kept separate, he said, because they each contain different types of sensitive information. Aurora's current CAD and police RMS systems are from Hexagon, but that software is at the end of its life and will no longer be supported in the near future because the company is looking for its customers to buy its latest software instead, according to Handell. Plus, he said many of the features promised in the initial contract with Hexagon were never provided or did not work to the city's standards. A survey of police employees also showed that nearly 80% of those who responded were 'very or somewhat dissatisfied' with the system, over 85% wanted the department to look at other options and over 30% could not find one thing they liked about the current system, Handell's presentation showed. 'Officers have to use this daily for responding to calls, writing reports, and it's not something that they enjoy using,' he said. 'It's not making their job easier.' Over the past 10 years of using the software, the city has spent around $8 million on it, which includes a $5 million initial purchase price, according to Handell. Since the city would have to buy new software even if it stayed with Hexagon, and since 'we're already unhappy' with that company, 'why would we re-sign with them?' Handell asked. Instead, 'let's see what the market has to offer,' he said. The city asked for proposals for new CAD and RMS systems in 2024, and 10 companies responded — but not Hexagon, according to Handell. He said those 10 companies were eventually narrowed down to just two options through multiple rounds of demos, and using Mark43 for both CAD and RMS stood out as both the better and least-expensive option. In addition to its 'significantly-lower price' as compared to the other option, Mark43's offerings had a modern, user-friendly design and a seamless integration between CAD and RMS, which may have been more difficult with the other option since it would involve buying the CAD and RMS systems from two different companies, Handell said. Plus, with just one vendor instead of two, updates and maintenance to the software would be easier, not causing potential integration issues like if the two systems were from different companies, he said. Unlike Hexagon, Mark43 is focused just on public safety software, according to Handell. Other departments across the country are using the company, too, including in places like Washington, D.C., and Seattle, Washington, his presentation showed. The proposed five-year contract with Mark43 for its software is fully funded, he said, through budgeted IT funds as well as 911 surcharge funds and police asset forfeiture funds. If the proposal passes through the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, it will then go before the Aurora City Council for final approval. The next City Council meeting is on Aug. 12. If the contract is approved, then starts the 'lengthy process' of converting data and implementing the new software, according to a staff report about the proposal included with the upcoming Committee of the Whole agenda on the city's website. While that integration process is going on, public safety staff still need to use the current software, the report said. So, later this year staff are expected to ask City Council to extend the city's maintenance and licensing agreement with Hexagon.
Business Wire
11-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Oakland Police Department Selects Mark43 to Modernize Public Safety Technology
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Mark43, the leading public safety operations platform, announced its partnership with the Oakland Police Department (OPD) in a technology upgrade aimed at enhancing officer efficiency, compliance, and data-driven policing. OPD is set to adopt Mark43's cloud-native Records Management System (RMS), OnScene (mobile application), and Analytics. 'Across California, there's a growing urgency to equip officers with technology that keeps pace with the demands of modern policing,' said Bob Hughes, CEO at Mark43. Located in the heart of the Bay Area, Oakland is home to over 400,000 residents, served by a dedicated force of approximately 650 sworn officers. Facing increased and ongoing operational and compliance challenges with its legacy on-premises system, OPD sought a future-proof solution. 'This systems upgrade represents a real step forward in our broader effort to modernize our IT infrastructure and systems,' said George Binda, Head of IT Enterprise Infrastructure for the City of Oakland. 'By partnering with Mark43, we plan to provide our police department with secure, cloud-based technology that enables them to continue delivering high-quality public safety services to our community.' OPD's upgrade to Mark43 comes amidst a broader shift towards modernization across the city. 'We are moving ahead with purpose to retire systems that have reached their operational limits and bring in modern, reliable tools that give our officers the support they need to serve Oakland with confidence,' said Dr. Carlo M. Beckman, Head of Information Technology and Strategic Initiatives at OPD. 'We want officers to come to work and feel supported, and that means better hardware like patrol vehicles or mobile computers and better software; Mark43 is a part of that vision.' He added, 'And because it's in the cloud, we won't be weighed down by the technological debt that can come with legacy systems.' 'Across California, there's a growing urgency to equip officers with technology that keeps pace with the demands of modern policing,' said Bob Hughes, CEO at Mark43. 'With Mark43, OPD is gaining a platform that delivers real-time data, faster reporting, and smarter decision-making — all critical to serving communities safely and effectively. We're proud to help accelerate this statewide movement toward innovation that truly supports those on the front lines.' Mark43 RMS, built on AWS GovCloud, delivers premier security, efficiency and mobility. 'While our current RMS has served the Oakland Police Department well for more than two decades, it was designed for an earlier era,' Dr. Beckman said. 'Moving to Mark43 will align us with current federal reporting requirements and provide officers with a modern interface with built-in error checking to ease the shift from summary UCR data to detailed NIBRS submissions.' Mark43 Analytics will power data-driven policing and real-time reporting across the department and community. 'We anticipate that we will be able to automate large portions of weekly crime statistic compilation and data submission to the Department of Justice. Ultimately, we will be able to direct our community members to an online dashboard where crime statistics are always available. That level of visibility will be valuable for our officers, our leadership team, and the public,' Dr. Beckman said. 'By adopting Mark43, we are reinforcing OPD's commitment to data-informed operations.' This announcement reinforces Mark43's continued commitment to advancing public safety across California and follows recent partnerships with the Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department and San Diego County Sheriff's Office. To learn more about Mark43 and how the platform is being embraced across the state, visit
