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New York City - July 2002 - Patrol deputies working for the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office in Littleton, CO, can now check suspects' local arrest records and other local crime information from touchscreens in their patrol cars with the help of ResQNet's ResQPortal, a software package that converts mainframe or AS/400 data to user-friendly Web screens without programming or the need to install special software on users' PCs.

Deployment of the ResQPortal solution was so simple that deputies and investigators began using the system within a day after it was connected to the AS/400 computer dedicated to storing local warrants, criminal histories, found and missing property reports, concealed weapons permits and other sheriff's records.

ResQNet personnel then spent several days assisting the agency in using ResQPortal's drag-and-drop customization utility to tailor user screens to the department's needs. The full rollout was completed in just three weeks.

Law enforcement benefits include faster information retrieval, a decrease in radio traffic, a reduction in workload for emergency dispatchers, and an increase in security because deputies no longer need to radio their information requests to the dispatch center. Data is accessed wirelessly via CDPD, the same data transmission protocol used by the department to retrieve information from state and national databases.

"We were looking for a quick and easy way to enable deputies to retrieve our legacy data from their patrol cars without having to reprogram our database, write Java code or install and maintain client software on our car computers," said Rich Hakkarinen, chief technology manager for the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. "ResQPortal was the only solution we found that could meet those requirements, and it allowed us to get up and running practically overnight."

More than 100 Arapahoe County patrol vehicles used to cover the county's 850 square miles are equipped with ruggedized Panasonic Permanent Display Removable Computers (PDRCs) designed specifically for public safety environments. The computing portion of the system, which includes a wireless modem, is installed in the trunk. The foldup touchscreen display is mounted on the dashboard, with a keyboard available for use when officer input is required.

When a deputy or investigator needs to search the department's database, ResQPortal operates transparently in the background to transform the green screens of the AS/400 into graphical user interfaces accessible by Web browser. Searches can be conducted by name, address, property, warrant or a number of other categories simply by tapping the appropriate button on the touchscreen. This eliminates the need to use a keyboard for many tasks and allows officers to work in a safer heads-up position.

This touchscreen functionality is made possible by ResQPortal's ability to add buttons, images, frames and drop-down lists to user screens with a simple drag-and-drop customization procedure. Other solutions utilize a keyboard-driven character-based interface that cannot accommodate the screen setup required for touchscreen use.

Arapahoe sheriff's officials are now considering extending their use of ResQNet technology to empower motorcycle officers to access local crime data from handheld computers. This can be accomplished with ResQ/ME, which uses the same core technology as ResQPortal to reengineer legacy computer screens to fit the size and orientation of handheld devices such as Palm computers and Pocket PCs.

Both ResQPortal and ResQ/ME automatically update legacy mainframe or AS/400 screens to HTML format through proprietary pattern detection and conversion technology, eliminating weeks or months of custom programming and also ensuring accuracy by preventing faulty recoding of legacy data. No software needs to be installed or downloaded to the user's PC or handheld because all functions are performed at the server. Both solutions run under Windows, Unix, Linux, OS/400 and OS/390.

ResQNet.com, Inc. is a New York-based software firm specializing in intelligent Web-enabling technology, self-service portals and human interface enhancements for ERP, CICS, IMS, RPG and COBOL rapid revitalization initiatives. The company aids e-business by providing on-the-fly graphical connectivity, integration, extensions and rejuvenation to host applications through Internet, intranet, extranet, and wireless enablement. Its patented drag-and-drop technology allows screens to be customized quickly and easily without requiring any scripting or programming. ResQNet.com, Inc. markets its products through a direct sales force and channel partners, VARs, OEMs and resellers, and through representatives around the world.

For more information, contact ResQNet.com at 212-482-8080 Ext. 4816, by fax at 212-482-8081, or visit the company's Internet Web site at http://www.resqnet.com.

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Colorado Sheriff's Office Wireless-Enables Local Crime Data in One Day with ResQNet's ResQPortal, Permitting Mobile Retrieval via Touchscreen