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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
September 26, 2004 | |
Author: |
Inspector Kevin McQuiggin | |
Phone No.: |
604-717-2564 | |
RTS No.: |
4631 | |
CC File No.: |
1007 | |
Meeting Date: |
December 2, 2004 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets |
FROM: |
Chief Constable |
SUBJECT: |
Upgrade of Vancouver Police Mobile Workstations |
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council approve the replacement of the Vancouver Police Department's Mobile Workstations in 2005 and 2006, to coincide with technological changes to be introduced in 2007 by Telus, and to migrate the Mobile Work Stations to the City's standard replacement cycle of once every four years. The 225-unit fleet will be replaced as follows: 102 units in 2005, 103 units in 2006; 112 units in 2009; and 113 units in 2010.
Funding to be added/(reduced) to the Operating Budget without offset and subject to Budget Review for E-Comm Levy and VPD Maintenance Costs as follows:
2005 $299,900 (includes one time costs of $45,300)
2006 $125,600
2007 ($102,800)
2008 ($173,500)
2009 ($53,000)
2010 $19,200
COMMENTS OF THE CHIEF CONSTABLE
When the PRIME-BC system became operational in the spring of 2001, one hundred and seventy laptop computers1 were purchased by E-Comm on behalf of the Vancouver Police Department and deployed in patrol vehicles to allow officers to complete their reports in the field and file them electronically.
The patrol laptops are linked to the PRIME-BC server via a commercial wireless networking standard which is now obsolete. The current laptops cannot effectively be upgraded to support this new service and must be replaced.
In addition, E-Comm's original equipment purchase plan aggregated laptops with radio equipment and dictated a 7.5-year refresh cycle for computer replacement. While our radios are performing well under this arrangement and will easily last the targeted 7.5 years, the laptops will not. They are now beyond their design lifetime and are wearing out.
Approval of this upgrade by Council will:
1) Address the migration to the newer wireless networking technology;
2) Ensure the continued viability of the PRIME-BC system in Vancouver;
Resolve the reliability problems caused by failure of aging equipment; and
Implement "best practices" for replacement of the mobile laptops.
COUNCIL POLICY
The City's replacement policy for desktop and laptop computers is four years.
PURPOSE
To seek Council approval for a sustainable mobile workstation replacement program for the Vancouver Police Department that is in keeping with industry (and City) standards and that will also provide for the upgrade of the Department's 225 mobile workstations in time for the discontinuation of CDPD technology in 2007.
BACKGROUND
As part of the E-Comm radio system upgrade, funding was approved by Council in 1997 for replacement of the then-fifteen-year-old second generation Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs). The VPD went live on the E-Comm voice radio system in May of 1999, but postponed replacing the data radio system and the MDTs pending mobile reporting and data access decisions. In September of 1999, Council authorized the VPD's participation in the PRIME-BC project. This project had an ultimate vision of information sharing among all police agencies in British Columbia, with PRIME-BC emphasizing the concept of one-time data entry: police reports are created in the field by the investigating officers and transmitted via wireless to the PRIME-BC database. Elimination of paper-based police reports improves efficiency; all information collected in the field becomes searchable, and easily shareable with other police agencies.
In the spring of 2001, one hundred and seventy rugged Panasonic laptop computers were purchased by E-Comm on behalf of the Vancouver Police Department. These "CF-27" and "CF-28" laptops were deployed in patrol vehicles to allow officers to access CPIC, CAD incidents, and to communicate car-to-car and with police dispatchers. The laptops also provided new functionality that:
- allow patrol officers to complete their reports in the field and file electronically;
- allow remote access to mugshots, maps, and Departmental policies and procedures; and
- permit remote access to the Vancouver Police records system and the retrieval of incident and suspect data from adjacent police agencies.
The number of mobile laptops increased to the current level of 205 units as the rollout of the new records management system was completed2. The laptops are removable and may also be used outside of the police vehicle.
Following an increase in the Department's authorized strength in 2003, twenty additional mobile workstations were purchased directly by the Department to increase the mobile laptop fleet from 205 to 225 units. These computers were not purchased under the current E-Comm equipment plan3, and consequently are owned by the City rather than E-Comm. This report includes provisions for rolling these twenty units into the E-Comm levy and replacement plan when they are due to be replaced in 2009 and 2010.
The patrol laptops are currently linked to the PRIME-BC server via the CDPD4 commercial wireless data service, which is provided by Telus. CDPD will be discontinued in February of 2007. The replacement of the current CDPD technology with either "Edge" or "1xRTT" (current service technology options) will provide faster, higher-bandwidth, and a less expensive wireless data service. Unfortunately, the current CF-27 and CF-28 laptops cannot effectively be upgraded to take advantage of these new services, and therefore must be replaced before the discontinuation of CDPD.
E-Comm's original equipment purchase plan aggregated laptops with radio equipment under the heading "User Equipment", and dictated a 7.5-year refresh cycle for equipment replacement. While the radios are performing well under this arrangement and will easily last the targeted 7.5 years (if not longer), the laptops will not. They are beyond their design lifetime and are wearing out. The mobile laptops have been deployed on a near-24 hour basis since their purchase in 2001. This differs greatly from the average 8 hour expected daily use of computer equipment in an office environment.
Industry standards and City of Vancouver policy recommend that in an office environment (like that in the City of Vancouver) computers should be replaced every four years. This approach differs markedly from E-Comm's 7.5-year computer replacement plan, and does not even take the 24-hour outdoor (all-weather) duty cycle of the police laptops into consideration. Based simply on total hours of use, industry standards would dictate that a standard laptop operating in this role be replaced every sixteen months. The ruggedized construction of the CF-28s has allowed them to last three times longer in this hostile environment.
The CF-27/CF-28 laptops emerged from warranty protection in March 2004 and the Department is now responsible for all repair costs. While costs are under control, they can be expected to escalate significantly as the laptops age further. Two laptops have already been retired as irreparable, their parts used to repair other units.
Computing technology has also advanced greatly: the laptops are becoming underpowered for the newer versions of the PRIME-BC software that are released on a regular basis. When PRIME-BC mobile software version 7.1 is released in early 2006, the laptops will be incapable of running it. In 2008, the scheduled date for laptop replacement, the CF-28s will be as obsolete as a Windows 3.1-capable computer would be on our desktops today.
In the autumn of 2003, a transition team led by the Vancouver Police analyzed several approaches to resolve these problems. This study looked at many options that included deploying personal issue laptops, use of unproven, bleeding-edge wireless technologies to implement an interim solution, and deploying standard non-ruggedized laptops. In consultation with E-Comm and City of Vancouver Finance staff, the group determined that a phased, two-year upgrade of the existing laptop computers to the newer ruggedized Panasonic model CF-295, with reduction of the computer replacement term to four years from 7.5, was the most cost effective approach.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
A. Existing Laptops
The CF-28 laptops purchased by E-Comm in 2001 had an original capital cost of $2.0 million and were amortized over a 7.5-year term. To date, the City has paid $1.67 million at an effective interest rate of approximately 5.4%, leaving an outstanding balance of $842,383.
Should the City continue to follow the existing amortization rate, $842,383 will need to be paid to E-Comm over the next three years at an annualized cost of $334,000 (unfortunately, the City could not benefit from substantially by paying out the existing loan based on the present value of the annualized payments).
B. Replacement Laptops
It is recommended that 102 CF-29 laptops be purchased in 2005 at an annualized cost of $202,100 and 103 units be purchased in 2006 at an annualized cost of $204,000 based on an amortization period of four years, consistent with the City's computer replacement policy. However, the net costs decreases due to the salvage value from for the existing units.
These two sets of laptops will remain in service for four years respectively and be due for replacement in 2009 (102 units) and 2010 (103 units). It is recommended that the additional twenty laptops purchased as a result of VPD's increase in authorized strength in 2003 be folded into the scheduled replacement at this time. Ten additional units will be purchased in 2009, for a total of 112 (102 plus 10); and 113 in 2010 (103 plus 10). In this fashion the entire laptop fleet will be assigned to E-Comm and subject to a viable replacement cycle.
C. Maintenance Costs
The operating costs associated with the CF laptops are generated by E-Comm and the City's Radio Shop through billable charge back work. The Engineering Radio Shop generates billable charge backs for minor repairs and laptop mount work. E-Comm employs a technician full-time to support connectivity of the 205 VPD laptops on the CAD and Prime-BC systems, perform troubleshooting of basic laptop problems, and perform first and second-level laptop repairs in-house. The bill-through costs for this position are currently unfunded at $65,400 per annum.
CF-28s - For the calendar year 2005, 103 older CF-28s will remain in service. These units will be out of warranty and VPD will be responsible for all repair and maintenance costs. The units are older and showing the effect of four years 24-hour all-weather field use.
Based on analysis of our repair receipts, maintenance costs for the remaining CF-28s in 2005, the final year of service, will total $70,000. Given that the current laptops have been under warranty, funding for laptop maintenance is required in full.
CF-29s - Two hundred and five new CF-29s will be deployed in 2005 and 2006. These units will be under warranty for their entire deployment period of four years. As such, repair costs will be limited to non-warranty items, typically occurring through wear and tear, and, occasionally, misuse of the equipment.
Non-warranty damage was a problem initially with the CF-28s, but was brought under control through improvements in VPD staff training, changes in procedure, and reorganization of the VPD kiosk, which is responsible for issuing and tracking patrol equipment. Notwithstanding these improvements, non-warranty damage will continue to occur, and based on our analysis will total approximately $60,000. These costs are currently unfunded.
Therefore $195,400 of additional funding is requested to support the repairs and maintenance of the laptops.
D. Summary of Financial Impacts
Table 1 provides a summary of the impact of the proposed purchase of 205 CF-29's over two years with the full repayment of the existing CF-28's by the end of 2004, and rolling-in of the twenty additional units (purchased in 2003 with the increase in VPD authorized strength) by 2010.
CONCLUSION
Council's approval of the report's recommendation will allow for a sustainable and cost effective mobile workstation replacement program and an upgrade to the Department's mobile workstation fleet in time for the discontinuation of CDPD technology in 2007. This approval will also ensure the continued viability of the PRIME-BC system in Vancouver that supports continued police efficiency and public safety.
* * * * *
1 Number increased to 225 units at completion of PRIME-BC rollout and increased strength.
2 As rollout to the Operations (patrol) division was completed, replacement of mobile data terminals (MDTs) in the Investigation and Support Divisions (detective offices and support units) took place to complete replacement of the entire MDT fleet.
3 This arrangement due primarily to the complexity of rolling new units into the E-Comm equipment levy structure. This purchase was coordinated with COV Finance, E-Comm and the VPD Communications Section.
4 "Cellular Digital Packet Data", a popular wireless service for connection to the Internet. The same service is used to securely connect the police mobile laptops to Prime-BC.
5 The newer CF-29s incorporate the new wireless networking standard (and are upgradeable to future standards), are compatible with current and planned PRIME-BC software, and integrate with the existing vehicle mounting brackets and ancillary equipment.
