This was time-consuming as well as insecure for the safety of the officers. How It Works Officers use MDTs in their patrol cars to access a user-friendly screen showing selected information about calls that require a police response. Dataradio modems in the trunk of each patrol car connect the MDTs to a private radio network to complete the link between officer and computer. Emergency 911 calls are shown on the MDT, along with the dispatcher's comments. The officer can accept and update the call by touching an icon on the monitor.
Officers also have direct access to local, state and federal databases at their fingertips.