The West Covina Service Group is a software development company and technology reseller based in the headquarters of the West Covina Police Department. You'll find the Service Group on the Internet . Innovative systems and good customer service are key to the group's success, Rossman contends. The Ultimate Specialist Service Group offers records management, computer-aided dispatch and case management software. Nearly 30 police agencies now contract with the group for computer systems.
Most clients are small agencies that have been ignored by private vendors.
After working with the company to develop a system that met the department's specific needs, the reseller ran into financial trouble. West Covina agreed to pay for some services in advance to help out, but, eventually, the reseller went under. By 1993, after several disappointing reseller experiences, the department decided to perform the work itself and hired two of the original vendor's programmers. We now have 28 agencies that contract with us for their computer systems. From its small office, the Service Group serves a population base of more than 500,000 people, with group members paying a monthly retainer.