In a matter of seconds officers can know whether a car is stolen, or if the driver is wanted or dangerous by tapping into the local, state and federal law enforcement databases. If an officer is dealing with a dangerous or wanted person, the computer sends out a siren to all cars out on patrol to alert them an officer needs back-up. How it works is the officer simply types in the license plate number and the computer screen shows who owns the car and whether it has been stolen. In the second step an officer types in the driver's license, name and registration and in a split second discovers motor vehicle history, and any warrants the person might have. The laptops will not release any criminal records, however.
Officers are also able to communicate with dispatchers at the police station.
When they type in a command they get an answer back from a dispatcher, as if it were a private chat room for the police department. The computers also cut down on radio traffic and the time an officer has to wait for a radio response. It's great for patrol officers. The Amherst Police Department first considered using these laptop computers in 1996. On July 9 the system was put into partial use in one cruiser.