Louisville police add computers to mounted patrol

[August 13, 2011]  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Louisville police have added small, portable computers to the equipment used by mounted officers riding horseback patrols.

The computers, known as Mobile Data Terminals, are fastened to the breast collars and lie on the horses' backs.

Lt. Dan Assef, who oversees the mounted patrol unit, told The Courier-Journal the computers give horseback officers access to emergency dispatch and the police department's records management system instead of having to call in for information.

The terminals are similar to the kind of computers in police cruisers, but run on batteries.

Lt. Robert Schroeder, who oversees technology for the department, says each device costs about $3,300, and police currently have around eight.

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Information from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com/

[Associated Press]

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