Policy Text
Field Services Page 1 of 4 04/03 (REV 1/04)
Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) Equipped Units
The purpose of this order is to establish operational policy fo r mobile data terminal
(MDT) equipped vehicles. I. General
A. Mobile data terminals (MDT’s) operate under the Sheriff's Co mputer
Assisted Telecommunications syst em (SCATS). Through the termin al the
MDT can access various data bas e files on the national, state, and local
levels.
1. National Crime Information Computer (NCIC)
2. DMV and DOJ through the Ca lifornia Law Enforcement
Telecommunications System (CLETS)
3. Locally, through the k nown person files (KPF)
B. In addition, patrol units are dispatched through a computer- aided dispatch
system, via the communications center.
C. MDT refers to any computer te rminal installed in a Sheriff’s vehicle.
D. A detailed explanation of MDT formats/functions is available in the
CAD/MDT guide.
II. Log-on
A. Logging the MDT terminal into the system shall be a routine part of the
vehicle check-out procedure prio r to departing the station en-r oute to the
assigned patrol area.
B. Formatting and information is available in the Sheriff Depar tment’s
CAD/MDT guide.
Field Services Page 2 of 4 04/03 (REV 1/04) III. Event Disposition Codes and Data Base Inquiries
A. Event disposition codes and formats for data base inquiries are contained
in the Sheriff's Department CAD/M DT resource guide. The follow ing
guidelines are to be followed:
B. Inquiries into national, state , and local data bases shall o nly be made for
official law enforcement purposes.
C. Responses to inquiries sha ll be safeguarded against unauthor ized
disclosure and shall not be le ft on the screen of an unattended terminal.
IV. Administrative Messages
Administrative messages (AM's) shall be used for official busin ess only, and shall
contain no profanity, risqué or suggestive remarks. All AM’s a re sent to the
master printer log and subject to monitoring.
V. Self-Initiated Events
A. Self-initiated (“on-viewed”) tasks or events can be initiate d via MDT or
radio. The preferred method to on-view is through the MDT. How ever,
there may be incidents when the officer does not have time to s afely on-
view their status due to crimes in-progress, suspicious circums tances, and
etcetera.
B. Officers on-viewing events, v ia MDT or radio, shall include in the on-view
the type of activity, their ph ysical location and/or a telephon e number
where they can be reached.
VI. Vehicle stops
Officers have the option of ut ilizing the radio and/or the MDT for vehicle stops.
However, there is a restricti on against the driver of the vehic le from operating the
MDT while driving, other than t he few keystrokes necessary for en-route, arrival
and other minimal functions. If the vehicle is a two-officer un it, the passenger
shall enter the needed information . A one-officer unit shall us e the following
procedure:
A. To put the unit in vehicle st op status, officers should push the vehicle stop
status key, and whenever possi ble enter the license plate.
1. However, the officer has the opt ion to voice the vehicle sto p to the
dispatcher.
Field Services Page 3 of 4 04/03 (REV 1/04) B. Use the voice radio and advise the dispatcher to "update" th e vehicle stop,
then await a response from the dispatcher.
C. Relate update information by voice radio.
VII. Code 3 key
A. Use the Code 3 key to put t he unit in Code 3 status. The Co de 3 key will
send an administrative message to all sergeants, lieutenants, a nd the
dispatcher that the unit is re sponding in Code 3 (emergency lig hts and
siren) status.
VIII. Log-off
A. Officers shall log-off at the end of shift and will await th e "Unit Logged Off"
signal from the terminal before turning off the MDT. This will ensure that
the status change has taken plac e and that any pending traffic to the unit
has been cleared out of the system.
B. MDT terminal shall be logged off the system at the end of ea ch watch or
whenever exchanging vehicles.
C. MDT will not be left logged on w hen the vehicle is scheduled for
maintenance or at any other time when the officer will not have control
over its use.
IX. Restrictions
A. Formats, inquiries and transactions not prescribed by the Sh eriff's
Department CAD/MDT guide are no t to originate from an MDT.
B. Operations or transactions on the MDT that require more than a few
keystrokes shall not be attempt ed by a driver while the vehicle is in
motion.
C. MDT terminals are sensitive el ectronic devices and require c are. Foreign
objects and liquids should be kept away from the terminal as th ey pose a
potential hazard.
D. MDT terminals are not meant to be used as an armrest or work bench.
E. No instructions regarding t he functional operation of the MD T shall be
made by voice radio. Am messages may be