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Bowling Green approves $706,959 purchase of mobile data computers for police and fire vehicles
Summary
City council approved purchase of roughly 150 mobile data computers (MDCs) from Law and Order Technology LLC for about $706,959 to replace aging Windows 10 devices and add barcode scanning capability.
The Bowling Green Board of Commissioners approved a contract to buy mobile data computers for police cruisers, motorcycles and some fire apparatus, citing compatibility needs with an imminent Windows 11 transition.
Assistant City Manager/City Manager staff said the low bid from Law and Order Technology LLC of Boynton Beach, Florida, was for $706,959.04 and covers roughly 150 devices intended to be semi-rugged units rather than previously used fully-rugged laptops. The equipment includes a built-in barcode reader to speed data entry, and the purchase carries a three-year warranty with replacement coverage for failures.
City IT Director Danita (Denita) Weeks presented the devices and answered commissioners’ questions. Weeks said officers tested the semi-rugged devices and preferred them because they are lighter and faster than the older units. "They prefer the semi-rugged because it's actually a lot lighter," Weeks said. "They're faster, newer technology." Weeks also explained patrol and motorcycle installs will use the same device with different mounts and that fire trucks will use a smaller Panasonic Toughbook-type device chosen in consultation with firefighters.
Why it matters: MDCs are used as mobile workstations in patrol cars and some emergency vehicles; modern, faster devices reduce time officers spend returning to stations for data entry and add capabilities such as integrated scanning.
Costs and procurement details: the city accepted the low bid from Law and Order Technology LLC in an amount not to exceed $706,959.04. Staff said three bids were received and the devices were specified as "semi-rugged" to strike a balance between durability and cost.
No formal dissent: Commissioners asked operational questions and expressed support; the item passed unanimously on roll call.
Next steps: Information-technology and public-safety staff will coordinate deployment and equipment mounting across patrol, motorcycle and fire vehicle platforms.
