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Ocean Springs approves 30-day trial of Interactive Data LLC platform after council seeks audit logs and usage limits
Summary
The Board of Aldermen approved a 30-day trial agreement for a police data platform from Interactive Data LLC. Residents and aldermen sought assurances about audit logs, access restrictions, and what data would be accessible; the police chief said the tool would be trialed with supervisory controls and return with findings.
The Ocean Springs Board of Aldermen approved a 30-day trial of a police data platform offered by Interactive Data LLC after council members and public commenters asked detailed questions about access, auditing and privacy.
Brian Reising, a resident, urged caution and asked who would have access to the data and which databases would be used. "I think the public needs to have the answers of who's going to have access to this information," he said, citing prior problems with similar platforms in other jurisdictions.
Police Chief (Chief Di) explained the department's current investigative toolset (TransUnion/TLO) and said the Interactive Data platform was offered as a 30-day demo by a neighboring agency. "It's a more user-friendly platform, and it's a little cheaper," Chief Di said, adding that audit logs, supervised access and training would be part of the department's approach. He noted that policies already govern investigative-tool use and that supervisors maintain oversight of sensitive searches.
Council members pressed for assurances about written policy, training requirements, audit trails and disciplinary consequences for misuse. Chief Di said those controls exist for current tools and that the department would evaluate the platform during the trial and report back to the board.
The board approved the 30-day trial by motion and voice vote; staff said the department would return with investigator feedback and a recommendation at the conclusion of the demo period.
What happens next: The police department will run the trial for 30 days, collect investigator feedback and report findings to the Board of Aldermen to inform any longer-term procurement decision. The board asked staff to emphasize audit controls and to make any disciplinary or access policies explicit in the follow-up.
