Samsung Electronics has supplied 10,000 Galaxy S series smartphones to the Chicago Police Department to enhance operational efficiency and mobility, the company said Tuesday.
The Chicago Police Department, the second-largest in the US, adopted Samsung’s devices to streamline operations, allowing officers to process information more efficiently while remaining engaged with their communities, according to the company.
Samsung began collaborating with the department in 2018 to test mobile solutions for law enforcement. The partnership has since expanded to include Samsung DeX and Knox security technology, which are designed to protect sensitive police data and improve system management, the company said. It has also supplied Galaxy Tab tablets to the Chicago Fire Department, which uses Samsung DeX in fire trucks to give firefighters access to the same interface across different devices.
The transition from 3,000 in-vehicle laptops to 10,000 smartphones allows officers to carry essential tools at all times, Samsung said. When docked inside patrol vehicles, the smartphones function like desktops, enabling officers to write reports and access databases without returning to their stations.
“With Samsung DeX, we have replaced in-car laptops with smartphones, significantly improving efficiency and mobility,” said Dennis Baliga, deputy director of IT infrastructure at the City of Chicago’s Office of Public Safety Administration.
Samsung Knox, the company’s enterprise security platform, helps protect police data while reducing smartphone setup time by 75 percent compared to three years ago, the company said.
The company added that its mobile solutions also provide officers with quick access to city service requests, licensing records and specialized applications such as the Department of Transportation’s hazardous materials guide.
“Between our Galaxy devices, Knox Suite and Samsung DeX, we are seeing increased efficiency and cost savings,” said Todd Maxwell, Samsung US director of business development.
By Park Li-na (linapark@heraldcorp.com)
