New Pocket PC-Based Software Collects Data, Allows Diagramming
Right At Crash Scene

For the traffic division of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the pace is nothing less than full throttle. Last year alone, the division worked 60 to 70 crash and crime scenes, all of which, of course, had to be diagrammed to scale. The scenes included vehicle homicides, public safety vehicle crashes, homicides, and police officer-involved shooting incidents. And the pace isn't slowing down. "We've got 12 to 13 other municipalities that have their own police departments," says Sheriff's Traffic Investigator Mark Kimsey, "but they don't have their own traffic division. So, they'll call us to assist them in reconstructing their crashes."

With this kind of punishing workload, Hamilton County Sheriff's traffic division has latched onto the best and most reliable technology it could find to accurately map each crash scene, collect data, and then prepare a meaningful diagram. It hasn't been easy.

What to do?

Division Adopts New Pocket PC Data Collector

Recently, Hamilton County Sheriff's traffic division purchased a highly accurate and reliable data collector program that is used on a Pocket PC, called The Pocket Zone. Offered by The CAD Zone, Inc.(Beaverton, OR), The Pocket Zone can be used to accurately record measurements and quickly create diagrams--right at a crime or accident scene. Since Hamilton County Sheriff's Office responds to and diagrams so many crash scenes per year, a tool that could both collect data and diagram on site became very attractive-actually, a god-send.

"We wanted to be able to diagram a crash right at the scene," explains Investigator Kimsey, "and then shoot our points (from a total station) right into The Pocket Zone, which will put it straight into our desktop diagramming program (The Crash Zone). That's the beauty of it," the investigator adds. Designed exclusively for law enforcement professionals and crash reconstructionists, The Pocket Zone serves as both a data collector and a true CAD program. The Pocket Zone connects to many total stations and laser measurement systems, which allows the user to accurately record all 3D point and line data shot at the scene. The device also allows manual measurements to be used to place points, lines, curves, text, and symbols in the diagram. Representatives of The CAD Zone say they are currently working on drivers for other devices, and those will be available soon for download on their web site, www.cadzone.com.

Loss of Evidence Feared With Surveyor Program

Prior to adopting The Pocket Zone, Investigator Kimsey had mixed results with the other data collection program he used to collect his crash scene data. After downloading the data from a total station into another program, the data then was converted to a .dwg file so it could be transferred to the traffic division's Crash Zone program. Yet, Investigator Kimsey feared that this tedious conversion process could be tainting, or even deleting, some of the evidence collected from the crash scene. This, of course, could prove disastrous in a courtroom. A more complete and detailed diagram can be created by simply downloading The Pocket Zone's collected data points into the user's desktop drawing program. The Pocket Zone is compatible with The Crash Zone software program, and also supports AutoCAD, .dwg and .dxf file formats.

Now, Investigator Kimsey says, "After we download the data points into The Crash Zone from Pocket Zone, we complete the diagram, showing an actual photo of the vehicle, and then convert this into a 3D diagram. We have even animated , to scale some of our crashes," he said. Investigator Kimsey notes that The Pocket Zone is highly customized for law enforcement's data collecting and diagramming needs, saves time, and has a wide range of options. One option in particular that the investigator likes is that The Pocket Zone automatically labels vehicles (#1 and #2, etc.) on the diagram and has a wide range of options for descriptions of evidence.

Easy-to-use Features

The Pocket Zone offers these additional helpful features:

• Compatible - Supports.czd file format, AutoCAD, .dwg and .dxf formats
  
• Fast device control - One-button operation activates the measurement device.
  
• Automatic operation - Automatically connects points with lines or curves. "Auto-saves" every shot!
  
• Customized diagrams - User can automatically insert symbols with descriptions to show the location of details at the scene.
  
• Easy to read - Has 20% more space to view a drawing on-screen compared with other Pocket PC data collectors.
  
• Verifiable data - Generates coordinate data text files of all points taken.
  
• Full-color view - Use color in your diagrams to make details stand out.
  
• True 3D - True 3D line work, including 3D spline curves, in full color display.

Flexible Pricing

The Pocket Zone is priced at $599 per copy. The Crash Zone can be purchased along with The Pocket Zone for just $995-a $200 savings. Generous discounts are available for orders of multiple units. Shipping and handling charges are additional.

To order, or for more information, call The CAD Zone, Inc., at: 800-641-9077, or visit: www.cadzone.com.

Return to June/July 2003 Newsletter