The Record Management System used by the University of Utah Department of Public Safety is now streamlined to ensure all security calls are recorded into a single system, along with police calls. Connecting these systems makes it easier for police officers and detectives to access relevant dispatch calls that may have occurred before, or separate from, an official police case and provides more information regarding a victim, complainant or suspect.

This change is one of the 30 recommendations an independent review team identified in its examination of campus policies and processes after the tragic death of U student Lauren McCluskey in October 2018. Of the 30 recommendations, the campus police were responsible for 16.

The department immediately started evaluating the system, looking for ways to streamline the systems, according to U Chief of Police Dale Brophy. The department was able to complete the change within a couple of weeks.

Now, if a person calls to report an incident to police, an officer can click on the person’s name in the system and it will show any past calls or interactions—even if the call was for a security response, not for police assistance, which was the case previously.

“We can give our officers critical background information on past calls,” Brophy said. “In some cases, it may prove to be extremely helpful in order to put the whole picture together. That information is always good to have whether or not the situation evolves into a bigger case.”