AUTOMATED RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (ARMS) To ARMS! Report Writing at the PCSO

BY LAURA L. SULLIVAN

Report writing is one of the most important skills that a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) deputy must master. Almost everything a deputy does in the course of their shift is documented in written form, from the simplest Miscellaneous Incident Report (MIR) that may just need a line or two, to the most complicated offense report narrative that may run dozens of pages. The Automated Records Management System (ARMS) is the team that enters law enforcement reports. It is an extension of the Augmented Criminal Investigative Support Systems (ACISS), the system manages most of the agency’s law enforcement records.

Doe was identified in part due to a photo attached to a Field Interview Report (FIR).

Next comes the narrative portion, which may be written by the deputy and emailed to ARMS, or may be dictated over the phone – it’s a matter of personal choice. “The only thing ARMS does in reference to the narratives is correct grammar and spelling,” Weschler said. “It’s the deputy’s name on the report, they’re the ones who are going to have to testify if it goes to court.” The reports are approved by the deputy’s sergeant.

“ARMS is a 24/7, 365 unit,” said Records Manager Tara Weschler. “So we, like the deputies, are here all the time. We never shut down.” ARMS has 26 members who work three shifts plus an overlapping Delta shift.

As soon as possible after completing a call (but more realistically, before the end of their shift) deputies call ARMS to build the report. There’s much more than a basic narrative of what happened – ARMS Records Technicians build the cover which contains multiple layers of information that will fully capture as much detail as possible about each event. Every person involved in a call – including suspect, victim, and witnesses – has their contact and demographic information added to the report. All vehicles or property involved also get their own record. The report might include supplemental material too. Deputies could include receipts from an economic crime or a photo of a citizen contact. Even when a crime hasn’t occurred, adding photos to the report can prove useful down the road. Just recently a deceased John

Each deputy develops their own writing style. “Some are very brief and to the point; they get the facts and that’s it. But some of the deputies are natural storytellers.” Are any of them really creative and lyrical – it was a dark and stormy night? “No, but they will describe the weather conditions in detail of some crash reports.”

There may not be a lot of scope for literary flair in an ARMS report, but the narratives aren’t meant for entertainment. “This becomes a permanent public record that could be used in court. The public may request copies so it’s critical that the report is complete and accurate.” The reports are also used by other deputies to gather information on an address, subject, or old case. Before they head to a call they may pull up any reports about the people involved and arrive on scene armed with valuable background information.

ARMS technicians like feeling connected to the exciting world of patrol, investigations, forensics, and other areas of the PCSO that write reports in ARMS. “You’re part of the law enforcement process without being on the scene,” Weschler said. “Unlike a dispatcher who is involved in the moment, in the middle of a crisis, we’re there afterward when things have calmed down.” ARMS technicians get the full story from beginning to end and who doesn’t like to hear exciting stories from Patrol? After tough calls on a challenging shift, deputies also appreciate having a sympathetic ear on the other end of the line. “It’s someone who understands the work of law enforcement to talk with about the hard cases.” As a result of this close connection, deputies tend to send the ARMS unit a lot of treats! Talking over cases can also help deputies clarify details in their head and the ARMS technicians have heard so many reports that they know what questions to ask to elicit all the most important facts for the record.

Almost everything in every report is public record. “Florida has the broadest public records law in the country,” Weschler said. “Absent a statutory exemption, the information goes out to anybody who requests it.” Citizens can request such things as incident and offense reports, crash reports, arrest affidavits, or booking photos by coming to the Sheriff’s Administration Building, North District Station, or by phone, fax, email, or on our web site.

Most requests are handled by Records, but there’s a second unit that also handles records requests: the Public Records Processing Unit (PRPU). PRPU handles requests that cover multiple areas of the agency such as Department of Detention and Corrections, contract bids, forensics photos, internal affairs, and employee files. Many PRPU requests come from the media.

There’s a mix of employees who work as ARMS technicians. Some have already retired from one career, while others are students who like the availability of different shifts so they can attend classes. The unit has good retention and of those who leave many go to other positions in the agency such as Information Technology, Property and Evidence, or Forensics. Working in ARMS gives them a lot of knowledge about the PCSO.

ARMS technicians have a lot to like about their job. Records Technician Holly Rushofsky enjoys the family feeling of the unit. “Everyone is so nice and we are treated with respect.” Senior Records Technician Connie Ashcom says, “I love talking with deputies and hearing different stories every night.”

Records Technician Karli Busch enjoys the way ARMS supports deputies. “Knowing I’m making the deputies’ day a little easier is my favorite part of my job. They have so much to do and keep track of on a day-to-day basis, so taking some of that stress off of them is rewarding.” She said that deputies who come here from other agencies always say how grateful they are for the PCSO’s ARMS unit. “Report writing takes up such a huge chunk of time, a lot of times hours after their shift is over, so having ARMS available makes it a lot faster and smoother than if they were doing everything on their own.”

Weschler has been with the PCSO for 25 years. “I’m still having a great time here,” she said. “I’ve never been bored. There’s something different every day. That’s what everyone loves about this job.”

BY JUSTIN WALSH, FITNESS SPECIALIST