Portland State Magazine Fall 2010

Professor takes to police work Warren Harrison, computer science professor and a reserve deputy, is helping officers access their cars' technology through voice commands. STACKED, RACKED BICYCLES. The University's new Montgomery Street Bicycle Garage has space for up to 77 bikes in its two-tier racks. Sorry, campus students and employees only, but a similar, larger garage just opened on Southwest Fifth and Harrison that allows public bicycle parking for a fee. 4 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE FALL 2010 EVERY DAY , police officers slide behind the wheel of their cruisers and take command of an array of technol– ogy chat does everything from operating lights and sirens to accessing computer databases. It keeps the officers multitask– ing-sometimes dangerously so. Warren Harrison knows chis firsthand. For the past six years, the computer science professor has served as a reserve deputy with the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office. He knows that electron– ics and computers are essential cools inside the patrol car, but they're distract– ing when driving. And officers lose access when they step away from their vehicles. His solution was to create a hands– free, voice interaction system chat works up to 100 yards from a patrol car. Harrison was inspired to do police work following the 9/11 terrorism attacks. "I just felt the need co do some– thing to help make a safer community," he says. As a skilled software engineer, he initially offered his services to local law enforcement agencies in computer forensics. But he tired of lab work, so he changed course and became a reserve sheriffs deputy. It was during his proba– tionary period with Clackamas County chat he came up with the idea of interfac– ing a voice-activated system with a patrol car's technology. A grant from the National Institute of Justice allowed Harrison to create a prototype chat he and ocher officers are now resting. Outside their cars, the deputies can send queries directly to their vehicles' compurers rather than use a radio to call dispatch.