Digital recorders have become an essential tool for the department in Minnesota. For several years, the department’s investigators have used them to take statements from witnesses and suspects. Recorded testimony is also commonly used during court cases.

“In the past, however, productivity was hampered by the poor sound quality provided by a variety of incompatible recorders,” remembers Bandemer. So the transcriptionist or the judge had difficulties with understanding recorded conversations. “That made it hard to transcribe. It’s frustrating when you have to rewind 17 times just to hear one word,” says Bandemer.

After some research, the department turned to the Philips SpeechExec Enterprise solution to obtain the clear, high-quality dictation it needed. Once the selection was made, training and implementation were managed by Philips-certified dealer Chader Voice Technology. They also provided small group training sessions for each employee. It took around one hour for each deputy to learn how to use the system. Since then, Bandemer has heard no complaints. “And if they’re not complaining, things are good!” he jokes.

Productivity has increased enormously. The transcriptionist needs minutes to transcribe what formerly could take hours. In particular, he found that the features are easy to turn on, provided ample recording time, and made it simple to save recordings without the risk of losing them. “It’s important to keep it simple. Make it too difficult, and deputies just won’t use the technology,” Bandemer notes. But best of all, he adds, “The quality of the recorders is exceptional.”