Ashburn, VA – February 3, 2016 – The IJIS Institute—a nonprofit organization focused on mission-critical information sharing for justice, public safety, and homeland security—is pleased to announce the San Mateo California Sheriff’s Office Internet of Public Safety Things project as the recipient of the 2016 IJIS Institute Innovation Award.

Mutualink, Intel and San Mateo Sheriff’s Office receive the IJIS Institute Innovation Award at the Badge & Tech Benefit & Awards Dinner. Photo courtesy of the IJIS Institute.

The award celebrates the accomplishments of the Sheriff’s Office along with industry partners, Mutualink and Intel. The award, sponsored by Engility Corporation, was presented at the Badge & Tech Benefit & Awards Dinner on January 20, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.

With the Internet of Public Safety Things project, the San Mateo Sheriff’s Office is using state-of-the-art devices connecting individual officers, firefighters and emergency workers to their command centers, real-time personal biologic data, live body camera video, and environmental sensors. That information is then being securely transmitted back and shared in real time with remote agencies. The situational awareness provided by this new type of information sharing allows on-site and remote teams to operate in collaboration, thereby improving overall response times and ultimately saving human lives.

Steve Ambrosini, executive director of the IJIS Institute said, “Mutualink, Intel and San Mateo Sherriff’s Office are to be commended for their creative use of technology in the Internet of Public Safety Things project. The project demonstrates a high level of interoperability and innovation that allows first responder teams to interoperate and share information to accomplish their missions. Moreover, connecting real time biologics to monitor “health in the field” makes for a safer environment for our police officers and firefighters and can prevent injury or even death. This is truly groundbreaking innovation with a compelling purpose. It showcases what public and private sector cooperation can do to further the safety and security of our communities when they interact, brainstorm and work with each other.”

Honorable Mention for the IJIS Institute Innovation Award went to RegJIN — Regional Justice Information Network. The RegJIN network is a single law enforcement Records Management System (RMS) that supports users from across two States, five Counties and over 40 agencies located in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region. This system provides an integrated, tactical collaboration system used by hundreds of law enforcement officers for optimizing their response through improved information sharing. (Agency: Portland Oregon Police Bureau/Industry Partner: Versaterm)

The annual IJIS Institute Innovation Award recognizes technical innovation that has contributed significantly to the advancement of integration and interoperability in a justice, public safety or homeland security. The award, which is open to any company providing justice, public safety, or homeland security solutions, is for team achievement by an industry partner and a Federal, state, local, or tribal agency. For more information about the award, please visit: http://www.ijis.org/?page=Awards. Nominations for the 2017 Innovation Award will be accepted in September 2016.

During the Badge & Tech Benefit & Awards Dinner, awards were presented to IJIS 10-year members to recognize their long-term commitment and contributions to the Institute. This year’s honorees were Syscon Justice System, and Intergraph (Now Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure).

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About the IJIS Institute—The IJIS Institute unites the private and public sectors to improve mission-critical information sharing and safeguarding for those who protect and serve our communities. The IJIS Institute provides training, technical assistance, national scope issue management, and program management services to help government fully realize the power of information sharing. Founded in 2001 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with national headquarters on The George Washington University Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, the IJIS Institute has grown to nearly 320 member companies and individual associates from government, non-profit, and educational institutions from across the United States. For more information, visit our website at: http://www.ijis.org/; follow us on Twitter @ijisinstitute; read the IJIS Factor Blog; or, join us on LinkedIn at Justice and Public Safety Information Sharing.