Police Get Mini Laptops

The modern police car is a multimedia monster, complete with a video camera, digital radio, laptop computer and cell phone. But where do you strap all that equipment on a motorcycle?

The Newport Beach Police Department appears to have found a solution with the Libretto, a pocketbook-size notebook computer made by Irvine-based Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.

“We’ve had full-sized Toshiba laptops mounted in all of our [automobile] units since April 1997, and that’s been great,” Capt. Tim Riley said. “We wanted to do the same thing for our motorcycle officers. The problem is size.”

Several months ago, the department installed one of the tiny computers on the back of a bike and took it out on the road. Like the full-size laptops bolted into the cab of police cars, the Libretto is designed to help officers work more efficiently.

While the police radio hasn’t fallen silent, some of the chatter has been replaced by e-mail. Using a wireless modem to connect to headquarters, officers can use the micro-notebook to send and receive mail, retrieve information on license plates and drivers’ licenses, and check for outstanding warrants.

Officers in the car units also use a CD-ROM that the department made for its staff. The disk includes highlights of local, state and federal laws, as well as police protocol when dealing with dangerous situations. That information will be stored on the Libretto’s hard drive, since the device does not have a CD-ROM drive.

The department hopes to outfit its 14 motorcycles with Librettos by the end of the year, said John Veale, computer systems manager for the Newport Beach police.

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P.J. Huffstutter covers high technology for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7830 and at p.j.huffstutter@latimes.com.