When it comes to keeping officers and the public safe on the roadways while also increasing efficiency, technology has helped provide new tools for law enforcement agencies across the country. LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions has long focused on crash reporting software that saves agencies both time and money. Their BuyCrash solution, which has been available to law enforcement agencies since 2006, streamlines the distribution of crash reports by replacing manual paper-based processes with automated, online solutions.
This article appeared in the January/February issue of OFFICER Magazine. Click Here to subscribe to OFFICER Magazine.
LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions spokesperson Jared Tivnan and Aurora (IL) Police Commander Ted Grommes—Support Services Bureau, recently provided OFFICER Magazine with some insight into BuyCrash and why law enforcement agencies can benefit from implementing the solution.
What is BuyCrash?
The approach of LexisNexis BuyCrash significantly reduces administrative effort while ensuring crash reports are quickly accessible to authorized users, according to Tivnan. Reports are typically available online within 24 hours of being submitted to BuyCrash and can be accessed 24/7, providing crash victims and other authorized parties with convenient, around-the-clock availability.
Approximately 5,000 law enforcement agencies currently use BuyCrash to help improve services to their community and help authorized parties access their crash reports. The solution is available at no cost to law enforcement agencies to upload crash reports. The agencies can then use BuyCrash to eliminate the need to manually review, process, print and distribute paper crash reports.
Tivnan states that law enforcement agencies that use BuyCrash can save money by simplifying the process. “They can reallocate those dollars to more important, higher priority law enforcement initiatives.”
BuyCrash also offers complimentary features that provide data and analytics visualization tools, including Crash Mapper and Dashboards and Investigative Insights. Through the use of BuyCrash, crash victims and other authorized parties, such as the victims’ insurers, can access their crash report within 24 to 48 hours after the crash report is submitted.
Traffic safety and investigations
BuyCrash includes several features to assist agencies with traffic safety and investigations work. “Crash Mapper and Dashboards enables near-real time data visualizations of crash hotspots and trends so agencies understand why, when and where crashes are happening so they can inform patrols and the community to ultimately improve their traffic safety strategy to a more proactive, preventive approach,” says Tivnan. He added that Investigative Insights enables a nationwide crash report database containing data agencies can use to fuel investigations, including those related to drug and human trafficking.
“These features are agency accessed through the LexisNexis Command Center, our single sign-on portal we provide for agencies’ approved users to securely access Coplogic Solutions mission-critical applications,” he says. “The Command Center is a convenient administrative workflow tool that houses all of the crash and citizen online reporting solutions.”
Making roadways safer
According to Tivnan, there are components of BuyCrash that improve safety for officers on the road. The solution allows for exchange of information cards at the scene of a crash. “Officers can provide report details to crash victims sooner and get the scene cleared faster, which can help avoid secondary crashes,” he says.
In 2013, the Aurora Police Department transitioned to using an online traffic crash reporting platform, LexisNexis eCrash.
“At the time, the platform automated several tasks for reporting officers, streamlining the entire process and quickly becoming the preferred method of crash reporting for our agency,” says Grommes. “A feature of this platform included allowing citizens to purchase their crash reports online, which eventually became known as LexisNexis BuyCrash. This addition was implemented alongside eCrash to further improve convenience for our community and operational efficiency for our department.”
After more than a decade, LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions remains an integral part of Aurora’s traffic crash management system, providing benefits to both the department and the community. He says the streamlined electronic eCrash form has transformed how officers manage crash reports. “Instead of handwriting detailed reports, officers can input information electronically, saving time and reducing errors,” he says. “This also ensures the final document is more professional in appearance when shared via BuyCrash with the public or insurance companies.”
As far as making officers safer on roadways, Grommes says the driver exchange form enhances safety by reducing the amount of time officers and involved parties remain on the roadway. “By quickly facilitating the information exchange process, officers and citizens are less exposed to potential dangers, such as secondary accidents or hazardous traffic conditions.”
According to Grommes, the benefits of BuyCrash are reflected in its day-to-day functionality. “It saves staff time by eliminating manual report requests and provides convenience for citizens and insurance companies alike. This efficiency, combined with reduced on-scene time for officers, underscores the overall success of the solution as a modern crash management tool.”
Overall, the Aurora Police Department has been satisfied with the implementation and continued use of the eCrash and BuyCrash solutions, Grommes adds. “They have proven to be a reliable, efficient, and user-friendly system that benefits our officers, staff, and the community alike. The platform supports our goal of streamlining processes and improving service delivery, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions to explore innovations that enhance public safety and convenience.”
Tivnan says that the feedback from law enforcement agencies on BuyCrash has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the benefits agencies see while using the solution. “Agencies are often happy to share their experiences with BuyCrash citing the ability to become more efficient, improve service to citizens and gain valuable crash data and analytics visualizations to advance their traffic safety strategies and access to Investigative Insights to fuel investigations including human and drug trafficking.”
Aurora (IL) Police Commander Ted Grommes, Support Services Bureau, cited several benefits that the LexisNexis BuyCrash solution has provided his department:
- Convenience for Citizens: Reports are available for purchase for authorized parties online 24/7, which is particularly valuable for non-local citizens who would otherwise need to visit the department in person.
- Operational Efficiency: It has significantly reduced the workload of our records staff by automating requests, freeing them to focus on other priorities. Additionally, calls to the front desk, dispatch center, and traffic division have decreased as citizens can now access reports independently.
- Error Handling: The system's multiple search functionalities make it easier to retrieve reports even when report numbers are entered incorrectly.
- Revenue Stream: The department receives a portion of the fee collected (an agency fee) for online purchases, providing a modest but helpful source of funding.
Paul Peluso | Editor
Paul Peluso is the Managing Editor of OFFICER Magazine and has been with the Officer Media Group since 2006. He began as an Associate Editor, writing and editing content for Officer.com. Previously, Paul worked as a reporter for several newspapers in the suburbs of Baltimore, MD.
