The importance of municipal technology systems took center stage during Denver's preparations to host the 2008 Democratic National Convention. From safety, transportation and permits to communications, greening and public events, nearly all city and county of Denver departments and agencies played a vital role in planning for and successfully hosting the convention. Behind the scenes, Denver's Technology Services Department provided the critical IT infrastructure, applications and communications systems to link these efforts and enable city officials to manage the historic event. Technology Services was created in 2004 when Mayor John Hickenlooper consolidated the city's fragmented IT operations into one integrated agency serving the city's technology needs.
"Over the past several years, Denver has made significant investments in information technology and communications systems," said Chief Information Officer Molly Rauzi. "From our two-year-old 3-1-1 customer service system to our upgraded public safety communications systems, these investments are tremendous assets not only during large-scale events like a national political convention, but each and every day."
External Communications Tools
Disseminating information to local residents and businesses, the media and visitors was a critical function of Denver's convention preparations and operations. Technology Services' external communications tools played an important role in these efforts:- Denver 8 TV: A variety of nonpartisan educational and public information programs were produced for the city and county of Denver's municipal television station -- in partnership with the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau -- in advance of the convention. Additionally, Denver 8 provided coverage of nonpartisan, city-sponsored public engagement events during convention week. Programming was available to Denver 8 TV viewers and online.
- DenverGov.org: Activity on the city and county of Denver's Web site swelled to 56,130 average visits per day during the Convention, a 177 percent increase from normal daily averages. The Web site was optimized in advance to handle the increased traffic.
- 3-1-1: Launched in July 2006 to provide convenient one-call access for all city services and information, the 3-1-1 customer service call center utilized two auxiliary phone centers in the month leading up to -- and during -- the convention to handle the additional DNC-related call volume, which increased 18 percent during the week of the convention itself. Ninety volunteers were trained to man the phones in the auxiliary call centers and use 3-1-1's PeopleSoft Customer Relationships Management (CRM) application for case- tracking and answering questions.
- DenverMaps/GIS: As part of Denver's commitment to host the greenest national political convention ever, Denver's Geographic Information Systems (GIS) group created a walking and biking guide/map that was distributed to delegates, visitors and residents.
Emergency Communications and Operations
Local, state and federal law enforcement partners collaborated to ensure that the highest levels of public safety were maintained for this federally-designated National Special Security Event (NSSE). Denver's Technology Services Department provided the integrated infrastructure used for emergency communications during the convention, with costs covered by the federal security funds both host cities received:- Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Joint Information Center (JIC): An enduring legacy of convention preparations are Denver's enhanced state-of-the-art EOC and the newly-created JIC -- located within Denver's Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Technology Services worked with OEM and other city agencies to equip the EOC and JIC with the necessary IT and telecommunications equipment, applications and secure paths of communication. Additionally, multiple command and dispatch centers were outfitted to enable the management of safety and traffic operations from centralized locations.
- Secure Radio System: In addition to the large-scale deployment of secure radios to safety personnel, Technology Services set up a system allowing regional police and fire departments to access the radio system
- from cell phones and installed radios in all official DNC vehicles. Technology Services also coordinated with the state of Colorado to develop a comprehensive radio matrix for DNC operations, which included adding building coverage to the Pepsi Center (Convention Hall).
- High Activity Location Observation (HALO) System: Technology Services worked with the Denver Police Department to build the network infrastructure to support its video monitoring project. Video cameras provided real-time, high-resolution video of key areas -- viewable from multiple locations and by multiple agencies, including regional police departments, the Public Works Department and federal law enforcement officials.
Convention Planning
Technology Services played a principal role in Denver's planning and preparations to host the Democratic National Convention.- Common Operating Picture (COP): To aid in critical infrastructure protection and emergency response management, Technology Services created a COP through the sharing of data, applications, and Web services with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CPDHE), state of Colorado, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Safety Office of Policy Analysis (SOPA), Secret Service and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA).
- Emergency Operations Center Planning: In addition to adding a WebEOC application for real-time situational awareness and mission-tasking within the Office of Emergency Management's Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Technology Services also created planning, logistical, and tactical GIS maps -- available in hard-copy, on television monitors, and on a smart board for situational analysis in the OEM.
- Facility Improvements: In order to make these technologies work, multiple facility improvements were undertaken, including technology updates for the back-up 911/Multi Agency Dispatch (MAD) center, which allowed dispatching between Denver, neighboring jurisdictions and the Colorado Department of Public Safety. Technology Services was also responsible for technology support and implementation for the Multi-Agency Communications Center (MACC).
- Accessible Systems: Technology Services installed a direct connection between the Denver Police Department Crime Lab's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) and the federal fingerprint database. They also set up a new DPD command vehicle with radios, computers, telephones, wireless Internet and satellite communications, which provided law enforcement command staff with mobile access to multiple safety systems.
- Temporary Arrestee Processing Center: While widespread arrests did not ultimately occur during the convention, city officials were obligated to plan for their possibility given the large volume of people attending the convention and the stated intention of many groups to deliberately get arrested. Technology Service modified the Denver Sheriffs Department's justice management system to include a temporary arrestee processing site, which included the installation of phones, computers, printers, mug shot and fingerprint stations, cameras, and additional technological capabilities.
