SALEM — Oregon State Police Trooper Mike Lopez is never sure what he might encounter. He can know a few important things though, like who owns the car and whether or not it’s listed as stolen. Likely it is just an average person who is moving a bit too quickly trying to make it to work on time.
Every day, law enforcement officers like Trooper Lopez help keep our roads safe and traffic moving. One of the most important tools he needs to do his job is information. At Oregon DMV, we connect directly with law enforcement systems to provide data for officers in the field. In the past, some important data wasn’t able to be updated right away and instead was refreshed every night. As part of DMV’s transformation, new computer systems will enable partners like law enforcement and courts to see changes in vehicle and driver records in real time as soon as they are entered at the DMV office.
“For my safety, it is important,” says Trooper Lopez, “Who the car belongs to, who is driving it, and whether or not they are authorized to be driving it. It is important for my safety to be able to know that the person I talk to is the person they say they are.”
