In addition to providing day-to-day information technology and communications support for Bexar County government, BCIS has several Strategic Programs and Projects underway. These Projects were developed to provide new services, improve existing services, and make Bexar County government more cost effective and efficient by utilizing the best technology available.

Most of these efforts are being completed through either a series of related projects or as a multi-year project.

Please select a tab at the top of this section to review additional information on selected Bexar County Information Services special projects.

COUNTY INTEGRATED JUSTICE SYSTEM (CIJS)

Purpose:

Eliminate paper record keeping, automate the flow of information as activity occurs, provide better information to parties and the public, improved compliance with state and other requirements, more flexible system design, replace outdated old system

Project Description (Priority - Very High):

County Integrated Justice System (CIJS) – is a series of projects to modernize and fully integrate into one system the complex and diverse systems that are in place today. This will improve the accuracy of justice information, eliminate waste and improve justice services.The County’s current Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) is the result of an evolution of subsystems that integrated business processes related to Booking, Warrants, Jail Management and Court Administration.

• System structure is outdated and implementing enhancements is difficult and costly
  
• The Children’s Court handles some of the highest profile cases in the County but has no technology in place to support court functions.
• The District Court judges, District and County Clerks have requested a more sophisticated approach to the processes currently in place.
• Currently, applications and data for essential decisions are often scattered across disconnected, incompatible environments delaying critical decisions.

Expected Benefits

• With new technology, judicial and law enforcement staffs’ abilities to make sound decisions will be improved based on information being readily available

• A new integrated CIJS will improve the consistency, reliability of information, timeliness of decisions lowering liability risk to key decision makers
• A new CIJS will reduce errors in justice information by eliminating redundant data entry
• A new CIJS will lower labor costs and improve quality of service

Description of Program
Goals of this plan are to be achieved through a combination of evaluating options to buy components, and developing components using a team of Information Services staff. 

• Phase 1 – Requirements Definition and System Architecture Design – defining the functional and technical requirements for the proposed CIJS. Products that will be produced during this phase will be a System Design, the Outline and Strategy for a Technical Architecture, and an Implementation Plan which will be used throughout Phases 2 and 3.
• Phase 2 – Implement the Integration Architecture – will include the implementation of the Outline and Strategy for a Technical Architecture defined during Phase 1.  This phase should be completed before proceeding to other phases of the initiative.
• Phase 3 – Software Implementation.  Implementation will be addressed in five stages identified as Court Administration, Integration, Law Enforcement, Corrections (Community Supervision and Jail), and Support.  Upon completion of Phase 1, establish a priority for moving forward with the proposed CIJS and to determine whether the best option for implementation will be a bought or built solution.  Implementation will be performed in a phased approach and using an iterative process so results may be achieved at a faster pace. 

Project Timeline (Status - Overall Project on Schedule):

06/2009:  Refer to component projects listed below for individual project status

Q3 2007:  Project Office formally established and Project Manager hired

Completion - Q3 2012: Final completion of final phase of project (numerous phases roll out as early as Q4 2009)

Partners:  County Clerk, District Clerk, District and County Courts, District Attorney, Justices of the Peace, Constables, Sheriff, Pre-Trial Services, Magistration, City Courts, and other support departments

Project Manager/Point of Contact:  Bryan Roberts (210) 335-0227

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Project: Architectural Design

Purpose (Priority - High):

Sets the overall design of the entire CIJS system in terms of technical architecture to include databases, operating systems, network and other technologies; identifies products that can fit into architecture and highlights areas requiring software development

Project Status (Completed on time and on budget):

06/2009:  Complete

Q4 2008:  Contract award to MTG

Partners:  Steering Committee

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Project: Master Name Index

Purpose (Priority - High):

Consolidates multiple name indices into one, consistent central repository; shares technology with SAPD and other agencies for more consistent identification, enables searching in one place for all names; enhances search capabilities with wild cards and other technologies

Note: This project requires significant interfacing with old CIJS so that both can operate at the same time during CIJS implementation and discontinuance of old system.

Project Status (On Schedule):

06/2009:  Databases have been extracted, algorithms have bee formulated, configuration of hardware and software completed, civil, criminal and JP extracts have been sent for de-duplication and data exceptions

Q4 2008:  Contract award completed

Project Timeline:

Completion in fourth quarter 2010: Full operation

Partners:  City of San Antonio

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Project: Magistration

Purpose (Priority - Very High):

Replaces an outdated mainframe system operated by the City; forms the function basis for much of CIJS since it is the "gateway" to the system for many criminal offenders

Project Status:

06/2009:  RFP for Adult Case Management System (ACMS) has been released; proposals open in July, award in August; will include total project plan and Inter Local Agreement (ILA)

Q1 2009:  ILA with Council of Urban Counties (CUC) and Dallas County to hire contractor to develop the system

Project Timeline:

Completion in third quarter 2009: Four months for programming and approximately two to four months to deploy

Partners:  District Clerk, Criminal Justice Planning, City of San Antonio, Sheriff, Dallas County, CUC

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Project: Docketing

Purpose (Priority - High):

District Criminal Court added previously unidentified new requirements to improve the processing of cases in their courts; they report a new system will reduce the defendants in jail waiting for a trial

Project Status:

06/2009:  Planning meeting on Docketing held May 28. Process definition being initiated

02/2009:  Letter from Judges requesting new system

Project Timeline:

Completion - Pending: District Courts have reported they will not be ready to meet on the requirements until April 2009; until they have time to complete the project plan we cannot estimate completion; This may impact ability to start Magistration

Partners:  District Criminal Courts

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Project: Justice of the Peace

Purpose (Priority - Important):

Replaces an outdated mainframe system with current technology; integrates with the justice system to enable countywide case management; integrates with identity management; creates a common system for all offices

Project Status (On Schedule):

06/2009:  Final contract drafting underway by DA; Anticipate award at next court meeting

Q3 2007:  Original Project Office

Project Timeline:

Completion - 12/31/2009

Partners:  Justices of the Peace

COUNTY-WIDE CASHIERING, CREDIT CARDS, & ELECTRONIC CHECK SERVICES

Purpose:

Consolidate multiple systems into one common system, enable collections across departments (if department agrees), enables credit card and electronic transactions in person (if department agrees)

Project Description (Priority - Important):

As of January 2009, the County supports one mainframe cashiering system, one automated PC based cashiering system, and several non-automated cashiering processes.   These various systems and processes are supported by two different application development support groups.  The mainframe system has become outdated, difficult to maintain and does not interface with the other automated cashiering system.  None of the automated cashiering systems or processes interfaces with a common reporting system.

As a solution, this project will provide a standardized County Wide Cashiering System that will interface with the current Case Management databases and the County’s financial software system.

Expected Outcomes/ Benefits:  
The County-wide cashiering system will provide the following:

• Point of Sale Management
• Centralized Cash Collected
• Electronic Payment Management
• Electronic Banking
• Easier Integration with the Financial System and Accounts Receivables systems
• A more robust Financial Management/Reporting Module
• Integration with Criminal Case Management System

• Fewer staff will be required to maintain a single system
• Easier software maintenance
• Simplified workstations
• Greater reporting capability
• Better control

Projected Timeline for Implementation:

This project will be implemented in a number of phases. Below is a list of the departments and the timeline for implementation by the Vendor. 

Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 – Late August 2009
Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 3 – Late September 2009
Adult Probation – Early October 2009
Central Cash Collections – Late October 2009
County Clerk – Mid November 2009
District Clerk – Mid December 2009
Sheriff’s Office (Multiple locations) – Early February 2010
Child Support – Late February 2010

Below is a list of the departments identified for optional implementation services by the Vendor.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 2
Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Constable Precinct 1
Constable Precinct 3
Constable Precinct 4
Infrastructure
Elections
Voter Registration
Pre-Trial Services
Law Library
District Attorney
Medical Examiner/Forensic Science
Fire Marshall

Project Status (On schedule):

06/2009: Configuration complete; contract project staff selected; development requirements 95% complete; system training done; report training scheduled; reviewing reporting requirements

Q2/2008:  RFP released for vendor provided, off the shelf systems with some custom reporting

Project Timeline:

Completion in first quarter 2010: Deployment complete

Partners: County Auditor

Project Manager/Point of Contact:

Project Manager:  Toni Ramirez, Director of Special Projects, Bexar County Auditor’s Office, tramirez@bexar.org, (210) 335-2898

BCIS Point of Contact:  Jeannette Kriewald, Applications Development Manager, Bexar County Information Services, jkriewald@bexar.org, (210) 335-0228

 

 

FINANCIAL SYSTEM REPLACEMENT

Purpose:

Reporting compliance, improved financial tracking, replace non-supported old system, improved purchasing and budgeting

Project Description (Priority - Important):

The County’s current financial system, (AMS) is no longer supported by the vendor. 

Vendor selection for a new, replacement system is currently underway.

When the new system is selected, the BCIS Application Development team will work with the vendor to convert data and to create the many interfaces that will be needed between the new system and the related systems that are used by the County.

Expected Outcomes/ Benefits:  

Benefits of replacing the financial system include better management and tracking of funds (flexible reporting capabilities); a system that can be modified for integration with other, related systems; a system which can be maintained by the vendor; and ease of use for all stakeholders.

Status (On Schedule):

06/2009:  Finalist selected, final site visit and follow up site visit complete; permission to negotiate anticipated in June

Q3 2008: RFP released

Projected Timeline for Implementation:

Vendor selection is currently underway. Once the vendor is selected a project timeline will be established.  The Auditor is anticipating that the new system will be implemented by the third quarter of 2011.

Partners:

County Auditor, Budget, Purchasing County Clerk, Tax Office, Sheriff and others

Project Manager/Point of Contact:

BCIS Contact:  Jeannette Kriewald, Applications Development Manager, Bexar County Information Services, jkriewald@bexar.org, (210) 335-0228

Project Manager:  Toni Ramirez, Director of Special Projects, Bexar County Auditor’s Office, tramirez@bexar.org, (210) 335-2898

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS)

 

In Bexar County, GIS is a program and organization with the purpose to promote expertise within offices and departments needing GIS; to coordinate with City of San Antonio and other governmental entities for the purposes of developing standards for security, accuracy, maintenance, format of GIS data for Bexar County; to develop a Bexar County GIS technical infrastructure; and to provide support, expertise and training to offices and departments in the County using GIS.

 

JUVENILE CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (JCMS)

 

Purpose:

Comply with state reporting requirements, facilitate statewide searching of juvenile offenders, improved treatment of offenders, increase probation officer contact time with offenders

Project Description (Priority - High):

This project is a multi-county initiative with Bexar, Tarrant, and Dallas Counties and Texas Juvenile Probation Commission to develop a state of the art Juvenile Case Management system.  Each participating county has provided a product owner and technical person to be co-located with other participating county team members at a development center in Austin, Texas during the development of the software.  The project is estimated to be completed by February in 2010.

Project Status (On schedule):

06/2009:  First deployable release completed; issue with how Juvenile Courts will be handled; need to reduce final scope to remain in budget

Q4 2008:  Contract award to software development vendor

Project Timeline:

Completion in first quarter 2010 - software complete and deployment begins

Partners:  Juvenile Probation Department, Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, Dallas County, Tarrant County

 

 

CITY-COUNTY REGIONAL DISPATCH AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

 

Purpose (Priority - Important):

Create a single dispatching and records management system used by all major law enforcement entities in Bexar County (hosting provided by City of San Antonio), replaces old County Sheriff Dispatch and Fire Marshall Records systems

Project Status:

06/2009:  Bexar County entered into an Inter Local Agreement (ILA); technical architecture design presentations held with major users

Q1 2008:  Project Management Office established and project manager and staff hired

Project Timeline:

Completion in third quarter 2011 - RFP Ready for award pending City-County ILA approval by County on 2/24/2009; Development and phase-in approximately 18 - 24 months

Partners:  SAPD, SAFD, ITSD, BCSO, BCFMO, City of Schertz Public Safety, Bexar Metro 9-1-1, federal agencies via grant funding