LASD's dispatch system remains down after New Year's Day crash

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department computer dispatch system remains down as of Thursday morning after it became inoperable.

The LASD said issues with their Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) program are still ongoing and they do not know when the issue will be resolved.

The issue was first reported around 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Department officials were "made aware that several patrol stations were having difficulty logging on to their patrol vehicles' mobile digital computers," according to a LASD statement.

The department determined their CAD program was not allowing personnel to log on "with the new year," which made their program inoperable.

As the system continues to be down, the department is operating on "self-dispatch while the issue is being addressed," the department said.

The LASD said calls for service are still being responded to and are being manually tracked at the station level.

Department captains along with city and other county officials have been in communication about the situation. They are working to ensure that service remains uninterrupted.

Radio communications and 911 lines are fully operational, the department said.

"The Department is collaborating closely with our LA County partners at the Internal Services Department to find both temporary and long-term solutions to resolve this technical issue," an LASD statement said.

The department acknowledged that it has long faced challenges with outdated technology.

"Since taking office, the Sheriff has emphasized the urgent need to improve and upgrade our internal systems. In mid-2023, the Department issued a formal request for proposals to acquire a new modernized, centralized CAD system that will greatly enhance our capabilities," the statement said.

Department officials are continuing to work with LA County partners at the Internal Services Department to find temporary and long-term solutions.