“Right now it’s (server) down and it may be down three to four days,” Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner said. “It appears to be a hardware failure.”
Horner said there are multiple contributing factors that led to the failure.
“We planned replacement of the server several years ago,” Horner said. “And due to the delay of getting into a facility, and a combination of the server being exposed to dust, debris and aerosols used to try to fumigate mold in the Police Department by a previous company back in January — I think it was a combination of things.”
Horner said citizens might experience delays in obtaining records and communicating via email. The mobile computer systems in police cars has also failed, as a result of the server failure. Delays in dispatching and response of police to calls for service could result.
“The last six years we made the transition to communication via in-car computers and that effectively has been terminated,” Horner said. “So we have gone back to the old method of paper and pen. And at some point when we are back up online somebody will have to sit and input all of that information again.”
The Portsmouth Police Department, in cooperation with two computer companies, is working aggressively to continue an efficient service to the citizens of Portsmouth.
“We’ve got a window of about two months since the last backup,” Horner said. “And we’re hoping to recover most, if not all, the data.”
Horner said he took one of the new servers his department had acquired over a year ago, for the technicians to use for transferring information off the old server.
“They (computer company) have recommended that we not put it back in that Police Department area because of the remediation that is completely going on,” Horner said.
Horner said work is being done by the company contracted to handling computer issues.
“I’m asking for the cooperation and understanding of citizens during this trying period,” Horner said. “The Portsmouth Police Department will continue to attempt to provide a high level of service in less than desirable conditions and time.”
FRANK LEWIS may be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232, or flewis@heartlandpublications.com.
Portsmouth OH is an isolated and land-locked island. No parcels of land to create industry. The surrounding demographics also work against it.
Also, Scioto Countys deep seated union offense/defense mentality is a big factor too.
There is not much a mayor or councilman can do to attract "job creators" other than get its own house in order.
Seriously doubt the aerosols had anything to do with it. It takes a lot of dust and debris to cause a server malfunction.
The police department should respect and treat their electronic equipment with more respect. Keep the stuff clean. Any good business depending on computer services would have a maintenance schedule that costs hardly anything. More of a state of mind.
They want to tax the few people who work in this welfare city even more.
They spend two hours at the last council meeting deciding on a new city clerk. They have not spent 5 minutes in the last 10 years discussing recruiting new industy in this city.
If you graduate from Portsmouth High School this year, where do you go to apply within the City Limits of Portsmouth for a living wage job to by a house, car, and raise a family ?
This Mayor and the last 3 did not recruit any Industry. They have no clue how to do it.
Why does every other city in Ohio continually have new industry and jobs locating within their city limits ? Because they recruit. Call the Mayor or any City Council Member, ask them whom in their terms in office they have contacted about giving a package, tax abatement to locate their industry in Portsmouth. The answer is zero.
They only buy 2 million dollar Martings Buildings from their local buddies, and want you to pass an income tax levy in November.