COMPUTER PROGRAM ALLOWS VALLEY OFFICERS TO SPEAK UP.

Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Daily News Staff Writer

For LAPD Officer Kevin Foster, typing reports in the West Valley Division's busy theft unit has been a tough task because a gunshot wound damaged nerves in his left hand.

Now relief is in sight for Foster and six other West Valley officers who on Tuesday began learning to use speech recognition software that allows them to dictate reports the computer types out.

``It looks exciting. It should help and I'm looking forward to it,'' said Foster, whose hand ``gets really sore'' when he types on the keyboard.

Foster, 27, was wounded while trying to rescue a Glendale police officer killed at a Chatsworth warehouse in May 1997.

The West Valley Division is the first LAPD station to train its injured officers on the Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional software. Officers using the program dictate into a headset and the computer types their words out at up to 160 words a minute.

The software also punctuates and formats the reports.

``This software will allow them to stay on duty and perform their work to full capacity,'' said West Valley Detective Thomas Barnhart.

Barnhart injured his back in an on-duty traffic crash and grows tired when he has a lot of reports to type.

``The biggest advantage is not having to fatigue myself while doing the reports,'' Barnhart said. ``I don't like to fall behind because of my back injuries.''

The software also will help nonimpaired officers - many of whom use the hunt-and-peck style of typing with two index fingers, Barnhart said. He also hopes the system will prevent officers from developing carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful or numb condition that develops in the wrist and hand with repetitive movements, such as typing.

On average, a routine arrest report takes two to six hours for an officer to complete, Barnhart said.

``That's time they're off the streets. I think with the dictation, we'll be able to cut that time in half,'' Barnhart said.

The software, already widely used in the medical and legal professions, will be tested for two months at West Valley. City Councilwoman Laura Chick, chairwoman of the city's Public Safety Committee, convinced the manufacturers to donate the software for the pilot program.

Ultimately, recommendations will be made to the police chief for the program to be used at police stations citywide, Barnhart said.

Each software unit costs about $695, but discounts apply for software purchased in large quantities, said Renee Blodgett, a manager at Dragon Systems, Inc.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: LAPD Detective Thomas Barnhart demonstrates the speech recognition computer software at the station Tuesday.

Hans Gutknecht/Daily News