New York City’s finest has just invested nearly $1 million in some cutting-edge crime-fighting technology: typewriters.
In an age when most virtually every desk in every home and office is outfitted with a personal computer, the city last year signed a $982,269 contract to purchase new manual and electric typewriters from Swintec, reports the New York Post.
And last month they signed $99,570 deal with Afax Business Machines to maintain laughably outdated Brother, Panasonic and IBM Selectric typewriters.
Why would the greatest police force in the world need typewriters? The NYPD incredibly still uses carbon-paper forms (ask your grandpa) for property evidence vouchers.
“It just doesn’t make sense that we can’t enter these [vouchers] on computer,” one cop told the Post.
While cops may not be thrilled with having to manage mountains of paper work with decades-old office equipment, at least Swintec sales manager Ed Michaels is happy.
“They have a lot of forms to fill out, so we’re still here,” he said.
(Source: NBC New York)
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2 Responses
The NYPD dept. of corrections buys new typewriters every year for prisoners who must provide printed papers to the courts, since the law doesn’t let prisoners use computers privately.
It has been written about a few years ago, how their from the only ones that still buy typewriters.
Oy! It brings back memories of my teaching myself on my mother’s Underwood with her old typing book. I still know my shorthand!