Synnex Push Into Law Enforcement Technology To Benefit Partners

Synnex has expanded its public sector technology offerings to help law enforcement professionals, the Fremont, Calif.-based distributor announced Thursday.

Synnex said its decision to create a public safety practice within its public sector group addresses a ’burgeoning need’ for channel partners to equip law enforcement professionals with the most up-to-date technological tools to serve and protect their communities.

The new practice will be headed by Mike Gambrell, former chief of police in Greenville, S.C.

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For Christina Vargas, an employee of Cooper City Fla.-based Salvant Technologies, the addition of the practice is a great comfort.

She said her company is just beginning to add services for a local public safety agency and thanks to Synnex, she knows Salvant will be able to take care of whatever technology it needs.

"Working with a distributor that has such a large reach really gives you the feel of a much more collaborative effort," she said. "We can offer anything a big police station has."

At Synnex, Gambrell said, there’s a value-add for partners that are looking to move into the public safety area. He said that with the new offerings, he’s using his professional experience to frame and provide reliable solutions to public safety offices.

Eddie Franklin, vice president of of sales for Synnex' public sector group, said the public safety practice is looking to focus itself around three areas: providing police officers with mobility solutions such as ruggedized computers, the connectivity that goes with them, surveillance cameras for both the officers and their beats, and proper storage and data security for police departments. Synnex said it will also provide a range of pre-sales consultation including assessments, device selection, migration strategies, technology deployment, managed care, business development and grant support.

Synnex’s announcement came during its Red, White & You Public Sector conference in Dallas, which featured an address by Edward Davis, the former Boston police commissioner who was in command during the Boston Marathon bombings. On Thursday, the day before the third anniversary of the bombings, Davis told more than 400 attendees that he supports a focus on updating the outdated systems that officers and law enforcement currently, calling it a huge investment.

"The technology officers work with is outdated," he said. "I believe in the officer on the street, and I want them to have the tools they need to do their job."

Davis said the best way to achieve success is to have a plan and know what resources you have.

He said that in his own experience during the bombings, it was the coordination of his police force, the surrounding communities and other law enforcement agencies that resulted in the capture and eventual conviction of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who, with his brother, Tamerlan, authorities said planted two bombs at the end of the race route that killed three people and injured 280 others. Tamerlan was killed days later while he and his brother were being pursued by police.

Vargas said she feels that her partnership with Synnex is one that will drive success for her company.

"We have to have a coordinated plan when we look to work with public safety," she said. "It is a pool of resources."