Web-surfing laptops may be the newest weapons in a police officer's arsenal.

The city of Monterey is experimenting with a high-tech wireless Internet system -- also known as WiFi -- to streamline its agencies' communications. And because Monterey already has an innovative underground network of connected computers, setting up a wireless system even in the area's hilly terrain could be relatively simple and inexpensive.

"There are amazing opportunities with WiFi right now," said Deputy City Manager Fred Cohn. "We're doing some early planning, knowing we'll be getting deeper and deeper into WiFi kinds of solutions over time."

WiFi technology lets computers wirelessly connect to the Internet using radio frequencies. Working on the same principles as a cordless phone, laptops or handheld devices can hook into a central Internet access point up to 1,500 feet away.

If Monterey's wireless network is successful, city employees would be able to directly enter and retrieve government records from nearly anywhere in the area. For now, Cohn said, much of that communication is done by radio or cell phone through a third person who has computer access at an agency's office. WiFi would streamline operations, he said.

"The whole idea is moving information from where it exists to where it is needed, in the most efficient sort of way," Cohn said.

Boosting employees' productivity could also help the city's bottom line.

"We'll both save money and also get more bang for our buck out of existing resources," Cohn said. "If this were more expensive, we wouldn't do it."

The cost-efficient bang would be due, in part, to Monterey's extensive underground computer network, called I-Net. Installed "for pennies" less than three years ago, Cohn said, the city-wide fiber optic network connects 65 locations, forming a powerful parent network of computers run by the city. Adding wireless access points to some of these locations to create "hotspots" that can communicate with equipped computers would be relatively simple, he said.

The Police Department has been the first to try out the WiFi technology. Two patrol cars have been hooked up with wireless-enabled laptops, and one network location outfitted with a wireless access point. Cohn said officers in these cars can now log on to e-mail as well as police record systems.

Initial reports from the experiment have been good, Cohn said, but the government is proceeding cautiously.

"We want to go slow and on a small scale decide what works best," he said, and eventually hook up more departments, such the fire department, public works, building inspectors, and the library's bookmobile.

A wireless network would help emergency workers in the field, Cohn said, giving an example of firefighters and police officers at a hazardous material spill downtown. From the field, workers could immediately call up on their computers the government records about nearby businesses and storm drains, soil type and water table -- all information that before would have required several phone calls to various agencies.

And from their wireless laptops, Cohn said, "they could even control traffic signals to keep people away."

Protecting government records against hackers is a high priority, Cohn acknowledged.

"Security is one of the biggest challenges, but we can deal with it," he said, though he declined to provide details. "We're confident we can take care of the network."

Monterey's hills may also be challenging. Because WiFi works with radio frequencies, laptops should ideally be within the line of sight of the wireless access point. To get complete coverage throughout the city, hot spots would need to be strategically located.

"Because we reach so deep into the city with I-Net," he said, "it's easy to create what we hope will be seamless wireless access for the whole workforce."

Although free public Internet access in downtown or visitor areas may eventually be set up with the government's network, unlimited citywide public access is unlikely, Cohn said. Security is one problem, as is creating a computer network to handle such a heavy traffic load.

Cities such as Milpitas and San Mateo are already using WiFi in government operations, Cohn said.

"But a lot of places haven't begun to contemplate this at all," he said. "We're ahead of a lot and behind some."

The city staff has asked the City Council for money in next year's budget to set up three more hotspots and equip all police patrol cars with wireless laptops. The council is expected to vote on the budget on July 6.

Cohn, who has been in charge of the city's technology for two years, said he's looking forward to working with wireless technology as well as other computer innovations on the horizon.

"These things will have a profound change on how we do business," Cohn said. "The public will benefit. It won't happen overnight, but there are some truly amazing opportunities."

Regina Nuzzo can be reached at 646-4459 or rnuzzo@montereyherald.com.

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