City of Granbury Texas Police Department Digitizes Records to Free Floor Space and Improve Access
The City of Granbury Texas Police Department worked with Southwest Solutions Group to digitize police records that were using valuable floor space. Instead of investing only in high-density shelving for paper files, the department converted records into digital files to reduce physical storage needs and improve access.
Municipal police department records digitization project.
Project completed for the City of Granbury Texas Police Department.
Records included juvenile files, incident reports, arrest records, and warrants.
Paper police records were converted into digital files for electronic access.
The project included 168 record boxes and 302,400 scanned pages.
The department avoided adding more physical file storage and freed 240 square feet of floor space.
Paper Police Records Were Consuming Usable Department Space
The department was originally evaluating a space-saving storage system for paper records. During planning, Southwest Solutions Group identified document scanning as a stronger operational alternative because it could reduce the physical file footprint while improving access to records.
Physical File Footprint
The department was considering a high-density shelving system for juvenile files, incident reports, arrest records, and warrants. That approach would have condensed paper storage but still kept valuable floor space dedicated to physical records.
Limited Room for Staff Use
The department needed more usable space that could support people, workstations, furniture, or conference rooms. Keeping the records in paper form would have continued tying up floor area that could serve other police department needs.
Manual Records Access
Paper records required staff to leave their desks and go to the file storage area to locate documents. Physical files also limited simultaneous access when more than one user needed the same record.
Police Records Digitization Instead of Additional File Storage
Southwest Solutions Group scanned the department’s paper records so the City of Granbury Texas Police Department could reduce dependence on physical file storage. The project converted 168 record boxes, totaling 302,400 pages, into digital files indexed around the ways staff searched for police records. Completed files were provided through an encrypted cloud system so the department could access, download, and place records into its internal system.
Convert Paper Records Instead of Adding Shelving
The project redirected the planned high-density shelving approach toward police department document scanning. Juvenile files, incident reports, arrest records, and warrants were digitized to reduce the need for expanded paper records storage.
Batch Processing Kept Records Movement Controlled
The department did not want to release all records at one time, so files were provided in batches of about 10 to 20 boxes. Southwest Solutions Group processed each batch, posted completed digital files to an encrypted site, and then continued with the next group of records.
Digital Access Reduced File Room Dependence
Digitized records allowed staff to retrieve documents from their desks instead of manually searching for paper files. The digital format also supported access to the same document by multiple users when needed.
Controlled Conversion From Record Boxes to Digital Files
The department released records in smaller batches rather than sending the full archive at once. Southwest Solutions Group followed a document scanning workflow that included intake review, data cross-referencing, indexing, scanning, quality control, encrypted delivery, and final handling options for the original records.
Evaluating the Records Storage Alternative
Southwest Solutions Group reviewed the department’s paper records challenge and the planned high-density shelving option. That review helped define a digitization approach for juvenile files, incident reports, arrest records, and warrants.
Receiving Records in Managed Batches
The department sent records in smaller groups rather than releasing all 168 boxes at once. Batches typically included about 10 to 20 boxes, which kept the scanning process moving while limiting how many records were out at one time.
Reviewing Each Batch Before Scanning
Each incoming batch was reviewed and prepared before scanning. The records were checked against the department’s provided data file to support tracking and identify any items that appeared to be missing.
Structuring Files for Police Records Retrieval
Files were named and organized around the search paths the department used, including case number, last name, year, month, case date or arrest date, and file type. This indexing structure supported retrieval for juvenile files, incident reports, arrest records, and warrants.
Scanning Paper Records Into Digital Files
Southwest Solutions Group scanned the paper documents from each batch and converted them into digital files. This process supported the department’s move away from relying on paper storage as the primary access method.
Applying Quality Checks Before Release
Scanned records went through a human quality control review followed by a technology-assisted quality control step. These checks helped verify the files before they were made available to the department.
Providing Encrypted Cloud Access
Completed files were uploaded to an encrypted cloud system at the end of each scanning cycle. The department received encrypted login access so staff could download records and place them into the department’s main system.
Handling Originals After Scanning
After each batch was scanned, the department could decide whether the original records should be returned or shredded. Southwest Solutions Group had shredding capabilities available for records the department approved for destruction.
More Usable Space and Better Digital Records Access
The document scanning project helped the department reduce its dependence on paper records storage. By digitizing police records instead of adding condensed shelving, the department gained a digital access path while freeing measurable floor space.
240 Square Feet Reclaimed for Department Use
By digitizing the records and eliminating the planned high-density shelving approach, the department freed 240 square feet of floor space. That area could be used for other police department needs instead of remaining dedicated to paper file storage.
Records Could Be Retrieved Without File Room Trips
Digitization allowed staff to access records from their desks instead of physically searching for paper files. The digital format also allowed more than one user to view the same document when needed.
Files Were Indexed Around Real Search Methods
Records were organized by the fields the department used to locate information, including case number, last name, date information, and file type. This gave the department a more usable digital structure for incident reports, arrest records, warrants, and juvenile files.
Reduced Dependence on Physical Records Storage
The project moved the department from paper-based storage toward digital records access. It also preserved the value of the space that would otherwise have been used for additional records shelving.
Before and After Records Storage
Project images show the records storage area before scanning and the space after the department moved away from expanded paper file storage.
Considering Document Scanning Instead of More File Storage?
Southwest Solutions Group can help evaluate whether digitizing records is a better fit than adding shelving or expanding file storage.
If your department is managing paper records, limited floor space, or manual retrieval workflows, request a consultation to review your options.
One team from planning through project completion.
