Orange County Wins National Award for Unified Police Records System

Orange County was honored nationally on November 24, 2025 by Niche Technology, Inc. for its strategic, countywide implementation of the Niche Records Management System. The recognition follows an earlier award from the Center for Digital Government in 2025, underscoring the county effort to modernize police records and improve public safety administration.

County Executive Steve Neuhaus and local public safety leaders highlighted the role of interstate collaboration that helped consolidate multiple law enforcement agencies onto a unified records platform. Officials credited the integrated system with streamlining data sharing, reducing administrative duplication, and strengthening coordination among municipal, county, and regional partners. The county posted the announcement on its official website, noting that several departments and leaders contributed to the project.

The initiative received partial funding from a $1.7 million Discovery Reform Grant awarded in 2021 to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. That grant was intended to support discovery reforms and case management improvements, and county leaders say the NicheRMS deployment represents a tangible outcome of those investments. The integrated records system is intended to make case information more accessible to authorized agencies, improving the speed and accuracy of investigations and prosecutions.

For Orange County residents the practical effects include more coordinated responses to events that cross municipal boundaries, improved transparency in records and reporting, and the potential for faster access to information by public safety agencies. Consolidation onto a single platform can reduce delays when incidents involve multiple jurisdictions, which local leaders say improves safety and accountability.

The national accolades place Orange County among jurisdictions that have prioritized technological upgrades to public safety systems, and they reinforce the county message that investment in shared digital infrastructure delivers both operational benefits and greater transparency for the community. County officials indicated the work will continue as agencies refine workflows and expand the system to maximize interoperability across the region.