Delivering it all for 25 years
by Ann Harvey

As appeared in the December 2010 issue of Blue Line Magazine (reprinted with permission)

The next time you catch a speeder coming or going, you might want to thank Mega-Tech. You could also thank the 25-year-old Canadian company the next time you put a prisoner in one of its improved, form fitting plastic rear seats. Designed to offer maximum space, they use an outboard seat belt so officers don’t have to lean their head or torso inside the car to restrain a suspect.

Helping police achieve the best results in the safest way using the latest technology is part of what Mega-Tech says it has been doing since its inception in 1986. “It’s an exciting and satisfying endeavor,” says company president John MacDonald. “In this particular market, we’re always at the leading edge of technology.”

In its early days, the company sought products to sell. Now, manufacturers regularly approach it. The company examines the product and makes selections based on fit with existing product mix and its expertise.

“We try to be very selective,” says MacDonald. “Mega-Tech has made a concerted effort to represent the finest quality products from the most reputable manufacturers. We’ve positioned ourselves as a one-stop-shop for police, fire and EMS services, which represent the lion’s share of our business. We also offer our products to others, including utility companies and public works facilities; those types of organizations.”

He notes that one-stop doesn’t mean being all things to all people, explaining that by focusing on what it can do best, Mega-Tech maintains excellence.

The company began with a small location in Edmonton. “Today we’ve grown to four locations. We are headquartered here (in Edmonton) and have offices in Chilliwack, B.C. (in the Lower Mainland), Milton, Ont. (just outside of Toronto) and Montreal, Que. At each of those locations we offer product sales, repair service and installation.

“Mega-Tech services and installs everything that we sell. Our salespeople can provide on-site demonstrations and organize product trials with customers. Because we have four locations, it allows us to look after services and companies that have national fleets.”

Customers have a lot of choice, MacDonald says. “Our product line is vast. We sell a wide range of vehicle equipment, which includes emergency vehicle lighting, sirens and control systems, in-car video systems, vehicle partitions, push bumpers for the front of vehicles. We also offer related equipment such as breath alcohol screening devices, flashlights, boots, handcuffs and duty belts (and video, which) is in widespread use in Canada and is the officer’s backup. It's for their protection and may provide indisputable evidence at the court level."

Direction sensing radar, which allows an officer to measure the speed of vehicles travelling in both directions ahead and behind, are part of a large selection of speed enforcement equipment the company offers, MacDonald says. Speed enforcement equipment includes traffic radar and laser. Radar's broader beam makes it appropriate for use in open spaces such as highways and country roads while laser's pin-point beam is more useful in high traffic congestion such as downtown areas.

Anti-idling devices are beneficial when police cars are parked at collision sites with lights activated to warn approaching traffic, MacDonald says. "These devices will control the idling of a vehicle and automatically turn it on and off to avoid battery drain. While reducing the fuel consumption, it will monitor the battery voltage, allowing full function of emergency lights and equipment. Ours is state of the art. It also monitors things like exterior and cabin temperature and can monitor most of the outputs that the engine is providing."

Mega-Tech also offers an integrated vehicle solution with a voice activated control system; brand new technology which is commanding a lot of attention, he says. "The officer speaks voice commands to the police vehicle, which then responds accordingly." This can activate such functions as lights, siren or in-car video. "It can basically interface with any of the equipment in the vehicle. It's an officer safety feature in that they do not have to take their hands off the wheel while driving. This system is designed to work for the officer while they are in pursuit. After apprehending a suspect and placing them in the back of the vehicle, the officer might turn the voice activated system off."

The principle of redundant control is used, MacDonald says. "There's always more than one way of operating that piece of equipment."

Mega-Tech has responded to another need: officer-friendly ergonomic mounting solutions for the various equipment - computer components, keyboards, radios, speaker controls and monitors - installed in modern patrol cars.

"Police vehicles more and more are becoming mobile offices, printing tickets and enforcement notices on site, and all of that type of equipment requires mounting," notes MacDonald. "It needs to be mounted in such a fashion that the officer is comfortable using that equipment for extended periods, but can also swing it safely out of the way and secure it in place while he is in pursuit. That requires a lot of creativity and product expertise."

Another relatively new technology - automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) - is being widely sold in the US and Mega-Tech has introduced it to Canada. "As the police vehicle is being driven, the system automatically scans and checks license plates against a "hot list" at a rate of thousands per hour," MacDonald explains. The system reads with ambient light during the day and infrared light at night.

Before an officer begins a shift, the system is loaded with the hot list, he says. When it gets a "hit," the system alerts the officer about the infraction, whether it be a stolen vehicle, robbery suspect or vehicle associated with an Amber Alert. "It serves for officer safety, but also prioritizes the type of infraction," MacDonald says. A warrant for unpaid tickets, for example, will be temporarily bypassed if another plate identifies a vehicle which might be carrying a robbery suspect, he points out.

The systems are gaining popularity in Canada, notes MacDonald, with trials being conducted in various provinces. In order to respect the privacy of motorists, the system may be programmed to erase data at the end of the shift.

"Mega-Tech is proud to play an important role in helping members of the public safety community do their jobs safely and to the best of their ability," says MacDonald.

Ann Harvey is Blue Line Magazine's Western correspondent based in Alberta. Contact her at: aharvey @ blueline.ca