In January, 1999, a group of individuals with common goals met to discuss the development of a video-conferencing shared infrastructure within the Sixth Judicial Circuit consisting of Pinellas and Pasco Counties. A cooperative effort with Pinellas County Board of County Commissioner agencies, Court Administration and the State Attorney enabled the success of this project. The goals included providing an infrastructure which would have the capability of using technology in multiple ways thereby serving more than one public interest yet providing each agency with internal capabilities unique to that agency. An open system was envisioned in preparation for future technology as it becomes available.
Better use of public resources and public safety were also among the common goals. After two years of planning, the Public Defender's goal of being able to telecommunicate among all three of its offices and other agencies was finally complete. Personnel in Clearwater, New Port Richey and Dade City offices are able to utilize the equipment for a variety of purposes including a fourth unit placed in the Land Of Lakes jail. This utilization so positively impacted both the Public Defender and the Corrections personnel that in 2003 two additional unit were placed in the Land of Lakes jail.

The equipment has already been used for the taking of out-of-state witness depositions - thereby saving travel costs of assistant public defenders and assistant state attorneys. We have been able to join and participate in several conferences held by other state agencies. Our attorneys, investigators and interviewers contact clients in the Land Of Lakes jail facility from the units located in our offices in New Port Richey and Dade City without the necessity of traveling long distances. The equipment was used recently to conduct an employment interview in California resulting in the hiring of an attorney. Usage possibilities in the future are infinite.