In the late 1990s, Dan Merkle began to realize that California’s 600 law enforcement agencies each had different ways of doing business. There were a mind-boggling number of differences in these agencies’ policies regarding vehicle pursuit, use of force, harassment, dealing with informants and other areas.

While these agencies were all working under the same state and federal laws, there was no standardization of best practices, so each agency adopted its own approach to law enforcement. The lack of consistency led to confusion when more than one agency was involved with vehicle pursuits, natural disasters and similar situations, and that confusion created safety concerns for the public and for public safety personnel.

Merkle’s launched his company, Lexipol LLC, in 2003 to address these inconsistencies. With total capital funding of $100, the company has grown into a multinational company with more than 1,300 public safety agencies as subscribers.

Ninety-five percent of the police agencies in California now use Lexipol’s online Knowledge Management System, which includes law enforcement standardization and training programs, and the company has exceeded 30 percent growth for each of the last five years, all without infusions of outside capital.

Utilizing cutting-edge computer technology, Lexipol has become the nation’s largest network of law enforcement agencies sharing state-specific policy information. During the past year, Lexipol has begun applying its verified collaboration process to jail operations and to fire service agencies. The company was recently chosen to assist in the reorganization of the troubled New Orleans Police Department.

And in the coming year, Lexipol will begin providing its system to 911 emergency dispatch operations