Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Recruits Sumtotal to Curb Drug Abuse

Published May 26, 2010

SumTotal® Systems (Nasdaq: SUMT), the largest provider of talent and learning solutions, announced that the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (OBNDD) has chosen SumTotal’s software to build an online curriculum to stem the abuse of drugs, specifically methamphetamines. OBNDD will develop and deliver web-based courses with SumTotal’s learning and content management systems. SumTotal’s TotalLMS and TotalLCMS are part of a suite of software products that deliver, analyze and track training over the Internet.

For law enforcement officers, judges and medical professionals, OBNDD will deliver accredited training to meet requirements for continuing education and certifications. For example, OBNDD’s Diversion Division provides statewide training programs for professionals who work with controlled substances. Typically, these sessions advise doctors and pharmacists about scams, new laws and general methods to combat crimes. OBNDD is also considering an option to make drug training available via TotalLMS to a potential audience of more than 400,000 students and teachers across Oklahoma.

“A powerful weapon in fighting the illegal use of drugs is, of course, education,” said Don Vogt, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. “We believe SumTotal’s learning and content management systems are excellent products, which are perfectly suited to our goal of creating and delivering training for curtailing drug abuse, especially methamphetamine.”

In Oklahoma, as in many states, crystal methamphetamine is produced by clandestine laboratories. In the early 1990s, a new, easy-to-follow recipe for illegally producing methamphetamine surfaced across Oklahoma. According to OBNDD, the drug recipe has caused the illegal production of methamphetamine in Oklahoma to reach record levels.

“Combating the illegal production and use of drugs means fighting criminals who constantly change their tactics and probe for new ways to skirt the law,” added Vogt. “To stay ahead of criminals, we work to be on the cutting edge in terms of developing and offering the right education. We feel SumTotal’s product gives us the tools for doing just that.”

Merely updating and changing courses linked to the latest developments in the war on drugs can require hours, days or even a full-time position. To alleviate this burden, OBNDD will take advantage of TotalVersioning — a SumTotal tool for quickly formatting new versions of courses when the drug agency updates training. TotalVersioning automatically alerts law enforcement officers and their managers when a new version of a course is available. The product also tells officials when they must complete a new edition of a course. TotalVersioning also tracks a learner’s status and signals to managers when an individual is in compliance.

“OBNDD officials saw the inherent value in a learning management suite, and they were able to showcase this to secure funding from the Department of Justice,” said Jim Gill, director of Government Solutions for SumTotal. “We’re pleased they saw the merit of our technology and will be able to adapt our platform to address a specific problem facing Oklahomans.”

For more information about SumTotal’s products and services, visit www.sumtotalsystems.com.

Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Recruits Sumtotal to Curb Drug Abuse

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