Transforming Operations for Iowa’s Special Enforcement Operations Bureau: Zirous Drives Efficiency & Compliance with a Custom-Built Solution

State Agency Info

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Special Enforcement Operations Bureau (formerly the Gaming Bureau) was established in 1989 to uphold public trust in Iowa’s gaming industry. Serving as the state’s primary investigative and enforcement body for gaming, the Bureau’s Special Agents oversee criminal investigations, regulatory support, and compliance activities across the state’s 19 licensed casinos. Their responsibilities cover casino gaming, pari-mutuel wagering, sports wagering, fantasy sports, and conducting background investigations.

Overview

The Special Enforcement Operations Bureau (SEOB) of the Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) faced challenges with outdated paper-based processes. These issues led to slow processing and challenges with digital record keeping. To address these problems, DPS worked with Zirous to create a digital solution that would automate and improve their workflows.

Zirous built a custom system using Oracle Database and Oracle APEX. This new system digitized SEOB’s record-keeping and automated key tasks like data entry, reporting, and document generation. It helped agents access data faster and more accurately, while also improving compliance tracking.

The new system significantly increased efficiency, accuracy, and compliance, allowing DPS to manage cases more effectively and reduce delays.

The Challenge

The Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Special Enforcement Operations Bureau (SEOB) faced significant challenges with its record management and operational processes, which relied heavily on outdated, paper-based workflows. This led to inefficiencies in processing time, data inaccuracies, and limited visibility into their unit data. The manual processes could also reduce overall productivity and cause compliance risks, as there was no automated tracking or reporting in place. They also faced increasing maintenance concerns as their existing systems approached end-of-support. These operational struggles prompted DPS to seek out a solution to improve agent efficiency and enhance data accuracy, through automated, digitized workflows. Utilizing Zirous, DPS aimed to digitize their paper processes, focusing on improving automation, data visibility, and improved user experience utilizing a new, custom web-based application.

Solution

To address SEOB’s challenges, Zirous designed a tailored solution: a fully customized data storage and web application to meet the bureau’s specific record-keeping requirements. Recognizing SEOB’s unique needs, Zirous implemented a comprehensive digital transformation solution, incorporating a new Oracle Database and a custom Oracle APEX front-end application to streamline and modernize SEOB’s processes.

New Oracle Database Implementation

Zirous developed a custom Oracle Database designed to support complex case management, regulatory functions, and background check processes. The custom backend development features:

• History Preservation: A digital “paper trail” preserves record history and auditing ensures regulatory compliance.

• Integration with other State Databases: Ensures seamless functionality with other state systems, facilitates automated data entry, and process flows across departments.

• Master Data Management: A solution to deduplicate human and business entities across the system.

• Automated Processing: Backend events and schedules automate hundreds of processes, such as emails and redundant data entry.

Oracle APEX Front-End Application

Zirous utilized Oracle APEX to power a user-friendly front-end application that provides the following key functionalities:

• Data Entry and Viewing: Streamlines the entry of and viewing of case records, including data validations and historical audit tracking.
• Reports: Enhances the reporting capabilities on the system’s record set, including powerful customizations, aggregations, quick filtering, record linking, highlighting, exporting, and sharing reports across user groups.
• Access Control: Implements robust user access controls to ensure proper permission levels across departments.
• Process Flow Control: Automates and controls workflows for managing case lifecycles, notifications, approvals, and audits.

Seven Unique Sections: One Case Management System

The custom-developed application features seven different sections, each supporting a different case management process. Each case is managed throughout its lifecycle from creation to conclusion, incorporating:

• Agent Assignment Tracking: The system distributes new cases to users across six regional zones. Cases can easily be reassigned and can track multiple collaborating users.

• Lifecycle Workflows: User interface workflows standardize procedures. Status updates are communicated automatically. Approvals, automated reminders, and messaging built into the system keeps processes flowing seamlessly.

• Related Record Tracking: The new system was designed to link related records, creating a holistic view of interconnected cases and entities.

• Automated Document Generation: Automated workflows for generating documents improved the department’s efficiency and reduced manual workload.

• Automated Messaging: Nearly one hundred different types of official communications are automated.

• Document Storage, In-App Editing, and Signing: Documents stored in the system can be edited and collaborated on between agents all within the application. 

• New Report Building and Record Search: Agents and administrators gained powerful new tools for report generation and record searching, providing better insights into criminal, regulatory, and background operations across the state.

Additionally, the system supported nine different background check processes for employees and businesses, with functionalities including file creation, browsing, editing, and downloading. 

For the state’s nineteen casinos, the system also facilitates the tracking and completion of twelve different types of information requests and eleven regulatory procedures, further enhancing the department’s ability to complete and document its most common and time-consuming workflows.

The Impact

Today, this system manages hundreds of thousands of case records throughout the unit and can easily make adjustments and enhancements as units processes or state code changes arise.  

This comprehensive solution has significantly improved DPS’s operational efficiency, data accuracy, and compliance capabilities, transforming how the department manages its case records and processes. Operationally, agents statewide can receive case data several days faster without relying on physical mail, enhancing efficiency, security, and cost-effectiveness in investigations. The unit can better capture the regulatory and investigatory value of their work through the data points recorded throughout the system, and create reports for any desired metrics. The customized solution successfully modernized DPS operations, ensuring their performance in public service responsibilities are enabled by a powerful and secure digital infrastructure.

Quick Facts

Technologies Involved

• Oracle Database: The backbone of the system, enabling secure, scalable, and efficient data storage and management of criminal history records.
• Oracle APEX (Application Express): Used for building the web interface, allowing users to interact with criminal history data through a streamlined, customizable interface.

Highlights

• Digital Transformation of Outdated Processes: The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Special Enforcement Operations Bureau (SEOB) transitioned from inefficient, paper-based workflows to a fully digitized system. Zirous developed a custom Oracle Database and Oracle APEX front-end application to streamline case management, automate tasks, and enhance compliance, significantly improving operational efficiency.
• Enhanced Case Management and Reporting: The new system introduces automated workflows, comprehensive case tracking, and advanced reporting capabilities. It features seven distinct sections for managing different processes, automating document generation, messaging, and case status updates. This allowed for faster data access, better insights, and improved overall process visibility for agents.
• Impact on Efficiency and Compliance: The implementation resulted in a notable increase in efficiency, with agents receiving case data days faster than before. The enhanced data accuracy and regulatory tracking improved the bureau’s compliance capabilities. The system’s adaptability to changes in state processes or codes further ensures ongoing operational effectiveness.