> So police departments should have to develop and host all their administrative software also?

Yes. We're in an high technology and information age. Police should be well-versed and capable of understanding the technologies and informations that people use.

> I think we can all see why that would be a terrible idea.

I don't.

> Police are like any other government agency or business in that they contract with the private sector for a variety of services that are not in their area of expertise.

Why shouldn't police (or some law enforcement agency) be capable of operating and maintaining law enforcement technologies?