From Pathfinder to AutoScene Draw: The Story of SmartSafety Software
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- 5 min read
It Started with a Training Class and a Practical Idea
Every company has an origin story. Ours doesn't involve a Silicon Valley garage or a venture capital pitch deck. It starts in 1990, in a mainframe training program, where Jim Obenchain met Brett Murrell (then working for a Department of Transportation).
That meeting planted a seed. Jim, while working on various contracts including a project for the Idaho Transportation Department, began sketching out an idea for a more capable drawing program; one that could help officers produce clear, accurate scene diagrams without burning hours they didn't have. That idea became Easy Street Draw (ESD), initially developed under contract for the Idaho Transportation Department.
Brett Murrell and Steven Carlson were integral to this early phase, with Steven Carlson handling IT and networking while Jim focused on product development. Together, they formed the technical backbone of what was to come.
In January 1996, the team made it official and incorporated as Pathfinder Development Group.
Getting the Right People in the Right Seats
The early Pathfinder crew were engineers, talented builders, but admittedly not natural salespeople. They recognized the commercial potential of Easy Street Draw and knew they needed someone who could put it in front of the agencies that needed it.
Enter Josh Evarts, who came on board as a partner to help them sell this thing to the world. Josh didn't just sell a product, he helped shape the company's direction, connecting what the engineering team was building to what the field actually demanded. With Josh driving adoption and the founders focused on development, the company found its stride.
Building Beyond the Roadway: The 2000s
Easy Street Draw earned its reputation on traffic scenes, but the real world doesn't fit neatly into one category. Officers and investigators needed to diagram crime scenes too. That need gave rise to ScenePD (SPD) in the early 2000s. SPD is a purpose-built tool for crime scene documentation that expanded the company's reach into the investigative side of public safety.
Pathfinder's approach during this period was straightforward: listen to agencies, understand their problems, and build solutions that fit. That philosophy led to deep, lasting relationships with clients at the local, state, and federal levels.
Federal Work and "Special Programs"
A defining chapter of the company's growth came through custom development for federal agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Defense (DoD). These weren't off-the-shelf deals. They were hands-on, specialized projects that pushed the technology into new territory, and, in turn, produced new products.
ATTAC: Built for the Battlefield
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan changed the company's trajectory. The military needed a way to quickly and accurately document IED (Improvised Explosive Device) incidents in theater. ATTAC was built to meet that demand; fast, clear diagramming under conditions where time and accuracy were life-and-death concerns.
This period also marked the company's most significant push outside of traditional law enforcement. For the duration of the conflicts, SmartSafety's diagramming tools served a military audience. When the wars wound down, that non-LE demand naturally receded, but the experience sharpened the product and proved its versatility under pressure.
Trying New Markets: FireScene, Signature Scene, and Lessons Learned
The mid-to-late 2000s saw several deliberate attempts to bring diagramming into adjacent industries:
FireScene targeted fire services with incident and pre-plan diagramming.
Signature Scene, a domestic adaptation of ATTAC.
Some of these efforts gained traction. Others didn't survive long. But each one reinforced a core lesson: the technology was capable and adaptable. The challenge was always finding the right fit between the tool and the job.
AccuraCSI (ECMx) — 2007: Solving a Problem the First Attempt Couldn't
In the mid-2000s, there was an attempt to repurpose Signature Scene as a crime scene management tool for the FBI. It didn't work out. The fit wasn't right, and the FBI needed something purpose-built. In 2007, ECMx was created to replace that failed approach, eventually continuing as AccuraCSI. The FBI adopted and use AccuraCSI to this day. They are and remain one of SmartSafety Software's longest customers. Even though Signature Scene didn't work out, the lesson stuck: build to the job, not to the leftover parts of something else.
RedEye — 2013: From Retrofit to True Web Experience
RedEye launched in 2013, initially paired with Signature Scene. Within a year, the team recognized that a legacy wrapper wasn't going to cut it. Signature Scene was replaced with a genuine web-based experience, a move that reflected a broader industry shift and SmartSafety's willingness to rebuild when the situation called for it rather than settle for "good enough."
Ownership Changes: What Shifted and What Stayed
Pathfinder Development Group went through multiple ownership transitions during the 2000s and 2010s, ultimately joining Harris Computer in 2019.
Ownership changes can be disruptive. In this case, the fundamentals held:
The mission didn't change. Tools that save officers time, reduce reporting stress, and hold up in court.
Data security stayed central. Local-first architecture. No forced cloud. Agencies keep control of their own information.
Integration kept expanding. Compatibility grew to include over 60 RMS platforms, drone imagery, and 3D scan data.
Offline reliability remained non-negotiable. Rural areas, disaster zones, and anywhere connectivity drops, the tools still work.
What did change was scale. Each transition brought broader reach, more resources, and a larger installed base. Today, SmartSafety's tools are trusted by over 300,000 law enforcement officers worldwide.
2025: AutoScene Draw and the Modern Era
In 2025, SmartSafety Software introduced AutoScene Draw (ASD), the next-generation platform built on everything learned from Easy Street Draw, ScenePD, and decades of field feedback.
ASD isn't a crash-only tool. It's the diagramming platform for the entire job:
Crash diagrams — Still the bread and butter, now faster than ever.
Crime scenes — Accurate, courtroom-ready documentation.
Tactical layouts — SWAT entries, active shooter response, dignitary visits.
Festivals and events — Parade routes, crowd management, venue planning.
Pre-incident plans — Preparation that pays off when it matters most.
What Makes ASD Different
Geolocation-based auto-generation, instantly lays down roads, intersections, and building footprints, cutting repetitive manual work to minutes.
Broad integration with 60+ RMS platforms, drone imagery, and 3D scan data means diagrams drop into existing workflows without friction.
Local, secure deployment keeps agency data in-house. No forced cloud. Works offline when connectivity isn't an option.
Built for the field, intuitive enough that an officer on scene at 2 a.m. can produce a clean, defensible diagram without a training manual in hand.
What Hasn't Changed
Names on the letterhead have shifted. Ownership has turned over. Products have launched, evolved, and sometimes retired. But the core commitment hasn't moved an inch: Build tools that help professionals document scenes faster, more accurately, and with less stress.
That was the idea in 1990. It's still the idea today. And with AutoScene Draw, it's never been easier to put into practice.
SmartSafety Software is a leading provider of innovative diagramming software solutions designed to make complex tasks easier for public safety professionals. With a commitment to accuracy, ease of use, and exceptional customer support, SmartSafety Software helps agencies with their operations and focuses on what matters most: keeping communities safe.
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