Why Body-Worn Cameras Should Be on the Radar Screen of Every Law Enforcement Agency

In Summary: 

• A concept that is gaining considerable traction in the law-enforcement community today is that of the "connected officer," which has at its core a plethora of mission-critical technology
• Citizens are demanding more in-depth investigations into how field personnel interact with the public and apply force.
• According to a study that involved officers on all shifts being issued body-worn cameras, 60 percent fewer incidents and 88 percent fewer citizen complaints about officer misconduct were reported
• This whitepaper provides a close examination of the body-worn camera implementation process, including the necessary steps for a successful deployment of this technology

The body-worn camera has become a critical tool for law-enforcement agencies. This whitepaper discusses the following:

White Paper: Pandemic Continuity-of-Operations Plans

Continuity-of-operations plans (COOP) represent significant time and resource investments, but also are essential to maintaining the ability of an organization to continue to deliver mission-critical services during, and immediately following, a crisis. 

Whitepaper: Don’t Take Shortcuts When Developing NG911 GIS Data

Geographic information system (GIS) data is a foundational component in the migration to, and continuing operation of, Next Generation 911 (NG911) systems. But developing local GIS data so that it aligns with NG911 standards is a laborious and time-consuming process that can take months or years to complete.

Tips for Improving Building Health and Safety

In Summary:

• As the COVID-19 pandemic has caused organizations across the country, including public safety agencies, to to revise policies and change the way they do business in order to protect staff members and the community
• The current public health crisis shines a light on the need for public safety agencies to plan and prepare for contagion or widespread illness as part of the continuity-of-operations planning process
• From small changes to operational policies, to large building design and development considerations, there are a number of actions agencies can take to protect personnel inside the facility

Maintaining Operations Remotely During a Public-Health Crisis

In Summary:

• As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, public safety, law enforcement and other mission-critical organizations need to prepare for the possibility of remote operations
• There are a number of options available to agencies for remote call-handling, computer-aided dispatch (CAD), and radio dispatch
• Which option makes the most sense for your agency to protect staff members from viral illnesses, like COVID-19, with minimal interruption to operations?

Enhancing Law Enforcement with Actionable Data

In Summary:

• Thanks to public safety broadband communications, a tremendous amount of data can now be implemented into emergency response
• Data analytics and artificial intelligence are not new, but they are constantly evolving
• How do law enforcement agencies harness this data in order to improve the way they serve and protect their communities?

Implementing a Successful Public Safety Radio System Upgrade

In Summary:

• Every year, an estimated 240 million calls are received by 911 dispatchers across the United States. Once those calls are placed, the fast and accurate operation of two-way radio communications is essential to support the response. Often saving lives.
• As traditional technologies begin to reach end of life, it is critical that agencies take steps to implement new technologies to enhance their current emergency response operations.
• The process for upgrading or replacing an existing land mobile radio (LMR) system can seem daunting, but it does not have to be.

Developing an RFP for Your Radio System Upgrade or Replacement

In Summary:

• A radio system upgrade or replacement project does not need to be daunting or overwhelming
• Obtaining a new system through the request for proposals (RFP) process allows agencies to select a best-of-breed solution, ultimately yielding better results
• Any RFP should have the same standard elements, but not customizing your RFP to your project could result in proposals for unnecessary work, extra costs and, ultimately, a project that does not meet goals or expectations

The Prescription for Thwarting Public Safety Cyberattacks

In Summary:

• The FBI advises that it is no longer a question of if, but rather when, any individual public safety communications network is going to be attacked.
• There is a lot that public safety agencies can do on their own to increase the difficulty of hacking their networks and lessening the effects of cyberattacks.
• This whitepaper outlines a six-step treatment regimen, and discusses continuity-of-operations and disaster recovery.

A lot can go wrong with public safety communications networks from a cybersecurity perspective. 

The Uses Continue to Emerge: Public Safety Drones and Considerations

In Summary:

• Public safety agencies are adopting drones at increasing rates to enhance emergency response operations.
• However, many public safety agencies run into roadblocks in leveraging this technology because public safety use cases generally are not considered in most state legislatures.
• This whitepaper discusses what agencies should consider as they stand up their drone programs.

In this whitepaper we explore the uses cases, the potential legal impacts of using drones, and the options public safety agencies should consider when implementing a drones program.

The Case for Push-to-Talk in Public Safety

In Summary:

• First responders have long depended on traditional land mobile radio (LMR) systems that feature public safety-grade radios and infrastructure.
• While commercial networks are typically not ideal for public safety use, as they can become overloaded during an emergency, commercial push-to-talk (PTT) technology could benefit public safety.

In this whitepaper we explore the pros and cons of commercial PTT technology for public safety, including the improvements to commercial PTT capabilities and the cost-efficiencies the technology offers for agencies. 

Regional Computer-Aided Dispatch Models

In Summary:

• For years, public safety communications systems have operated as standalone systems that are used to serve the citizens of a single geographic area.
• As communities have grown, the need for improved communication between dispatchers and first responders, and across jurisdictional lines, has increased. 
• Agencies across the country have begun to consider regional models for their computer-aided dispatch (CAD) and other public safety systems in order to improve efficiency, share resources with other agencies and reduce costs.

In this whitepaper, we explore two models of regional CAD systems and explore the pros and cons of each one.