THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF APCO INTERNATIONAL INC.
SEPTEMBER 2014 ∥ VOLUME 80 ∥ NUMBER 9
NPSTC & APCO Collaborate
N
on Public Safety Grade
Communications Report, p. 30
FCC Acts on Text-to-9-1-1, p. 11
New Point System Adopted for
Determining Officer Candidate
Eligibility, p. 16
Communications Issues in the
Christopher Dorner Incident, p. 22
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C ntents
SEPTEMBER 2014 ∥ VOL. 80 ∥ NO. 9
www.apcOiNtL.Org
FEATURES
16
Board of Directors Update
NewPointSystemAdoptedforDetermining
18
OfficerCandidateEligibility
Text-to-9-1-1:
Coming Soon to Your PSAP
p. 18
p. 22
ImplementationConsiderations
∼ By Diamond Chaflawee & Darren Terry
COLUMNS
8
22
Officers Need Help—Do You Copy?
CommunicationsIssuesRevealedintheChristopher
∼ By John W. Wright
DornerIncident
∼ By Michael Guerin
10
Reflections
SilentKey:GreggRiddle
26
SMS a 9-1-1 en Español
PreparingforForeignLanguageText-to-9-1-1
∼ By Terry Hall
11
Capitol Dispatch
FCCActsonText-to-9-1-1
∼ By Stephen Martini
∼ By Robert Gurss
30
Mission Critical Requirements
NPSTC&APCOCollaborateonPublicSafetyGrade
36
President’s Channel
TheRoadAhead
12
On Scene
ReflectionsonAPCO2014
CommunicationsReport
∼ By Jackie Bayless
CDE #36491
∼ By Jeffrey Cohen, with Roger Wespe & Mark Reddish
42
Telecommunicator Spotlight
JonathanJones
∼ By Christina Dravis
Mapping a Career in Public
Safety Communications
44
Top Ops
BetheBestYouCanBe
∼ By Christina Dravis
∼ By Crystal McDuffie
45
Call Center Design
LetThereBeLight
∼ By Steve Loomis & Nate McClure
47
DEPARTMENTS
13
14
46
50
Public Broadcast
•WhereFireCode&Radio
CommunicationsCollide
APCO Bulletin
•HistoricalPerspective
•CACContribution
Cool Cache
•VideoSurveillance
Member Services
•BuildingCommunities
Civil Liability
NegativeRetention
∼ By Linda Ford & T.G. Mieure
p. 26
IN EVERY ISSUE
6
7
40
41
48
49
49
p. 36
• ABOUT THE COVER
A DC-10 air tanker drops fire retardant over a wildfire
Saturday, July 19, 2014, near Carlton, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
www.apcointl.org ◀ ∥ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶
Board of Directors, Executive
Council & Chapter Presidents
Membership Information
Institute Schedule
CDE Exam
Professionals Directory
Consultants Directory
Ad Index
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS
3
SEPTEMBER 2014 ∥ VOL. 80 ∥ NO. 9
www.apcOiNtL.Org
APCO BULLETIN
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥
Stand Out
in the industry.
Become an
APCO International
Corporate Partner
Gain recognition among an
industry of more than 200,000
individuals. Partnerships start at
$10,000 and benefts include:
APCO International Inc.
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386-322-2500 ∥ 888-APCO-911
www.apcointl.org
Marketing & Communications Manager ∥ Meghan Architect
571-312-4400 ∥ architectm@apcointl.org
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥
Publication Office
4180 La Jolla Village Dr., Ste. 260, La Jolla, CA 92037-9142
800-266-5367 ∥ 858-638-2630 ∥ Fax: 858-638-2601
Senior VP & Group Publisher ∥ Lyle Hoyt
lyleh@pennwell.com
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥
Managing Editor ∥ Kristina Ackermann
858-638-2607 ∥ kristinaA@pennwell.com
Senior Editor ∥ Jarrett Haley
858-638-2614 ∥ jarretth@pennwell.com
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥
𰁴 Recognition on
APCO International website
𰁴 Corporate Partner level on company
listing in APCO International’s
Online Buyer’s Guide
Graphic Designer ∥ Deanna Priddy Taylor
deannat@pennwell.com
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥
Director of eProducts ∥ Tim Francis
timf@pennwell.com
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥
Regional Sales Manager-West ∥ Brigit Chennells
858-232-8826 ∥ brigitc@pennwell.com
𰁴 Recognition as a Corporate Partner
in APCO International’s Annual
Conference Program Guide
Regional Sales Manager-Central ∥ Veronica Foster
918-831-9162 ∥ veronicaf@pennwell.com
𰁴 Special recognition at Annual
Conference and other APCO
International events and activities
Audience Development Manager ∥ Ron Kalusha
ronk@pennwell.com
𰁴 Offcial APCO Corporate Partner Level
Logo for use in company ads
𰁴 Company profle on APCO website
𰁴 And more!
Visit apcocorporatepartners.org
to see current opportunities
and contact Lisa C. Williams at
(571) 312-4400 ext. 7003 or
williamsL2@apcointl.org to customize
your partnership today!
Regional Sales Manager-East ∥ Katrina Frazer
603-891-9231 ∥ katrinaf@pennwell.com
Sales & Administrative Coordinator ∥ Liz Coyle
lizc@pennwell.com
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥
Career Center ∥ Job Target
888-575-9675 ∥ http://careercenter.apcointl.org/
Reprints & ePrints ∥ Rae Lynn Cooper
918-831-9143 ∥ raec@pennwell.com
Editorial information: Direct manuscripts and queries to Managing Editor, Public Safety Communications, PennWell,
4180 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 260, La Jolla, CA 92037-9142, e-mail kristinaA@pennwell.com or fax 858-638-2601. For
author and photography guidelines, visit http://apcointl.org/submit-article.html. For reprints, contact Rae Lynn Cooper at raec@
pennwell.com. Subscription information: Subscriptions are available via membership in APCO International. Membership
dues vary by state. Subscription value is $35 of dues amount. Non-member subscription is $125/year. Back issues $12, foreign
$18; except special issues. For back issues, contact Meghan McCluskey at 571-312-4400. For permissions, contact Managing
Editor at Public Safety Communications, PennWell San Diego, 4180 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 260, La Jolla, CA 92037-9142 or
at 800-266-5367. Requests must be made in writing and state the intended use of the reprinted material. Advertising information:
Rates are available on request. Contact the Public Safety Communications advertising department at 800-266-5367.
4 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
◀ ▶ september
2014
Serving Public Safety Communications
Professionals since 1935 ∥ www.apcointl.org
Executive Committee of the Board of Directors ∥ 2014–2015
President ∥ John W. Wright
Communications Systems Analyst
P.O. Box 1181
Riverside, CA 92502
951-905-2746; rfanalyst@gmail.com
First Vice President ∥ Brent Lee
Retired
1792 Kingsley Lane
Carson City, NV 89701
775-461-0587; w.brent.lee@gmail.com
Second Vice President ∥ Cheryl J. Greathouse, RPL
Director, Instructional Services
Georgia Public Safety Training Center
1000 Indian Springs Dr.
Forsyth, GA 31029
478-993-4637; cgreathouse@gpstc.org
Immediate Past President ∥ Gigi Smith
Police Operations Manager
Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center
5360 South Ridge Village Dr.
West Valley City, UT 84118
801-840-4007; gsmith@vecc9-1-1.com
Executive Director ∥ Derek K. Poarch
APCO International Inc.
1426 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
888-APCO-911; poarchd@apcointl.org
AppComm serves as
the single, trusted
resource for mobile
apps serving a
public safety or
emergency response
purpose.
Browse over 175
public safety apps
ranging from fire and
EMS to 9-1-1 and
alerts.
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥
Editorial Advisory Committee ∥ apcoeac@apcointl.org
Chair ∥ Sgt. Derek Dofelmire
Vice Chair ∥ Stephen Martini
Michael Banks, Tom Boyle, David Cruise, Christina Dravis,
Linda Ford, Andrea Gaines, Ernest Gallo, Randy Kaminsky,
Melissa Kumle-Hammes, T.G. Mieure, Margie Moulin, Mark Pallans,
Stephen Reichman, Bryan Rintoul, Tami Rupe, Robert Smith
The Editorial Advisory Committee’s purpose is twofold: 1) It helps ensure that the
magazine’s content mirrors the interests of APCO’s diverse membership, and 2) it
provides the magazine staff with expert resources and writers who can share with
APCO’s members the knowledge and experience necessary to effectively staff,
operate, equip and maintain public safety communications centers.
september
2014
∥
◀ ▶
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS 5
appcomm.org
brought to you by
Board of Directors, Executive Council & Chapter Presidents
Serving Public Safety Communications Professionals since 1935
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Executive Committee
See p. 5 for members.
Regional Representatives
East Coast Region
James J. McFarland—Pennsylvania
Chapter, jjmsoccer@aol.com;
Richard C. Boettcher, RPL— Atlantic
Chapter, North Andover Police Dept.
rboettcher@napd.us
Gulf Coast Region
Matthew J. Stillwell, RPL—Oklahoma
Chapter, Edmond Public Safety Comms.
matt.stillwell@edmondok.com;
Martha K. Carter, ENP—Louisiana Chapter
Caddo Parish 9-1-1 Comms. District
mcarter@caddo911.org
North Central Region
Robin Tieman, RPL—Missouri Chapter
Cass County Emergency Services Board
robint@casscountyesb.com;
Holly E. Wayt, ENP, RPL—Ohio Chapter
Westerville Communications Division
holly.wayt@westerville.org
Western Region
Kimberly D. Burdick, RPL—
Montana Chapter
Chouteau County Sheriff’s Office
kburdick@chouteaucosomt.com;
Peggy A Fouts, ENP—Washington Chapter
Grays Harbor Communications E9-1-1
pfouts@gh911.org
Commercial Advisory Council
Representative
Richard R. Solie—Florida Chapter
Profile Evaluations Inc.
dick@pei-911.com
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Illinois
Jason E. Kern
Highland Park Police Department
jkern@cityhpil.com
sandra.barfield@unlv.edu
Indiana
Darin T. Riney, BS, ENP
Hamilton County Public Safety Comms.
darin.riney@hamiltoncounty.in.gov
International
Brent E. Finster, ENP, Cayman Islands
Department of Public Safety Comms.
brent.finster@gov.ky
Iowa
Eric M. Dau, Clinton County Comms.
ericdau@gapa911.us
Kansas
Michele A. Abbott, Hutchinson Reno Co.
Emergency Communications
michele.abbott@renolec.com
Kentucky
Joshua R. Glover
Carlisle County E-911
carlisle911@windstream.net
Louisiana
Tracey M. Hilburn, RPL
Bossier Parish 9-1-1 Comms., Dist. #1
hilburn911@bellsouth.net
Michigan
Lloyd R. Fayling
Genesee County 9-1-1 Authority
lrf@geneseecounty911.org
Mid-Eastern
Jeffrey Patrick Miller
New Castle County Emergency Comms.
jmiller@nccde.org
Minnesota
Richard A. Juth, MN State Patrol
Regional Transportation Mgmt. Ctr.
rick.juth@state.mn.us
Alaska
Stephanie L. Johnson
Fairbanks Emergency Comms. Center
sljohnson@ci.fairbanks.ak.us
Mississippi
Sheri D. Hokamp, Biloxi Police Department
shokamp@biloxi.ms.us
Arkansas
Kristi Key
Fayetteville Police Department
kristikey21@yahoo.com
Atlantic
Frank J. Kiernan, III
Meriden Emergency Communications
fkiernan@meridenct.gov
Caribbean
Ferdinand Cedeno, PR, EMS
Puerto Rico EMS
ferdinand.cedeno@gmail.com
Colorado
Sharon Clever
Routt County Communications
dsw3clever@yahoo.com
CPRA (So. Calif.)
Jim Acosta
APCO CPRA
jimacosta61@gmail.com
Florida
Ricky A. Rowell
Nassau County Sheriff Office
rickyr@nassauso.com
Georgia
Angela R. Bowen
Georgia Public Safety Training Center
abowen@gpstc.org
Idaho
Sgt. Derek F. Dofelmire
Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office
ddofelmire@shoshoneso.com
Colorado
Catherine M. Raley, RPL
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office
craley@arapahoegov.com
CPRA (So. Calif.)
Richard Granado
rgranado@gmail.com
Pacific
Davlynn L. Racadio
Maui Police Department
davlynn.racadio@mpd.net
Florida
Nancy Morris, RPL
Punta Gorda Police Department
nmorris@pgorda.us
Pennsylvania
Jay Groce III, ENP
jaygroce01@comcast.net
Georgia
James D. Williams
Oconee County Sheriff’s Office
jwilliams@oconeesheriff.org
South Carolina
Gary Loflin
York County Public Saftey Comms.
gary.loflin@yorkcountygov.com
South Dakota
Edie K. Jenniges
ediej@goldenwest.net
Idaho
Sgt. Derek F. Dofelmire
Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office
ddofelmire@shoshoneso.com
Tennessee
Molly Coulter, RPL
Williamson Co. Emergency Comms.
mollyc@williamson-tn.org
Illinois
Michael O’Connor, ENP
Libertyville Police Dept.
moconnor@libertyville.com
Texas
Bill Keller
Texas Department of Public Safety
bill.keller@suddenlink.net
Indiana
Kelly S. Dignin
Indiana Integrated Public Safety
Commission
kdignin@ipsc.in.gov
Utah
Tina Louise Scarlet
Weber Area Dispatch 9-1-1
tscarlet@weber911.org
Alabama
Becky Neugent
Clarke County E9-1-1
bneugent@clarkecountyal.com
Arizona
Sheila J. Blevins, ENP, RPL
Marana PD, sblevins@marana.com
Oregon
Margie Moulin
Emergency Communications of
Southern Oregon
margie.moulin@ecso911.com
Missouri
Michael D. Hall, Marion County 9-1-1
mycall911@gmail.com
Iowa
Eric M. Dau
Clinton County Communications
ericdau@gapa911.us
Virginia
Bill Agee
City of Hampton, VA
bagee@hampton.gov
Kansas
Kim Pennington
Sedgwick County Emergency
Communications
kpenning@sedgwick.gov
Washington State
Stephanie K. Fritts, RPL
Pacific County Communications &
Emergency Management
sfritts@co.pacific.wa.us
Kentucky
Joshua R. Glover
Carlisle County E9-1-1
carlisle911@windstream.net
West Virginia
David W. Saffel
W.Virginia State Police Comms. Section
david.w.saffel@wvsp.gov
Montana
Michele C. Blais, Montana Highway Patrol
mblais@mt.gov
Wisconsin
John E. DeJung
Dane Co. Public Safety Communications
dejung@countyofdane.com
Nebraska
Julie J. Righter, ENP
Lincoln Emergency Communications
jrighter@lincoln.ne.gov
Wyoming
Glen Crumpton
Laramie County Combined Comms. Ctr.
gcrumpton@laramiecounty.com
Nevada
Nonie E. McCandless, RPL
Douglas County 9-1-1 Emergency Services
nmccandless@co.douglas.nv.us
CHAPTER PRESIDENTS
New Mexico
Art A. Rios
N.M. Dept. of Finance & Administration
art.rios@state.nm.us
North Carolina
Chief Frank T. Thomason, ENP/EMD
Rowan County Emergency Services
frank.thomason@rowancountync.gov
North Dakota
Janell S. Quinlan, N.D. State Radio Comm.
jquinlan@nd.gov
Northern California
Desi Calzada, Hayward PD
desi.calzada@hayward-ca.gov
Ohio
Matthew D. Franke
Butler County Communications
mfranke@butlersheriff.org
Oklahoma
Sgt. Lisa Poarch, Oklahoma Highway Patrol
lmpoarch@gmail.com
6 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
Louisiana
Sonya Y. Wiley-Gremillion
Rapides Parish Communications District
(911)
swiley@rapides911.org
Michigan
Jeff Troyer
Calhoun County Consolidated Dispatch
jtroyer@calhouncountymi.gov
Mid-Eastern
Jeffrey Patrick Miller
New Castle County Emergency Comms.
jmiller@nccde.org
Alabama
Angelia Rigsby
Montgomery Communications
arigsby@montgomeryal.gov
Minnesota
Charles E. Venske
Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office
charles.venske@hennepin.us
Alaska
Tammy L. Goggia, RPL, ENP
Soldotna Public Safety Comm. Center
tammy.goggia@alaska.gov
Mississippi
Sheri D. Hokamp
Biloxi Police Department
shokamp@biloxi.ms.us
Arizona
Jim W. Long
Northwest Fire District
jlong@northwestfire.org
Missouri
Roger D. Martin
Missouri State Highway Patrol
roger.martin@mshp.dps.mo.gov
Arkansas
Joseph McMillan, II
Benton County Office of Emergency
Communications
joseph.mcmillan@bentoncountyar.gov
Montana
Susan Bomstad
Missoula County 9-1-1
sbomstad@co.missoula.mt.us
Atlantic
Thomas E. Andross
Grafton County Sheriff’s Dept
tandross@co.grafton.nh.us
Nebraska
Marilyn Gable
Sarpy County 9-1-1
mgable@sarpy.com
Caribbean
Ferdinand Cedeno, PR, EMS
Puerto Rico EMS
ferdinand.cedeno@gmail.com
Nevada
Sandra G. Barfield
University of NV, Las Vegas Dept. of
Public Safety
◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
New Mexico
Tandra Malcom
San Juan County Communications
Authority, tmalcom@sjcounty.net
North Carolina
Wesley E. Reid
Guilford Metro 9-1-1
wesley.reid@greensboro-nc.gov
North Dakota
Christi Jarland
Stutsman County Communications Center
christijarland@gmail.com
Northern California
Mr. John Batarseh, CHP
California Highway Patrol,
Telecommunications Section
jbatarseh@chp.ca.gov
Ohio
Jay D. Somerville, ENP
Dublin Police Communications
jsomerville@dublin.oh.us
Oklahoma
Shaun Barnett
City of Woodward
shaun.barnett@cityofwoodward.net
Oregon
Ann Rakosi
Coos County Sheriff Office
arakosi911@co.coos.or.us
Pacific
Davlynn L. Racadio
Maui Police Department
davlynn.racadio@mpd.net
Pennsylvania
Scott D. Krater
Schuylkill County Office of Public Safety
skrater@co.schuylkill.pa.us
South Carolina
Roy W. Allison
Marlboro County E911
marlboro911@bellsouth.net
South Dakota
Edie K. Jenniges
ediej@goldenwest.net
Tennessee
Kimberly B. White, RPL
Knox County Emergency Comms. District
kwhite@knox911.org
Texas
Mindy Adams, RPL
Denco Area 911 District
mindy.adams@denco.org
Utah
Melanie Crittenden
Summit County Sheriff’s Office
mcrittenden@summitcounty.org
Virginia
Athena Plummer
Virginia Beach 9-1-1 Emergency Comms
aplummer@vbgov.com
Washington State
Deanna L .Wells, RPL
Cowlitz County 911
wellsd@co.cowlitz.wa.us
West Virginia
Christopher A. Cutright
Harrison County Bureau of Emergency
Services, ccutright@harrco911.org
Wisconsin
Paul M. Logan, RPL
Dane Co. Public Safety Communications
logan@countyofdane.com
Wyoming
William F. Gordon
Hot Springs County Emergency
Management
bgordon@hscounty.com
DOWNLOAD OUR MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT
We’ve put together a great tool to help convince the decision makers that joining
APCO is a good decision for you and for your agency.
To download, go to www.apcointl.org/membertoolkit.
JOIN & BELONG
Join APCO and stay connected with other public safety
communications professionals just like you. Becoming a
member of the Association of Public-Safety
Communications Officials (APCO), you gain access to the
best opportunites for professional development and
networking, plus information and important resources are at
your fingertips.
If you work with the communications systems that safeguard
the world’s citizens every day, you should be a member of the
organization dedicated to helping you do your job.
PART OF A TEAM?
APCO’s Group Membership allows agencies to offer
benefits to ALL of their communications employees,
not just a select few.
To learn more about this and other membership categories,
go to www.apcointl.org/join.
Visit www.apcointl.org/join to download a membership application today
or call 888-APCO-911 to speak with a membership specialist!
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PRESIDENT’S
Hot Button Topics
The Road Ahead
APCO Goals & Projects for the Coming Year
∼BY JOHN WRIGHT
A
t APCO 2014 in New Orleans,
it was my distinct honor to be
sworn in as your 79th president
of APCO International. I personally want
to thank you, the membership of this
great association, for bestowing me with
your trust and support as I represent you
this next year as your president.
Each year, our association inaugurates a new president to lead us for the
upcoming term. This year our association
will be 80 years old—a mark not many
associations can claim and one that we
should all be proud to be part of. Each
of the 78 past presidents of our association gave part of themselves; sometimes
their accomplishments were noteworthy,
making a difference in our profession
or how public safety sees the future
such as Project 25, Project 33 or the
D Block. Oftentimes their terms were
most notable for keeping the association
moving forward: increasing membership,
expanding educational possibilities, building relationships and making the business
of the association sound. No matter the
type of term they had, they all had one
thing in common: Change.
This next year we will continue the
business of APCO, while always seeking
new possibilities to make a greater difference for public safety. This year will
also bring change, but change at a greater
pace than ever before seen in the history of public safety communications. We
will see new technologies and new ways
of communicating, taking us from just
“thinking outside the box” to solve issues,
to embracing a completely new world.
Soon we will be using the secure
nationwide public safety broadband network currently being built by FirstNet
that will allow increased sharing of data
and information between PSAPS. Textto-911, while already working in some
limited areas today, will become part
of our daily lives in the PSAP, providing those with hearing or speaking challenges, or those in dangerous situations
where they are unable to speak, the same
ability to contact 9-1-1 as all other users
can do today. We will see an increase in
the use of informational crowdsourcing,
which was successfully used by authorities
immediately after the Boston Marathon
bombing. First responder equipment will
also change, as we will see the development of multiple new public safety grade
communications devices using software
applications specifically designed for the
first responder community.
With these changes, we will also see
new challenges for public safety. Cybersecurity will be one of the most important challenges we will face. These new
networks and devices create a greater
possibility of intentional disruption, theft
of data or denial of service attacks than
ever before. As they are developed, they
must be secure, and public safety must
have confidence that the backbone networks and applications are reliable and
hardened from outside hacking or attack.
While cybersecurity will be one of
our top issues, we are still working on
others that cannot stand idle. Some
of these are: improved indoor location accuracy for cellular callers; Next
Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) deployment and improved telecommunicator training; the continued support of
existing public safety radio frequency
(RF) systems that will be necessary for
the foreseeable future; and the loss of
the T-Band channels that will affect 11
major metropolitan areas by 2022.
As we move APCO forward this next
year, we will continue to work on expanding the services, training and educational
opportunities, and the overall value of
being an APCO member.
This year, working with the Strategic
8 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
◀ ▶ september
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2014
∥
Planning Committee, we will complete
a full rewrite of APCO’s Strategic Plan,
which is required every five years. We
will continue to work in partnership with
the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) on numerous initiatives,
including the National Joint TERT Initiative, providing coordinated development
and standardized training for Telecommunicator Emergency Response Teams
throughout the country.
We will continue to refine and
improve the committee chair selection
process to be more timely, look at how
members on committees are selected,
and find ways to provide a greater
opportunity for members to serve on
a committee. We will re-energize the
Professional Communications Human
Resources Committee (ProCHRT) and
make the formal recognition of telecommunicators as professionals in the
first responder community a primary
concern for APCO.
Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all of you for
the service you provide to your communities each and every day. Thank
you for the long hours on endless graveyard shifts, taking mid-winter vacations,
missing family holidays, birthdays,
anniversaries and school events. Most
importantly, I want to thank you for
choosing the profession of public service. Thank you for the lives you have
saved and the countless lives of those
you will save during your careers. ∥PSC∥
JOHN WRIGHT is retired from the
city of Riverside, Calif., after 11 years
in the fire department and 28 years
in the police department as a communications sytems analyst and
department manager. He currently volunteers with
the Riverside PD, and has been an APCO member
for 25 years. Reach him at rfanalyst@gmail.com.
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
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REFLECTIONS
Leveraging the Past to Inform the Future
Silent Key
APCO Past President Gregg Riddle
∼BY TERRY HALL
O
n June 27, 2014, APCO lost
one of its steadfast public
safety stewards, Past President
Gregg Riddle, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
A colleague to thousands, a mentor to many, Gregg to most of us was
simply our friend. He undertook every
phase of his APCO life with great
professionalism and dedication, always
finding a way to accomplish what was
needed while maintaining a collegial
manner with his APCO associates. The
Executive Committee and I thought
it appropriate for this month’s Reflections column to be about Gregg and his
accomplishments with APCO.
Gregg had a highly accomplished
career in public safety spanning four
decades, which he began as a paidon-call firefighter in his home town of
Harvey, Ill. Following graduation from
Northern Illinois University, he entered
the fire service as a full-time firefighter
with the Elk Grove Village Fire Department. He became one of the first paramedics for the department in 1972.
He progressed through the ranks and
retired after 30 years as the Deputy
Fire Chief responsible for administrative operations. He was instrumental
in building the Elk Grove FD Station 8 and renovating its administration
center. His final work assignment was
with the West Suburban Consolidated
Dispatch Center from 2000 to 2008 as
its first executive director.
Gregg joined APCO International
in 1981 and earned the distinctions
of Senior and Life Member. He was
elected to the Executive Committee of
the Board in 2008 and served his presidential year in 2011–12. While serving
in many APCO posts, he led the initiative for wireless 9-1-1 funding in his
state, and held a long tenure as the
Executive Council Representative for
the Illinois Chapter. He chaired the
Management Committee of the council for many years and also chaired
the Constitution & Bylaws Committee. He knew APCO policy better
than anyone I know and wasn’t shy in
explaining it to you when he felt it was
needed. In Gregg’s most recent post
as chair of the Leadership Development Committee, he forged consensus
on a new scoring regimen to raise the
qualifications threshold for officer candidates (see page 16 for more information). Gregg was a graduate of APCO’s
Registered Public-Safety Leadership
(RPL) certificate program, which he
helped develop.
In honor of a lifetime of distinguished service, we honored him on
Jan. 24, 2013, by dedicating the APCO
Offices in Alexandria, Va., in his name.
The building is owned by the Public
Safety Foundation of America (PSFA),
the philanthropic arm of APCO International, and houses the executive,
government, marketing and corporate
outreach functions of the association.
“There was apparently much going
on behind the scenes to lull me to the
greater Washington area under false
pretenses,” Gregg said at the time,
“but I am not only instantly forgiving
of this deception but eternally grateful
for this truly unexpected honor.” Gregg
said he regarded the naming of the
building in his honor as the capstone of
his career and credited his work with
APCO International for much of his
professional success.
Upon Gregg’s passing, many of his
APCO colleagues commented on what
Gregg meant to them and APCO.
APCO Board of Directors member
and Western Region representative
Kimberly Burdick summed up her
10 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
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2014
∥
relationship with Gregg by saying, “I
will always remember Gregg for starting my journey in APCO. At my first
EC meeting in Montreal, he asked
me to be on the Member and Chapter
Services Committee. The rest is history.
He will be missed—his guidance and
wisdom—Mr. APCO.”
Board of directors member Robin
Tieman said, “I know Gregg has touched
our hearts, guided and supported each
of us over the years.” APCO Past President Steve Proctor commented that,
“It’s a mighty sad day in APCO. We just
lost a great one.”
I considered Gregg to be a personal
friend and professional confidante.
Gregg was often a sounding board for
me as we talked through many APCO
and public safety issues and concerns.
Gregg and I shared a passion for doing
what was right for public safety, and it
was from this baseline that our respect
and friendship grew and developed
over the years. I will miss our weekly
calls checking in with each other. Gregg
was interested in being engaged in life
with his family and friends, and never
failed to ask me about the rest of my
family. He fought a long hard battle to
stay with us. I will miss his presence in
my life.
Public safety has lost a champion in
Gregg’s passing. My hope and prayer is
that his legacy will continue with others
who are willing to take up the banner to
always do what’s right for public safety.
∥PSC∥
TERRY HALL is the chief of
emergency communications for
York-Poquoson-Williamsburg
Emergency Communications Center in Yorktown, Va. He has more
than 30 years of experience in public safety,
and was president of APCO from 2012–2013.
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
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CAPITOL
Regulatory Affairs
FCC Acts on Text-to-9-1-1
Delivery Must Begin 6 Months After
Requested by PSAP
∼BY ROBERT GURSS
O
n Aug. 8, immediately following
the 80th Annual APCO Conference & Expo in New Orleans,
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules regarding
text-to-9-1-1 capability. As expected, all
commercial mobile radio service (CMRS)
providers and others that provide interconnected text services (i.e., utilizing telephone numbers) will be required to offer
text-to-9-1-1 capability by Dec. 31, 2014.
Importantly, the commission emphasized, as did APCO and others in their
responses to the order, that making a
voice call to 9-1-1 is almost always better
than sending a text. The exceptions are
situations when a voice call is not feasible,
either because of an individual’s speech or
hearing disability, unusual voice network
congestion or an emergency such as a hostage situation in which a voice call could
be dangerous.
The FCC’s order requires that delivery of 9-1-1 texts to a PSAP must begin
within six months after the PSAP requests
text-to-9-1-1 service. The commission will
establish a central database through which
PSAPs will be able to make such requests.
Carriers and PSAPs will be allowed to
agree to an alternative time frame.
The FCC’s order codifies the major
elements of a prior voluntary agreement
between APCO, the National Emergency
Number Association (NENA) and the
four major nationwide wireless carriers
(Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile),
while also extending the core requirements in the agreement to smaller CMRS
carriers and other interconnected text
service providers.
The FCC also issued another further
notice of proposed rulemaking in which
it proposes that, within two years of a
subsequent order, carriers and other text
providers would be required to deliver
the “best available” location information with text-to-9-1-1 messages and to
support roaming. Comments were also
sought regarding the potential for applying the rules to non-interconnected text
service providers.
Some of the commissioners expressed
concern that there are still very few
PSAPs that have requested text-to-9-1-1
service, even though the four national
wireless carriers have been offering the
capability at least since May 15. However, there is indication that many more
PSAPs are planning to receive texts in
the near future. Chairman Tom Wheeler
urged more PSAPs to do so, though
he acknowledged that the stumbling
block may be state and local government
authorities that control purse strings, not
the PSAPs themselves.
Commissioner Ajit Pai dissented from
the FCC’s order, arguing that the focus
should be on Next Generation 9-1-1
(NG9-1-1), not SMS text capability, and
questioned the need to codify a voluntary
agreement. The other four commissioners
supported the core of the item, though
Commissioner Pai’s Republican colleague
Michael O’Rielly dissented on everything
except the portion of the order applying to CMRS providers. Commissioner
Mignon Clyburn also dissented on one
minor yet controversial item noted below.
Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel used
her separate statement to repeat some of
the points in her speech at APCO 2014
regarding the need for better wireless
9-1-1 location technology.
There was a bit of a tizzy over an
eleventh hour addition to the order. The
commission stated that it will establish
a task force to explore whether PSAP
consolidation could lead to more efficient
and effective operations. While that may
be a reasonable inquiry (albeit, an issue
∥
www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶
generally beyond the FCC’s legal jurisdiction), of greater concern (and the cause of
Commissioner Clyburn’s partial dissent) is
a provision stating that the task force will
also explore whether state and local governments that divert 9-1-1 fees away from
PSAPs should be ineligible to participate
in FCC committees and working groups.
Nobody in public safety would argue
that state and local governments should
divert 9-1-1 fees to other purposes. However, barring government agencies from
FCC committees, especially innocent
PSAPs subjected to such fee diversions,
would serve little purpose and would be
contrary to the spirit if the not the letter
of existing federal law.
700 MHZ NARROWBAND
As of mid-August, there is still no FCC
decision in the 700 MHz narrowband
proceeding. We did learn from FCC staff
in New Orleans that the draft order will
soon go before the full commission for a
vote “on circulation.” Hopefully that will
occur by the time you read this, though
the circulation process can be lengthy.
To try to speed things along, APCO sent
a letter to Chairman Wheeler following
the Annual Conference urging quick
action, as the deadline for licensees to
convert to 6.25 kHz is fast approaching.
All expect the FCC to extend or perhaps
eliminate the deadline, but until that
occurs there remains an uncomfortable
uncertainty for licensees. ∥PSC∥
ROBERT GURSS is APCO’s senior
regulatory counsel and is also an
attorney with the telecommunications law firm of Fletcher, Heald &
Hildreth, PLC, through which he represents state and local governments and other
clients. Reach him at 202/236-1743, or at either
gurssr@apcomail.org or gurss@fhhlaw.com.
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 11
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ON∥∥∥SCENE
Latest News from APCO’s Government Relations Office
Reflections on APCO 2014
∼BY JEFFREY COHEN, WITH ROGER WESPE & MARK REDDISH
T
his year’s annual conference in
New Orleans was a great success.
In the spirit of our newly renamed
“Cutting Edge Issues” conference track,
and our usual outreach to senior policy-making officials, we endeavored to
provide thought-provoking content and
enhanced opportunities for attendees.
FirstNet sent a full team of senior staff
and a few board members who served
in many speaking roles, but
who also made a point to
immerse themselves into our
sessions, events and exhibit
hall in order to interact with
APCO members, attendees
and vendors. FirstNet staff
conducted two separate, standing-room
only events in the Presentation Theater,
and served as speakers regarding the
intersection of FirstNet with information technology and synergies between
FirstNet and Next Generation 9-1-1
(NG9-1-1) deployment. Capping off the
conference, acting general manager T.J.
Kennedy and director of government
affairs Ed Parkinson held a spirited town
hall in which we were pleased to see so
many thoughtful questions coming from
the audience. Kennedy penned a great
blog following the conference.1
We also hosted a number of senior
government officials. FCC commissioner
Jessica Rosenworcel spoke at our Food
for Thought Luncheon, touching on textto-9-1-1, wireless 9-1-1 location accuracy
and FirstNet.2 We also heard remarks
from FCC public safety bureau chief
David Simpson, and director of the DHS
Office of Emergency Communications
Ron Hewitt.
The Cutting Edge Issues track was
full of a number of exciting and timely
topics. Sessions included topics such as
in-building wireless coverage, cybersecurity, FirstNet, FCC updates (hosted
by senior regulatory counsel Bob Gurss
and featuring FCC public safety deputy
bureau chief David Furth) and mobile
public safety apps. Speaking of apps, our
team hosted a successful session in the
Presentation Theater where we engaged
with attendees on the latest updates concerning APCO’s efforts to drive innovation of effective apps for public safety and
emergency response purposes, including
our highly successful Application Com-
partners, links to the TableTopX blog
and AppComm, and other news items of
interest. Our team also had the opportunity to introduce ourselves at the new
attendee orientation, and chapter officer
workshop.
We encourage you to reach out to us
through our channels. We want to hear
from you and benefit from your experience and expertise. Let us know if you
have any suggestions as well,
including to our new Web
page.
While APCO 2014 is
now behind us, stay tuned,
because we are already
thinking ahead to our future
events, from the upcoming Emerging
Technology Forum (Nov. 4–5 in San
Francisco), to the Broadband Summit
and on to APCO 2015 in our backyard,
Washington, D.C. ∥PSC∥
“We were pleased to
see so many
thoughtful questions”
munity website (www.appcomm.org).
Finally, our team had another goal for
this conference, and that was to spread
the word about the functions we serve
for the association and ways to engage
with us more. We kicked off the Cutting
Edge Issues track with our own session,
to introduce what our department does
and provide a preview of the remaining
sessions. Besides this monthly column,
we encouraged members to follow our
active and informative twitter account, @
GRO_APCO, as well as our blog on the
APCO website (TableTopX). We also
pointed out how we recently revamped
the Government Relations website
(www.apcointl.org/advocacy.html). The
new website is designed to be as useful
as possible for APCO members by providing easy access to “trending topics,”
which presently include 9-1-1, FirstNet,
the IP Transition and mobile apps. You
can quickly find all of APCO’s public
filings with federal agencies including
the FCC, and congressional testimony.
We also provide access to relevant FCC
orders, rules and requests for public
comment (known as “notice of proposed
rulemaking”). Further, you can find relevant statutory provisions, a list of APCO
12 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
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2014
∥
JEFFREY COHEN is
chief counsel of law and
policy, and director of
government relations
for APCO International.
Roger Wespe, government relations manager,
and Mark Reddish, government relations associate, also contribute to this series. Like us on
Facebook and follow @GRO_APCO on Twitter for
timely updates and information. Our blog provides
a forum to interact directly with the GRO team.
Join the conversation at apcointl.org/tabletopx.
REFERENCES
1. Kennedy T. (Aug. 7, 2014) APCO 2014: Looking
back and moving forward. FirstNet. Retrieved on
Aug. 8, 2014, from http://firstnet.gov/newsroom/
blog/apco-2014-looking-back-and-movingforward.
2. FCC (Aug. 6, 2014) Remarks of Commissioner
Jessica Rosenworcel. Federal Communications
Commission. Retrieved on Aug. 8, 2014, from
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_
Business/2014/db0806/DOC-328698A1.pdf.
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
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Where Fire Code &
Radio Communications Collide
Changes to FCC Signal Booster Regulations
BY KEVIN PERSING
L
essons learned in the aftermath
of 9/11 have changed the way
we build. For example, we now
know that fire code standards should be a
living document, modified to meet building construction and any hazards that
might add risk to the public and to first
responders. Both the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and the International Code Council now have documents
requiring signal boosters inside certain
structures to improve public safety radio
coverage. Many jurisdictions across the
country are adopting these requirements
into their fire code as law, but improper
installation and operation of signal boosters and distributed antenna systems
(DAS) has caused or contributed to radio
interference problems.
Fire marshals need to establish a basic
understanding of this new code that
defines minimum radio frequency (RF)
signal levels and delivered audio quality.
For many, understanding of functional
radio communications in the context of
in-building coverage is lacking. Collaboration with local communications agencies is
necessary so that the fire departments can
establish a standards document.
In the APCO chapters I am involved
with, stakeholders are concerned about
the potential impact that signal boosters will have on the macro environment.
Those who manage the public safety network (PSN) have a strong desire to protect the integrity of the macro network.
Fire departments are tasked with enforcing fire code—they must be able to define
the macro PSN, including frequencies
used, control channel and site locations,
voting receiver sites and potential interference issues.
The Challenge
Major metropolitan areas are using
700MHz, 800MHz, VHF and UHF
macro site infrastructure and, in many
cases, multiple bands are needed to
support in-building coverage. There are
many serious challenges that arise:
• VHF—Transmit/Receive (TX/
RX) channel spacing & simplex:
The channel spacing between the site
transmit (downlink) and the site receive
(uplink) can be very close, which makes
it difficult to create filters that allow the
uplink and downlink to share the same
antenna distribution inside a building.
Challenges exist when multiple VHF pairs
are required, and the uplink of one pair is
just a few hundred KHz from the downlink of another pair. This can be overcome
with designs that separate the uplink and
downlink paths on both the donor and distribution antenna paths (called split DAS).
In some cases, simplex can be supported
with a split DAS approach with class A
amplifiers that are on-channel and have
squelch level-based uplink control.
• UHF—multiple bands & adjacentchannelinterferencefromother
part 90 licensees: Some cities have
numerous bands within the UHF spectrum and share the same spectrum with
part 90 commercial users. If a licensee
has a base station near a signal booster,
determinations must be made on how to
avoid interference to either system.
• Migration paths for 700 &
800MHz: These are the most common
public safety bands supported by class B
band-selective signal boosters. Much of
the 800MHz PSN has been re-banded.
A migration path for changes to 800MHz
or the addition of 700MHz should be
∥
www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶
detailed in the fire department standards
so potential changes can be designed into
the DAS to support that migration.
Class B, or band-selective amplifiers,
amplify all channels within the band pass
window, including both wanted and unwanted channels. These exist in all bands
of public safety and private land mobile
radio (LMR), VHF, UHF, 700MHz
and 800MHz. The FCC requires that
system integrators and installers consider the potential adverse effects of the
increased noise floor on private LMR
systems and establish additional emission
limits to reduce the interference potential
of signal boosters. In general, a class B
signal booster will create more thermal
(RF) noise throughout the band than it is
designed to support. The booster creates
this noise continuously within the band
and has the potential to degrade communications within its operating range.
Register Now
Beginning Nov. 1, all class B signal
boosters must be registered with the
FCC or face a fine up to $100,000 for
non-registered amplifiers. This applies
to both licensees and signal booster
operators. New class B signal boosters
installed after Nov. 1 must be registered
prior to operation.
Registering online is free. First,
obtain an FCC registration number
at https://apps.fcc.gov/coresWeb/publicHome.do. You may then register the
signal booster at https://signalboosters.
fcc.gov/signal-boosters. ∥PSC∥
KEVIN PERSING is the western regional manager for Axell Wireless, and can be reached at
kevin.persing@axellwireless.com.
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 13
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•Association News & Notes
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•HISTORICAL COMMITTEE
History in the Making
Much Accomplished at APCO 2014
BY ADRIANA SPIRESCU
A
t APCO’s 80th Annual Conference & Expo in New Orleans,
the Historical Committee had
the opportunity to meet face to face after
many months of conference calls. Along
with planning for the upcoming year, we
voted on the winners of the historical
photo contest, who were announced on
Aug. 5 on the Pavilion floor. Committee
goals for the coming year include reaching out to various chapters and encouraging them to assign a historian for their
chapter, continuing work with the online
virtual museum so more of our members
can view historical items, and collaborating with the Bradley Institute to archive
Winning agency photo
historical APCO documents.
The photo contest had winners in
three different categories: Agency,
Equipment and Chapter. The winners
in each category were awarded a $25
gift card.
Agency photo winner: Watauga
County Sherriff (Boone, N.C., 1979) Submitted by Wanda Smith, Boone PD.
Equipment
photo winner:
Goshen,
Ind.,
Police Booth Submitted by Dave
Hudson, SNOPAC
9-1-1
Everett,
Winning equipment
Wash.
photo
Chapter photo
winner: Sixteen past presidents of California Public-Safety Radio Association
(CPRA); Southern California APCO
Chapter. Submitted by Adriana Spirescu
(OCSD).
It was our privilege to honor one of
APCO’s legends, the late Gregg Riddle, in
Winning chapter photo
one of our displays. Thank you to the Riddle family for bringing many of Gregg’s
awards and showcasing them, along with
a few photos.
We enjoyed having many folks stop by
and look at the APCO Historical Booth
and view a glimpse of APCO history.
Even Captain Richard Philips, whose ship
Maersk Alabama was the subject of the
movie Captain Philips, stopped by the
booth for a photo-op with the committee
members.
∼ADRIANA SPIRESCU works in the Orange County
(Calif.) Sheriff’s Department communications
department and is a member of the APCO historical
committee.
•CAC CONTRIBUTION
Break Down Silos to Unlock Potential
BY ROXANN BROWN & JOHN CHIARAMONTE
S
outhern Illinois is an area that is
both very rural and economically
disadvantaged. It also is a shining
example of what can occur when public
safety entities tear down silos and work
together for the greater good.
Given the economic circumstances of
the region, it was unrealistic to think
that counties would have the financial
resources to migrate to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) technology. Undeterred, 17 counties in the region banded
together in order to make NG9-1-1 a reality, despite never having worked together
previously. The result was the Counties of
Southern Illinois NG911 Project.
14 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
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◀ ▶ september
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Where silos exist, it becomes virtually impossible for collaboration to occur.
A lack of collaboration restricts innovation and slows technology evolution. It
also drives capital and operating expenses
upward, because the economies of scale
that are borne of such collaboration don’t
exist. In this article we examine ways to
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
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break free from the silo mentality, and
some of the ways in which silos form.
This is my turf—An ownership mentality generally is a positive attribute, but
over time it can also lead to control issues.
Many collaborative efforts have been suffocated due to squabbles over control. For
example, officials avoid input or feedback
because they believe that no one could
possibly know as much about their job/
agency/department as they do.
That’s not my job—When someone feels that a task or duty doesn’t fall
within their job description, they often
hide behind this excuse. Such an attitude
makes collaboration difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.
Cornering the market—Some people hoard information and knowledge as
a way to garner and apply power. They
believe that they will gain a competitive
advantage from being “in the know” when
others are not. As a result, they lose sight
of the fact that by helping others, they not
only would advance their organization’s
efforts, but also would become more powerful and well regarded in the process.
The burden of the past—Perhaps
the worst reason to do anything is “that’s
the way it’s always been done.” Yet, things
often are done—or not done—for this
very reason. Neighboring agencies often
feud for decades because of some perceived injustice that no one currently on
staff can even remember.
Just as there are there are numerous
reasons why silos form, there are as many,
or more, incentives to break down those
silos. Chief among them is cost reduction, which is created when agencies pool
their resources. The leveraging of common infrastructure also leads to improved
redundancy and interoperability. Finally,
innovation is boosted through collaborative efforts.
Now that we’ve examined how silos
form and why they need to be eliminated,
it’s time to explore how to do so. Let’s
consider the following tactics.
What’s in it for them?—Take the
other party’s perspective. Find their motivations. Doing so will make it easier to
tailor the message and demonstrate the
value in cooperation and collaboration.
Find the common ground—There
is limited money to go around, and when
agencies battle each other for it, they
come away with less than they might have
received if they had worked together.
Follow through—This is a constant
challenge. Collaboration depends on
trust, respect and integrity. In order to
build a collaborative relationship, it is vital
to follow through on commitments.
The public safety sector will benefit
from greater economies of scale, efficiencies, redundancies and funding opportunities, all of which are borne from
collaboration. It’s time to break down the
silos, once and for all.
∼ROXANN BROWN AND JOHN CHIARAMONTE
are senior program managers for Mission Critical
Partners, Inc. (www.mcp911.com), a public safety
communications consulting firm. ∥PSC∥
SiriusXM is now a leading
provider of telematics-based
emergency services.
SiriusXM® is now a leading provider of telematics-based emergency services.
And while we may be known for our best-in-class entertainment and infotainment,
we take safety very seriously. In fact, we work hand in hand with automobile
manufacturers to provide crash notification to our dedicated telematics call center.
Our trained agents route to PSAPs connecting as SXMCV, displaying location
coordinates of the vehicle. Which means we’re delivering a safer, smarter, ride to
drivers of Acura, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Lexus, Toyota and Rolls-Royce
vehicles — and offering the best turnkey solutions in the business for automakers.
Welcome to the Connected World of SiriusXM.
PSAPs can reach our Alert Team Desk 24/7 at 972-753-6345.
For additional questions, please call Gary Wallace, Vice President, Government Affairs
at 972-753-6345 or (mobile) 214-437-1506.
S IRIUSX M CONNECTED VEHICLE SERVICES IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING AUTOMAKERS
© 2014 Sirius XM Radio Inc. Sirius, XM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. All other marks and logos are the property
of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
∥
www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
2014
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◀ ▶
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 15
Board of Directors Update
New Point System Adopted for Determining
Officer Candidate Eligibility
BY PEGGY FOUTS, CHAIR, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
E
ligibility criteria for the next APCO International election
purposes to augment the prior Declaration of Candidacy packet.
cycle has recently been enhanced, which will impact
To aid in this transition, the board voted to push back the start
candidates planning to file this fall for the chance to stand for
date of the official candidate declaration period to October 15.
election to the Executive Committee of the Board at the August
Candidates still have plenty of time, up until January 15, to file
2015 conference.
their candidacy. The revised candidate policies and forms will be
To a significant degree, this effort was the handiwork of
the late Gregg Riddle (1949–2014). Many others saw the need,
available on the governance web page (apcointl.org/governance)
by October 1, 2014.
but Gregg with his tenacity made this a reality. During his
Starting with this next election cycle, to be eligible to
presidential year in early 2012, Gregg made initial appointments
run for First or Second Vice-President of APCO International,
to a special Leadership Development Committee authorized
the policy revisions require a candidate to achieve 25 points
through board action. The composition of the committee was
from involvement in the profession and prior service to the
deliberately small and he hand-selected the original members.
association.
He took care to share his vision with each member personally,
During the development of this point system, the committee
as well as with later appointees. He also presided over a series
calibrated it by asking several past presidents to score themselves
of breakout sessions during the 2013 Executive Council meeting
based on when they first ran for office, and for current council
where everyone had input into the knowledge, skills and abilities
members to approach the scoring from their current status. In
(KSAs) to be an APCO leader.
every case, our test subjects, including retirees, reported that
These KSAs were molded into a points system by the
they would have exceeded the minimum point threshold.
committee this year. Point values were discussed and debated
So the purpose of the point system is not to narrow the
on regional council calls, the criteria was revised in response
candidate field, but to make candidates for office better aware
to council and board feedback, and ultimately a new policy
of membership expectations. This point system can serve as a
was adopted by the full Board of Directors at its May 9, 2014
complement to good mentors like Gregg. Similar to how mentors
meeting.
prod us to do our best, we hope this system helps more members
The Bylaws Committee and staff are currently working to
see that they possess all the necessary qualifications, raising
integrate the changes into section 6.4 of the policy manual,
their confidence to put their names on the ballot next year and
along with developing an auto-fill form for point tabulation
thereafter to lead this great association.
Thanks to Leadership Development Committee members past and
present: Greg Ballentine, Chris Fischer, Peggy Fouts, Debbie Gailbreath,
Joe Hanna, Bill Keller, Jason Kern, Matt Stillwell and Holly Wayt (plus
Susan Stowell Corder, staff liaison).
Gregg Riddle
16 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
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2014
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◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
NEWLY-ENACTED POINT SYSTEM FOR OFFICER
CANDIDATES OF APCO INTERNATIONAL
Note: The revised candidate policies and forms will be available on the governance web page
(apcointl.org/governance) by Oct. 1, 2014.
REQUIREMENTS
• Meets Or Exceeds The Minimum Requirements In The Bylaws And Policy
• Apco Member (For At Least 5 Continuous Years Immediately Preceding Election)
• Agency Support (A Form Signed/Returned By The Candidate’s Employer)
• Additionally, A Minimum Of 25 Points As Outlined Below Must Be Achieved
ASSOCIATION & WORK HISTORY EXPERIENCE
[AT LEAST 13 POINTS FROM THIS CATEGORY]
• Public Safety Employment: Current Public Safety Or Support Agency Employed
Or Retired From Same Within Last 12 Months (5 Points)
• Association Committee, Special Committee Or Task Force Chair
(2 Points For Each Full Year)
• Association Committee, Special Committee
Or Task Force Member (1 Point For Each Full Year)
• Association Board Of Directors Member (3 Points For Each Full Year)
• Association Senior Designation (2 Points)
• Association Life Designation (3 Points)
• Association Membership (.25 Points For Every Year After 5 Full Years)
CHAPTER EXPERIENCE
[AT LEAST 8 POINTS FROM THIS CATEGORY]
• Chapter President (2 Points For Each Full Year)
• Association Executive Council Representative For The Chapter
(2 Points For Each Full Year)
• Chapter Board Member (1 Point For Each Full Year)
• Chapter Senior Designation (2 Points)
• Chapter Life Designation (3 Points)
• Chapter Committee, Special Committee Or Task Force Chair
(.5 Points For Each Full Year)
• Chapter Committee, Special Committee Or Task Force Member
(.25 Points For Each Full Year)
PROFESSIONAL/INDUSTRY ACHIEVEMENTS
• Registered Public-Safety Leader—RPL (2 Points)
• Emergency Number Professional—ENP (1 Point)
• Communications Unit Leader—COML (1 Point)
• Communications Technician—COMT (1 Point)
• Executive-Level Intensive Management Course (3 Points)
Examples Include:
• School Of Police Staff & Command, Northwestern University, Ill.
• Southern Police Institute, University Of Louisville, Ky.
• Federal Bureau Of Investigations National Academy (FBI NA)
• National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Course
• Certified Emergency Manager—CEM (1 Point)
• Other Equivalent Professional/Industry Achievements (1 Point)
EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
[AWARDED BASED ON HIGHEST LEVEL ACHIEVED]
• Associate’s Degree (1 Point)
• Bachelor’s Degree (3 Points)
• Master’s Degree (5 Points)
• Phd Or Professional Degree, E.G., Law Or Medicine (7 Points)
SAVE THE DATE
Emerging Technology Forum
November 4-5, 2014 • San Francisco, CA
NextGen 9-1-1 • FirstNet • Public Safety Apps • Cybersecurity
Showcasing the Future of Public Safety Technology
To register and learn more about the event, please visit techforum.apcointl.org
p
g
TEXT-TO
Coming Soon
to Your PSAP
Implementation Considerations
BY DIAMOND CHAFLAWEE & DARREN TERRY
S
ince the first text message was
sent on Dec. 3, 1992, transmission of SMS messages has grown
exponentially, becoming a common and
often even the preferred method of communication among mobile phone users
young and old.¹ And why not? Texting is
easy, quick and extremely efficient. It’s
estimated that adults ages 18–34 receive
an average of 1,000 to 2,000 text messages
per month.² No doubt, that far surpasses
the amount of phone calls they get.
ALREADY SAVING LIVES
Not only is text messaging efficient, but
it also gives voice to those who don’t
have a voice or can’t use it. That’s what
makes text-to-9-1-1 so important and
the reason it’s one of the first milestones
on the road to Next Generation 9-1-1
(NG9-1-1) implementation.
Placing a call is still the most effective
way to reach to reach a 9-1-1 emergency
comm center. It gives the calltaker direct,
uninterrupted contact with the caller in
order to best understand the situation
at hand and ask important questions. In
some cases, though, a 9-1-1 voice call isn’t
possible or practical, either due to physical
limitations or because the caller can’t risk
being heard. That’s where text-to-9-1-1
comes into play.
There already are recorded instances
of text-to-9-1-1 being used to save lives.
One such case occurred in Vermont, so
far the only state to make text-to-9-1-1
available statewide. First responders were
able to save an individual’s life during an
attempted suicide as the person texted
to 9-1-1.³
We know that text-to-9-1-1 will save
lives. It’s now up to PSAPs to implement
the infrastructure to handle them. In the
same way that all calls into a PSAP must
be captured and logged, the same is true
for text-to-9-1-1 messages and other multimedia that will soon flood comm centers
as part of the implementation of NG9-1-1.
The 9-1-1 comm center receives the
following emergency voice call:
WHAT DOES
TEXT-TO-9-1-1 LOOK LIKE?
Within several minutes, the PSAP
also receives a text message reporting
the incident. The following text conversation between the calltaker and texter
exemplifies why text-to-9-1-1 can be
so valuable. It also demonstrates why
handling and logging text-to-9-1-1 can
be a bit more complex than handling
and logging telephony communications.
The best way to understand how textto-9-1-1 and other new forms of 9-1-1
multimedia will impact the future of the
PSAP is to look at an example. In the following hypothetical scenario, a shooting
has taken place. The incident is reported
to 9-1-1 both by phone and text.
18 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
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Call received by calltaking position 1, time: 22:44:41
Calltaker: 9-1-1, what is the location
of your emergency?
Caller: Um, I live at 1020 15th St.,
apartment 413.
Calltaker: 1020 15th St., apartment
413?
Caller: Yes, I think I just heard gunshots.
Calltaker: OK, how many did you
hear?
Caller: 3. They were like pop, pop,
pop, real fast.
Calltaker: Did you see anything?
Caller: No, I was too scared to go look
at the window.
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
PHOTO
O-9-1-1
Text-to-9-1-1 received by calltaking
position 3:
22:47:00 Texter: 16 ST SHOOTING
HURRY
22:47:10 Calltaker: 9-1-1, where on
16th did this happen?
22:47:20 Texter: BY 711, BTWEEN
15 N 16
22:47:33 Calltaker: Between 15th and
16th street, by Arapahoe?
22:47:43 Texter: YA HRRY THO
22:47:55 Calltaker: Were you shot?
22:48:07 Texter: NO
22:48:18 Calltaker: Can you accept a
voice call?
22:48:32 Texter: No CNT TLK—GUY
SHOT NEEDS AMBLCE
22:48:42 Calltaker: Did you see this
happen?
22:48:57 Texter: YA
22:49:09 Calltaker: Did you see who
did this?
22:49:24 Texter: YA SCARED THO
22:49:46 Calltaker: Afraid of the suspect? Are you with the
suspect?
22:49:54 Texter: NO BUT I KNO WHO
SHOT
22:50:07 Calltaker: I need you to type
as clearly as possible to get
the best information from you,
OK?
22:50:11 Texter: OK
22:50:19 Calltaker: So you were not
shot, but you know the suspect, correct?
22:50:27 Texter: YA
22:50:32 Calltaker: What is the suspect’s name?
22:50:46 Texter: JOHNNY MONTEZ,
“TEZ” N 2 OTHER GUYS,
DON’T KNOW THEM JUST
TEZ
22:50:55 Calltaker: How old is Johnny?
Do you know his date of birth?
22:51:06 Calltaker: How do you know
he did this?
22:51:12 Texter: SAW IT
22:51:20 Calltaker: Where are you
now?
22:51:32 Texter: HOME LIVE BY
SCENE
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www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
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◀ ▶
22:51:41 Calltaker: OK, what kind of
car was Tez in?
22:51:49 Texter: BLK SUV
22:52:00 Calltaker:
How
many
suspects?
22:52:12 Texter:
4
DUDES,
TEZ=DRIVER MAD CRAZY
DUDE
22:52:23 Calltaker: Who had the gun?
22:52:35 Texter: GUY IN BACK W 45
22:52:43 Calltaker: Do you know where
they are now?
22:52:49 Texter: TEZ HOUSE
22:52:55 Calltaker: Do you know his
address or where he lives?
22:53:07 Texter: DNT KNO ADDRS
OVR BY 38 N CLAY
BEHIND POT SHOP CARS
ALWAYS NFRNT OF HSE
22:53:14 Calltaker: I’m going to need
officers to talk to you. Are you
willing to have them contact
you even if it’s by phone for
now?
22:53:25 Texter: PLS DNT CALL, DNT
WNT 2 BE NXT
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 19
IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS
When we compare the conversations,
the most noticeable difference is that the
texter provides more information. This is
purely coincidence—we’re not implying
that texters have more information than
callers. But the communication shows
that, for the texter, texting is the only safe
form of communication. We can deduce
that the texter most likely wouldn’t be
contacting 9-1-1 if text messaging wasn’t
an option.
of NG9-1-1. Logging is essential, and not
just for liability protection or investigations
and prosecution. Without it, accurate incident reconstruction can’t take place. Incident reconstruction is an important and
valuable capability for any PSAP, enabling
it to review synchronized incident files for
investigation, quality assurance, process
optimization and other purposes.
The audio logging systems currently
in use at many PSAPs not only capture
Software solutions such as NICE Inform will allow telecommunicators to view many aspects of a 9-1-1 call at once, including related text messages
and video surveillance feeds.
One of the other immediately noticeable differences between a call and a text
conversation is that each text has its own
time stamp, whereas a voice call is treated
as a single communication with a start and
end time. This indicates that each form of
contact—telephony and text—needs to
be handled and logged differently.
LOGGING TEXTS
& OTHER MULTIMEDIA
This brings us to the question of how
PSAPs will log their text communications
or, for that matter, all the other forms of
media that will soon be delivered as part
content, but also call metadata such as
ALI/ANI information. Texts are not all
that different. They are content-slim with
similar metadata and require rather low
space capacity, making them easy to store
in an existing or separate interaction database. Depending on the system a PSAP is
using, it might even be able to utilize existing user interfaces to display and respond
to text messages, eliminating the need for
significant personnel training.
There are notable differences, however, between call data and text data.
Unlike voice recording, there is no practical option to passively tap a text feed. A
20 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
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dedicated text logging feed must be established. This is typically done via:
• An NG9-1-1 call routing element,
either at the PSAP or elsewhere in the
ESInet
• Call processing equipment or CAD
at the PSAP
• Web-based text-to-9-1-1 application from a 9-1-1 text aggregator (TCC)
While the cellphone industry is
implementing standardized text delivery to the PSAP, text logging interfaces
are not widely standardized and might
currently be provided in proprietary
formats.
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
properly handled.
• Continuous Improvement: Through
the use of single event files, PSAPs can
review, refine and establish best practices in general and for text-to-9-1-1 and
NG9-1-1.
ON THE ROAD TO NG9-1-1
The lifesaving benefits of text-to-9-1-1 will hinge on the telecommunicator’s ability to effectively
receive and act on information. Implementing policy and updating technology are key steps PSAPs
must take to prepare.
MORE THAN JUST
CALLS & TEXTS
In the earlier scenario, the calltaker could
most likely respond to the texter via the
existing user interface that’s used for a
voice call. An adjunct system, one that
ideally integrates with the voice recording solution, handles the logging of textto-9-1-1 communications. But this is only
a partial picture of what’s actually going on
and what will be going on once NG9-1-1
is implemented.
With NG9-1-1, texters will also be able
to send in images and videos of an event.
The calltaker must be able to seamlessly
dispatch this multimedia information to
responders and, of course, those communications must also be logged.
So PSAPs have various communications surrounding any one incident: 9-1-1
phone calls and text messages, communications with dispatch and responders, and
eventually multimedia. Putting them all
together is the next step.
INCIDENT RESOLUTION
IS JUST ONE STAGE
In the earlier example, all the information provided to the PSAP enabled the
authorities to apprehend the suspect. But
incident resolution is just one part of the
event lifecycle. Investigation and evidence
collection are ongoing. Since the information gathered during the initial contact
with the PSAP led to the suspect’s apprehension, a synchronized timeline of the
event is critical.
While a logging or recording system
doesn’t accurately organize each communication in a single event file, software
solutions can be used to create a synchronized event timeline. These solutions
chronologically organize all the data—
communications, calltaker keystrokes,
NG9-1-1 multimedia, screenshots, etc.—
to create a holistic view of the event. This
event file can then be used for a multitude
of purposes, including:
• Investigation: In our sample scenario,
the information provided by the caller and
texter led to the apprehension of the suspect. This information can be further used
throughout the investigation, especially
when compiled in a tamper-proof, shareable and synchronized event file.
• Evidence: As NG9-1-1 becomes a
reality and PSAPs are able to receive
multimedia such as images and videos,
captured communications will become
essential prosecutorial evidence.
• Quality Assurance: PSAPs can review
synchronized event files for quality assurance and to identify any gaps in skills,
training and response. These files will
be especially valuable to gauge how well
PSAPs adapt to text-to-9-1-1 and NG91-1 environments.
• Training & Learning: One of the best
training and learning tools available to a
PSAP is a reconstructed actual event. It
can identify gaps in skills and knowledge,
and conversely when a situation has been
∥
www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶
Text-to-9-1-1 is just the beginning of
the transformation to NG9-1-1. With
that in mind, PSAPs should take a
forward-looking approach, one that
not only addresses their most immediate needs, but also those that are
on the way. Tomorrow’s PSAP will
soon receive many types of multimedia.
Being able to effectively manage and
log this data, for example through incident management solutions, is a crucial
first step to maximizing its value. ∥PSC∥
DIAMOND CHAFLAWEE is the director of
marketing and business development, public
safety sector for NICE Systems, Inc. (www.nice.
com). He has more than 10 years of experience
working for organizations in the public safety
and government sectors. Chaflawee developed
the NICE Inform technology, which provides an
automated way for 9-1-1 centers to manage and
reproduce multimedia information.
DARREN TERRY is the technical manager, public safety sector for NICE Systems. He has led
development teams for products in public safety
and logging systems for more than 20 years.
REFERENCES
1. Stern J. (Dec. 2, 2012) Happy 20th birthday, text message, but you’re past your prime.
ABC News. Retrieved on July 28, 2014, from
abcnews.go.com/Technology/happy-20thbirthday-text-message-now-past-prime/
story?id=17864096.
2. MarketingCharts.com (March 21, 2014)
18–24-year-old smartphone owners send and
receive almost 4K texts per month. Retrieved
on July 28, 2014, from www.marketingcharts.
com/wp/online/18-24-year-old-smartphoneowners-send-and-receive-almost-4k-textsper-month-27993/.
3. Ring W. (May 19, 2014) VT first for statewide text-to-9-1-1 service. Burlington Free
Press. Retrieved on July 28, 2014, from www.
burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/vermont/2014/05/19/vermont-text-help/9291599/.
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 21
Communications Issues Revealed
in the Christopher Dorner Incident
BY MICHAEL GUERIN
he May 2014 release of “Police
Under Attack,” a comprehensive
after-action review of the Christopher Dorner incident that took place in
Southern California, is important reading for anyone in law enforcement.¹
Beyond the strategic and tactical issues
discussed in the report, the Police
Foundation’s authors highlighted several specific instances in which a lack
of adequate communications caused
problems ranging from confusion to
jeopardy of officer safety.
In early February 2013, a series of
shootings took place in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties. The victims
were law enforcement officers and their
families, or civilians who had been misidentified as the suspect. At the end of a
nine-day manhunt, suspect Christopher
Dorner, 33, an honorably discharged
Navy Reservist and former Los Angeles
Police Department officer, was dead; as
were two civilians and two police officers—deputy Jeremiah MacKay and officer Michael Crain.
The challenges confronting the principal law enforcement agencies in this
incident were immense. The manhunt for
Dorner took place over a wide expanse of
Southern California encompassing various
geographical regions and weather patterns. It required the coordination of
thousands of police officers, sheriff’s deputies, highway patrol officers and state and
federal special agents, all with different
policies and practices, organizational cultures and frequently incompatible communications systems.
The last thing some people want to read
is another article on the issue of interoperability, but as the report reminds us,
the problems have not yet been solved.
Perhaps what is needed is a different
approach—one that focuses on issues
brought to light in this case. Perhaps the
22 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
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solutions could already exist in our toolbox
(and in some cases, in our radios). This
article focuses not on highly technical
issues, but on operational-level concepts
for dispatchers, officers, deputies and
troopers. Hopefully it will present ideas
they may wish to consider so that they will
be better prepared to use available communications in an emergency—or to ask
intelligent questions of vendors as to what
is and is not available in their communications systems.
FROM THE REPORT:
“Because this was a multiagency event,
interoperability was predictably the first
major technological problem to emerge.
Most of the agencies involved in the
investigation and eventual apprehension
of Dorner did not share common radio
frequencies. Several did not even have
the capacity to be patched to a tactical
channel in the jurisdiction where they
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
ALL PHOTOS AP
were working. This lack of real-time
communication capacity during high-risk
operations put officers and citizens at
extreme risk and diminished opportunities
to apprehend [Dorner]. In addition
to the safety risks, even rudimentary
coordination was hampered by the
inability to broadcast information to the
field simultaneously and consistently.”
The report went on to describe specific
situations in which officers from one jurisdiction operated inside another jurisdiction’s territory without even basic means
of communication. In one instance, officers intended to use a cellphone to call the
local agency, but the cellphone became
inoperable. Later, these officers had to
borrow a cellphone to call 9-1-1 when
shots were fired at them.
According to the report, “The Police
Foundation team identified success in
interoperable communication systems in
Orange County and failures in Riverside County. While local jurisdictions are
attempting to resolve the issues, it is inexcusable that law enforcement agencies in
a county or region cannot immediately
communicate with each other.”
WHAT’S IN YOUR RADIO?
In “the old days,” two-way radios were
lucky to have four channels, while modern
equipment has the capacity for up to
hundreds of possible frequencies. This
should be good news, but in some cases
our officers don’t remember what tools
they have in their radios. Most agencies
program in several interoperable
frequencies and access channels (more on
these later), but officers tend to remember
only those channels that they use every
day, and sometimes forget how to change
zones or find rarely used talkgroups. Even
officers who have dozens of the most
complex apps on their smartphones seem
to have this difficulty.
This would indicate that additional
training and documentation are needed.
Does each officer have a list of all channels/talkgroups in the radios and available uses for each? Have they practiced
changing zones and demonstrated this
proficiency? Do they do it often enough
to recall this knowledge under pressure?
Do dispatchers know what is in their consoles, what each channel/talkgroup does
and whom it communicates with? Do
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they know and practice how to enable
and disable patches and make simulcast
transmissions over several or all of their
available channels?
IS THERE AN APP FOR THAT?
Some agencies have worked with vendors
to produce apps that help the user know,
based on his or her geographic position,
the available interoperability channels.
The two I am aware of in my area are both
focused on fire service communications,
but the logic holds that even officers
who don’t take the time to read channel
lists may find it useful to look up radio
operation information on a smartphone.
One app even includes short videos on
radio operation. Even without your own
app, you can record short videos with the
use of radio equipment, changing zones,
etc., and use simple video sharing sites to
post them privately for your dispatchers
and officers to view on their devices.
These are interesting possibilities.
ACCESS CHANNELS
Today’s radio systems are not only more
complex, they are, by nature, more
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 23
OFFICERS NEED HELP—DO YOU COPY?
compartmentalized. Some agencies, as
a means to optimize use of a group of
frequencies, opt for systems that use
trunking technology (as do commercial
wireless companies). Some agencies
have moved to the digital radio standard
outlined in APCO’s Project 25 (P25).
Some conventional radios cannot
communicate on digital channels. A
related issue is encryption. Some agencies
have chosen to encrypt their radio traffic
to ensure that unauthorized parties
cannot monitor transmissions. While this
seems reasonable on its face, it too can
hinder interoperability.
A solution is available and is used by
many agencies with “closed”
radio systems (systems that
others don’t have the technology to operate on). This
is the concept of an access
channel. By definition this
is a channel—or repeated
pair of frequencies for wide
area systems—that is made
available to allied agencies to use to contact your agency. To be effective it should
be analog, not digital; it should be conventional, not trunked; it should not be
encrypted. Does your system have such a
channel identified? Do other area agencies that might enter your area for a pursuit, investigation or surveillance know of
it and have it in their radios?
What if the neighboring agency is on a
different band entirely? As we discuss the
splintered nature of our communications,
with agencies across the street on different
bands, it is worth mentioning that some
chiefs and sheriffs have long ago decided
to put two mobile radios in each police
vehicle. Yes, this seems expensive, and
yes, it is yet one more item to put in an
already crowded patrol vehicle, but it may
be necessary when neighboring agencies
operate with one another daily on different bands. Some manufacturers are finally
making dual band radios, and this may
be an option for you as well, if you can
afford it. The Royal Canadian Mounted
Police (RCMP) and California Highway
Patrol (CHP) are working with a vendor
to integrate several mobile radios into a
mobile data terminal (MDT) controller,
but few can afford such sophisticated solutions.2 Whatever you can afford, think of it
as an investment in officer safety.
CALLING ALL CARS
How can officers on several different
channels get the word when there is
a pursuit, help call or critical crime
broadcast? In many agencies this
involves dispatchers calling one another
and manually rebroadcasting it on
several different frequencies, and on
several different radio systems.
Some broadcasts go out quickly, others
another and, perhaps because they tend
to work together across boundaries more
often, their interoperability problems
are being worked out. (Clearly this is
not always the case, nor is this to say
that law enforcement is not working
hard to address their issues.) Law
enforcement agencies, however, tend to
be more independent by tradition and
the nature of their work. Confidentiality,
organizational history and legal
jurisdiction all contribute to this, and
legitimately so.
When it comes to the ability to communicate among and between jurisdictions, my experience is that law
enforcement needs to
speed up their efforts and
the Police Foundation
report appears to echo this
view. Make agreements
with adjoining agencies
to place their channels in
your radios, and yours in
theirs. And then empower
your officers, deputies and troopers to
change channels when they need to
speak with the neighbors.
“Coordination was
hampered by the
inability to broadcast
information”
less so. At least in regional or countywide
systems (sometimes called subscriber
systems) technology exists to ease and
speed this process. It does cost extra
money, but it works and is proven to
work on a daily basis. Orange County in
Southern California has, for two generations of systems, specified a mobile radio
with a second receiver section—one that
constantly monitors a countywide emergency channel. This channel is only used
for pursuits, officer-needs-help calls and
critical crime broadcasts. It has resulted
in apprehensions, faster help for officers
in trouble and the return of critical missing persons—in short, increased public
safety. A few other agencies are moving
in this direction with regional broadcast
or pursuit channels.
I’M THE LAW IN THIS TOWN
Fire agencies in some parts of the
country seem to have better embraced
the conclusion that they need to
communicate with other agencies rapidly
and accurately on an as-needed basis.
Many share tactical frequencies with one
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TV COPS & OLD SCHOOL
SOLUTIONS
When you tune in to most any current
police show on television, you will see
officers using their cellphones (sometimes
exclusively) to communicate with their
office, their partners, etc. Cellphones
have some advantages in sensitive
cases, but should not be considered a
substitute for using two-way radio when
available. Cellphone conversations convey
information to one party only, which is
the direct opposite of interoperability
and sharing of officer safety information
that others may need to hear. Along the
same lines, you should never type your
crime broadcast or important items such
as traffic stops to your dispatcher on your
mobile data terminal (MDT) or patrol
laptop. Again, it is important for others
to hear the information that they might
have to use to back you up, such as your
location and activity.
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The Dorner incident report did note
that sometimes the only available solution
is to trade portable radios with an agency
you are working with or when you are
operating in an outside jurisdiction on a
case or incident. Even this is superior to
relying on a cellphone in many situations.
A few vendors have recently begun
marketing push-to-talk (PTT) capability
to connect cellphones to two-way radio
channels for use in tactical, emergency
or travel situations. Several agencies are
testing these promising products. (For
the record, Nextel had such a capability
for several years and a few agencies used
this to connect administrators, investigators, etc., to agency channels using their
cellphones. Nextel, of course, is no more.)
DIDN’T WE ALREADY FIX THIS?
Some communications specialists, and
certainly some vendors, would have you
believe that the “next generation” Long
Term Evolution (LTE) digital devices
will soon enhance our ability to share
information. Beware of two cautions.
Caution one: Information sharing that
will improve the most and the soonest is
likely to be what we call “data” such as
photos, fingerprints, etc. Will LTE soon
supplant two-way radio as we know them
today?3 Unlikely. Caution two: Note the
use of the word “future.” True, the feds,
states and locals want to move forward
aggressively toward a nationwide public
safety broadband network, but this will
likely take quite a while.4 For some time
to come, let’s learn how to best use what
we have.
Some vendors would offer that
interoperability solutions exist—if you
buy a new system or hire them to engineer you a “black box” or something
else that they can sell you. These may
be options if your agency has funding to
support them, but some solutions don’t
require that entire systems be replaced,
just that some limited enhancements,
using currently available technology, be
considered. In other cases, nothing at
all needs to be programmed, purchased
or procured. All that is needed is better
documentation, training and exercises to
ensure that capabilities already in place
are known and familiar to the dispatchers, officers, deputies and troopers who
need them.
YOUR VENDOR KNOWS
SOME, BUT NOT ALL
True, communications vendors know
a great deal about their products and
what they can do for you, but only
you know your jurisdiction and the
agencies around you. When you deal
with vendors, be specific about what you
hope to accomplish with the equipment
you buy. I have too often seen vendors
steer clients into “solutions” that may be
more costly and complex than they need.
Often, law enforcement managers don’t
know a great deal about the technical
issues related to communications and
interoperability, but there are resources
available to you. Organizations such
as APCO International, the National
Emergency Number Association
(NENA) and others have members in
partner agencies nearby that may be
able to help you.
Each state has an interoperability
manager (Statewide Interoperability
Coordinator, or SWIC) and he or she
can refer you to communications-savvy
people in partner agencies. Most states
offer Communications Unit Leader
(COML) training classes. These are
based on a standardized Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) curriculum and provide training for emergency
responders to serve as radio communications unit leaders during all-hazard
emergency operations. COML responsibilities include developing plans to
effectively use incident communications
equipment and facilities, managing
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distribution of communications equipment to incident personnel and coordinating the installation and testing of
communications equipment.
WHAT NEXT?
The Police Foundation report reinforces
what we already know: We have more
work to do when it comes to the ability
to communicate with other agencies
during rapidly unfolding events and
emergencies. Consider that some of the
answers may be closer, and less costly,
than you might realize. ∥PSC∥
MICHAEL GUERIN recently retired after 38
years of public safety service in various California agencies. He served as the state’s Law
Enforcement Mutual Aid Chief in the Governor’s
Office of Emergency Services and is a former
dispatcher, patrol officer, sergeant, training
manager, chief investigator and police chief.
Guerin is a member of APCO and a life member
in the California Peace Officers Association.
Reach him at mguerin@csupomona.edu.
REFERENCES
1. Police Foundation. (n.d.) Police under
attack. Retrieved on July 28, 2014, from
incidentreviews.org/.
2. Rockwell Collins. (Feb. 2011) iForce
integrated police vehicle system. Retrieved
on July 28, 2014, from www.rockwellcollins.
com/~/media/Files/Unsecure/Products/Product%20Brochures/Integrated%20Systems/
Ground%20Vehicle%20Systems/iForce%20
white%20paper.aspx.
3. National Public Safety Telecommunications Council. (Aug. 15, 2013) NPSTC brief.
Retrieved on July 28, 2014, from npstc.org/
download.jsp?tableId=37&column=217&id
=2712&file=Why_Cant_PS_Just_Use_Cell_
Phones_NPSTC_130415_orig.pdf.
4. U.S. Government Accountability Office.
(Feb. 2012) Emergency communications.
Retrieved on July 28, 2014, from gao.gov/
assets/590/588795.pdf.
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 25
Preparing for Foreign Language Text-to-9-1-1
BY STEPHEN MARTINI
ecesito un policia!”
“¿Nueve uno uno, cuál
es la dirección donde
ocurre la emergencia?”
With the advent of SMS to 9-1-1,
these phrases could be headed to your
PSAP sooner than you think.
Today, Apple iPhone owners can
text in nearly 50 languages, including
Arabic, Catalan, Cherokee, Chinese,
Croatian, Hebrew, Japanese, Serbian,
Slavik, Tamil and Vietnamese. Though
the range of languages may vary, similar
options are available in Samsung Galaxy, Nokia Lumia and Motorola Moto
X devices.
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Language interpretation services, such
as Portland, Ore.-based Telelanguage,
are already working on solutions to
make sure they are prepared for the
future of 9-1-1 communications.
Joe Whittington, sales and marketing manager at TeleLanguage, says
his company is already providing documentation translation services for
banks, hospitals and insurance companies, and over-the-phone language
interpretation for 9-1-1 comm centers,
and they are prepared to offer similar
services for SMS.
For PSAPs and 9-1-1 call centers, the
process of translating foreign language
SMS messages would involve emailing
data received to a dedicated contact
who is available around the clock.
“First, we would do some demo-testing with the site to make sure everyone
knows how the solution works,” Whittington says. “Larger customers—like
9-1-1 centers—are assigned to a dedicated project manager and team.”
With Telelanguage, when a 9-1-1
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telecommunicator receives a foreign
language text, they would copy and
paste the message into the body of an
email message directed to the attention
of their project management team, at
least one of which would be available
at all times day or night. To ensure
receipt of the message, the sender
would receive an email confirmation
that TeleLanguage received the email
and was processing the translation.
A staff linguist would then process the
phrase and email the translation back to
the telecommunicator, who could then
use that information to determine the
location and nature of the emergency.
The next step is where the process
gets sticky.
Currently, TeleLanguage can provide a generic Spanish phrase stating,
“We have dispatched assistance to the
address provided. Please dial 9-1-1 for
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instructions,” encouraging the caller
to contact 9-1-1 for a voice call. This
is similar to existing NENA standards
encouraging English speaking callers to
call 9-1-1 if they can, rather than text.
What still needs to be developed is a
way to continue a conversation with the
caller in their native language if they
cannot speak on a voice call.
“If the dispatcher were
able to make voice contact
with the caller, we would
then process the call as any
other over-the-phone interpretation,” Whittington
says, echoing sentiments
heralded throughout the
9-1-1 industry that the fastest way to
process a request for service, regardless
of what language the caller speaks, is
still with a voice call.
(expected to hit the market in Spring
2015) by interfacing with equipment in
the PSAP.
Product Manager Scott Swanson says
the LanguageLine solution, which is
able to process SMS received on legacy or session initiation protocol (SIP)
trunks, will automatically identify the
accident on an interstate, or a Smart
9-1-1 profile.
Ensuring the interpreter is properly
trained in translation of written text is
critical to this process.
Michael Bernard, 9-1-1 and government business development manager at
Tucson, Ariz.-based Voiance, another
language interpretation
provider, says that the other
piece of the problem is the
difference between interpretation and translation.
He recognizes that reducing the time to process the
call is key, and that lengthy
translation and transmission
time as part is problematic.
“Interpreters deal with the spoken
word, while linguists deal with the written word,” Bernard says. “Sometimes
the industry believes the interpreter
can deal with SMS as easily as a voice
call, but that is not true.”
SMS messages should be sent to
trained linguists in a completely
secure environment, he says, which
“We are dealing
more with meaning
than words”
CONTINUING THE
CONVERSATION
LanguageLine Solutions, based in
Monterey, Calif., is seeking to address
that problem with their solution
language being used by the caller and
connect the message to the appropriately trained linguist and the dispatcher
simultaneously. With this real-time link
in place, dispatchers and linguists could
work together on a voice call, as they
currently would with an over-the-phone
interpretation, to discuss additional factors such as previous call history, ongoing incidents such as a large vehicle
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pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 27
SMS A 9-1-1 EN ESPAÑOL
is why Voiance is making a concerted
effort to work with industry partners
such as Intrado and TCS to discuss
how they can access the secure call
path already established between the
caller and the PSAP.
“9-1-1 centers are going to look to
the interpretation provider and assume
they can deal with the call,” Bernard
says. “This needs to be a three-way
conversation. We need to be a bridge
between the caller and the dispatcher,
so we need to be able to send messages
back and forth between the PSAP.”
GETTING IT RIGHT
Both Bernard and Whittington agree
that using free online platforms for
foreign language translation is risky and
increases liability for the user.
“There are more than 200 Hindi
dialects alone,” Whittington says.
“We check our Spanish translations
at least twice, sometimes three times,
because Mexico, South America and
Spain all have dialects that are not
exactly the same.”
Caitilin Walsh, a certified linguist
and president of the American Linguists Association, says using an online
translation service also raises concerns
about privacy.
“When you use an online translation
service often the website states as part
of the terms and conditions that they
can collect and use any information
you provide,” she says. “Confidentiality
is covered by our Code of Ethics and
Professional Practices.”
That means using a certified linguist
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ensures the information provided to
9-1-1 in an emergency won’t wind up as
part of an online survey or in the headline of an article without authorization
from the agency handling the call.
“Translation is such an aspirational
statement, because we realize we are
dealing more with meaning than words
when translating,” Walsh says. “When
you apply that to translating SMS, text
is its own language in its own right!”
Some of those unknown factors are
what drive Erik Loberg, director of
product management with San Diego,
Calif.-based TriTech Software Systems,
to wait on i3 standards to define the
process for conferencing a third party,
such as a language interpretation service, into an SMS session.
“Our goal is to make this process
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no different than taking a call, so the
dispatcher doesn’t have to be trained
or do anything different to process
an SMS call,” Loberg says, speaking
about features being added to their
Inform 9-1-1 and Inform CAD + 9-1-1
solutions. “SMS will mirror the same
functionality as our TDD/TTY capability with pre-built messages. I think
calltakers will find the challenge will be
in identifying the language of the SMS
message they receive.”
Whittington and Bernard believe
they are up to that challenge, offering
linguists to help assess not only the language, but the message therein.
A RECOGNIZED NEED
While all of this may seem like a
long way off, it is important to note
that when SMS-to-9-1-1 launched in
Aspen-Pitkin County in Colorado in
late 2013, the Aspen-Pitkin County
Communications Center received only
one real emergency via SMS—written
entirely in Spanish.
Though discussions within the interpretation and translation industry on
this topic are even newer than still fresh
SMS-to-9-1-1 discussions within public
safety communications, Walsh is quick
to underscore the legal importance
of providing equal access to limited
English proficient persons.
“The precedent is set on language line
and telephone interpreting currently
available for voice calls and the limited
English proficient persons demanding
equal access to 9-1-1,” she says.
Walsh referenced court cases heard in
Washington, where she lives, upholding
the civil rights of non-English speaking
persons to have direct and equal access to
public facilities and other services, which
could easily apply to 9-1-1.
Yet, she says she is hopeful for an answer
to this latest technological challenge.
“Some providers will step up with a
solution to this conundrum,” she predicts,
“and then it will be the municipalities and
counties offering 9-1-1 services that will
develop the standards for how the solution should be used.” ∥PSC∥
STEPHEN MARTINI is the emergency communications supervisor at Brentwood (Tenn.) 9-1-1.
Before joining public safety, Martini was a newspaper journalist in
North Carolina and Tennessee. Contact him via
email at martinis@brentwood-tn.org.
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pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 29
NPSTC & APCO Collaborate on Public Safety
Grade Communications Report
AP PHOTO/ELAINE THOMPSON
BY JACKIE BAYLESS
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FIGURE 1:
The Public Safety Grade Report Chapters
Chapter 1
Introduction
Chapter 2
Risk Factors & Analysis
Chapter 3
Environmental Events
Chapter 4
Service Level Agreements
Chapter 5
Reliability & Resiliency
Chapter 6
Coverage
Chapter 7
Push to Talk (PTT)
Chapter 8
Applications
Chapter 9
Site Hardening
Chapter 10
Installation
Chapter 11
Operations & Maintenance
The Public Safety Grade Report includes a comprehensive set of requirements and
best practices that speak to all aspects of system network design, operations and
maintenance.
n May 2014, the National Public
Safety Telecommunications Council
(NPSTC), in collaboration with APCO
International, published the report Defining Public Safety Grade Systems and
Facilities. The definition of public safety
grade (PSG) is of critical importance to
public safety agencies and to the First
Responder Network Authority (FirstNet),
which has been charged with building
the nationwide public safety broadband
network (NPSBN).
This report defines PSG communications and provides measurable characteristics that would differentiate a mission
critical communications system from a
commercial grade network. The report
covers environmental considerations,
service level agreements, reliability and
resiliency, coverage, push-to-talk (PTT),
applications, site hardening, installation,
and operations and maintenance. The
report contains 459 separate public safety
requirements that define a public safety
grade network.
“This is a huge milestone in our quest
to develop requirements for FirstNet,”
NPSTC executive director Marilyn Ward
says. “Thanks to task group chair David
Buchanan and the numerous volunteers
from public safety and industry.”
But the value of the report goes
beyond future guidance to FirstNet.
“The public safety grade report can be
used right now by agencies seeking to
upgrade or build a new site or an entire
public safety land mobile radio (LMR)
system,” Buchanan says.
Representatives from APCO wrote the
comprehensive sections on site hardening and environmental events contained
within the report. The need for site hardening and mission critical operations took
on personal significance for NPSTC governing board member John McIntosh.
McIntosh works in the state of Washington, which dealt with a major wildland fire
disaster earlier this summer. Fires burned
more than 300,000 acres, destroyed hundreds of homes and caused widespread
power outages. Many radio sites ran on
back-up power for extended periods of
time, and damage to critical infrastructure impacted public safety operations
throughout the area.
The wildland fires that devastated Washington
State in July 2014 are a perfect example of
the need for reliable Public Safety Grade
communications networks. Fires burned more
than 300,000 acres and caused widespread
power outages. Many radio sites ran on backup power for extended periods of time.
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pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 31
MISSION CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS
McIntosh, who is a radio communications coordinator for the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife’s law
enforcement program, says “NPSTC and
APCO have been spot on, focusing on the
absolute need for hardening of radio sites
and communications infrastructure and
making sure that these systems are redundant and properly maintained.”
The report has an entire chapter focusing on reliability and resiliency. Reliability
is achieved in public safety LMR systems through equipment redundancy and
minimizing single points of failures. Resiliency is achieved through careful network
design, taking into consideration a variety
of local environmental factors and how
events such as earthquakes, wildland fires,
hurricanes, floods, lightning, ice, tornadoes and even vermin can disrupt or damage the NPSBN network.
Hardening of sites to prevent failure
is one of the most critical elements in
the construction of a reliable and resilient communications system. The report
covers the majority of all systems and
infrastructure at a site, including power,
security, site hardening, electronics and
other elements. APCO has expressed
FIGURE 2:
4.2 Best Practices
These are the SLA best practices guidelines for the NPSBN
to be considered public safety grade.
1.
The NPSBN SHALL provide a draft service level agreement in the operations plan
presented to each state.10
2.
The SLA SHALL specify coverage area, availability, reliability, resiliency and other
specifcations to measure the services provided by the NPSBN. The SLA SHALL
include reporting of signifcant NPSBN outages affecting the customer state or
local jurisdiction.
3.
The SLA SHALL specify the management services provided by the NPSBN,
which will allow for local Public Safety Enterprise Network (PSEN) provisioning of
devices, applications and services, and local management of features such as the
priority of applications, users and devices.
4.
The NPSBN SHALL provide regular reports and measurements of the
specifcations of the SLA with each state.
5.
The SLA SHOULD provide descriptions and measurements of other services levels
as required or recommended elsewhere in this document.
Example of best practices identified for Service Level Agreements (SLA) between
FirstNet and the local agency.
interest in the creation of an American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard on site hardening to provide a single
source document for use by emergency
responder agencies working with broadband or LMR systems.
32 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
The goal is for the NPSBN to provide
equivalent levels of service that exist in
today’s public safety LMR systems that
support law, fire and EMS operations,
commonly referred to as “mission critical
systems.” Design choices must support
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CC9-1-1
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MISSION CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS
a greater overall network reliability and
resiliency to network disruptions compared to commercial networks.
A fundamental principle conveyed
throughout the document is that public safety networks need to be available
to first responders at all times, even in
circumstances that would cause commercial networks to reach capacity limits or
fail entirely. Communications are vital to
public safety personnel both in the field
and in command centers during routine,
local incidents and even more so during
major incidents covering a larger area.
Public safety voice LMR networks today
are among the most reliable networks
available in the U.S. Today’s commercial
wireless networks are not built to the
same standard. The NPSBN must be
constructed to meet as many of these
PSG requirements as possible. And, since
network and cell site sharing with commercial operators may be part of the
NPSBN design, those commercial sites
that also house NPSBN equipment must
be upgraded to meet as many of these
requirements as possible.
The report states that in order for the
NPSBN to be relied upon and trusted by
the public safety community, it must be
a PSG network, not a commercial “best
effort” network. Emergency responders
and their commanders depend upon communications systems to be fully functional
at all times and under all circumstances.
In order to be successfully adopted by
the public safety community, the NPSBN
cannot be anything less.
FIGURE 3:
9.6.6.3 Long-Term Backup Power Source
There are a number of long-term fxed and mobile backup power sources. This section
addresses these units and fuel types available.
277.
Each site SHALL have backup power generation with a power supply
duration sized to power the site until it can be refueled to maintain 99.999%
availability.
278.
The fuel source for the generator SHALL be chosen to provide reliable
generator operation given the site’s climate and other environmental
factors.50
279.
Fixed generators with onsite fuel storage SHALL have an adequate sized storage
to allow for the unit to operate at full load for the longest expected runtime given
distance from supplies and the potential for transportation disruption during a
disaster or power outage.
An example of requirements specified in the report that deal with long-term power
sources. This example cites requirements #277 through #279. There are 459 separate
recommendations listed in the report.
The public safety community understands that the entire FirstNet system may
not, economically, be built to meet all of
the best practices contained in the document. FirstNet, in consultation with local
jurisdictions, should assess the importance
or criticality of each site and determine
how to balance cost and risk.
According to the report, “This work
is primarily focused on mobile data to
assist FirstNet in their design of the
NPSBN, but can also be helpful to
public-safety agencies that are designing
or specifying new or upgraded publicsafety LMR systems.”
“The members of the task group realize that not every site or sub-system of
the NPSBN will meet every requirement
34 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
listed in the report,” Buchanan says, “but
if the report is used to guide the design
and an effort is made to meet as many
requirements as is economically possible, the NPSBN will be a reliable resilient network. That network will serve
public safety needs far better than any
commercial network.”
A copy of the report is available on
the NPSTC website at www.NPSTC.org.
Click on “Current Topics” and then click
on “700 MHz Broadband.” ∥PSC∥
JACKIE BAYLESS is the editor for the National
Public Safety Telecommunications Council
(NPSTC), which maintains a national dialog on how
public safety telecommunications issues affect
spectrum, technology and interoperability.
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
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dedicated to serving those in public safety communications.
Not every leader’s path is the
same. Select training to support
your personal goals.
CDE #36491
BY CHRISTINA DRAVIS
harting a career in public safety telecommunications is often an indirect path. Many 9-1-1 calltakers and
dispatchers end up in their positions by
happenstance rather than by design. Fortunately, the public safety field is making
great strides in developing high-quality
training and education opportunities for
those wishing to pursue new careers or
further advance their current role.
Formal education through higher education institutions is just one avenue for
development and may not be right for
everyone, depending upon personal circumstances such as family life, full-time
employment and learning style. In this
article, I review many of the steps I’ve
taken over the course of my own career,
but it should be emphasized that there
is no right or wrong way to pursue a
career in a 9-1-1 comm center—this just
happens to be what fit for me. By thinking
of 9-1-1 telecommunications as a career
path (rather than “just a job”) and constantly striving to sharpen our skills, learn
new competencies and improve every
aspect of our performance, we can ensure
that the public will be served and protected when they call us for help.
SET GOALS EARLY ON
I knew in high school that I wanted to
be a dispatcher when I grew up, but
back in the 1980s, no one really knew
what that meant. That was before the
television series Rescue 9-1-1, before the
media played botched 9-1-1 calls all over
the news and before 9-1-1 dispatchers
participated in high school career days. I
didn’t have a clue how to even become a
dispatcher so I went to college like everyone else.
36 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
I remember being frustrated when it
came time to select my major because
there wasn’t anything that vaguely resembled a dispatcher. After explaining my
career goal to the guidance counselor, she
put me down for pre-law. Even though I
was awarded a full four-year scholarship
to attend college, I ended up dropping
out because college was just keeping me
from working in my dream job. Finally
I got my first job in 9-1-1 working for
a small PSAP in the San Francisco Bay
Area dispatching for two police departments and three fire stations.
Once I became proficient, I started
setting goals for my future: work at a
busier center by the time I was 25, which
would hopefully permit me to be promoted to a supervisor by the time I was
30 and eventually run my own center by
the time I was 40. These goals follow the
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
Telecommunications is
more than “just a job.”
SMART criteria originally developed by
George T. Doran and utilized throughout the corporate world to manage projects, measure employee development
and set objectives:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timely
Those who knew me early on in my
career may have been surprised by my
drive since I was also a very shy person,
and it’s often thought that these qualities don’t go together. Luckily, there is
not a predetermined personality type
for career success, especially in 9-1-1
dispatching. It’s important not to let
pre-conceived notions about personality,
upbringing, education or socio-economic
background keep you from achieving
your dream job. Anyone who has worked
in public safety for a period of time can
attest that this field attracts all types
of personalities. Assess what you want,
determine the steps necessary to achieve
it and then make it happen.
FIND A ROLE MODEL
In the first comm center I worked at,
there was only one other dispatcher—
the person who trained me—who shared
some of my goals, so I tried to follow in
his footsteps whenever possible. He was
soon hired by our county’s regional fire
and EMS dispatch center, so I decided I
wanted to do that too. In the state of California, police dispatchers must complete a
120-hour basic academy within their first
year (80 hours back in 1991) and, through
my academy instructors, I learned about
upcoming training events that were conducted for dispatchers, by dispatchers.
One of the offerings was a week-long fire
dispatch course that I completed the following year.
∥
www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶
Trainers and instructors will be an
invaluable resource throughout every step
of your career. They’ll be able to point you
toward opportunities or classes on subjects you might not have thought would
be relevant to your work. They will also be
up to speed on the latest industry developments and any trends or events that may
impact your career further down the road.
Most importantly, it’s their job to help you
succeed! Pay attention, ask good questions
and keep an open mind—this network of
professionals will see you through for the
long haul.
Completing that fire dispatch course
helped me land my next job with a fire
dispatch center in a neighboring county
and, just prior to my 31st birthday, I was
promoted to shift supervisor. Up until
that point, I hadn’t really done anything to
learn about my profession; I was content
just doing the job that I loved. But everything changed when I became a supervisor, and my employer sent me to my first
national 9-1-1 conference in 2000.
PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER
Prior to that first conference, I’d been
pretty naïve about the 9-1-1 industry.
Although I’d heard the names of APCO
and other associations, I really had no idea
what they were about. I spent the entire
conference learning as much as I could
and became a member of several professional organizations, including APCO, by
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 37
CDE #36491
Your trainers and instructors along
the way will serve as vaulable
mentors.
the end of that year. This enabled me to
set additional goals, not just for myself,
but for my entire comm center.
Local, regional and national conferences are of tremendous value to all
telecommunicators, whether you’re a new
trainee or a veteran manager. The public
safety industry is progressing more rapidly
than ever. Advancements in wireless and
digital technology, federal involvement on
issues such as location accuracy and spectrum management, and association-level
work to develop standards and policy all
play an important role in the knowledge
and skillsets we must attain in order to
stay at the top of our fields. Just last
month, APCO’s 80th Annual Conference
& Expo held in New Orleans featured
nine professional development tracks
totaling more than 100 sessions on topics
spanning emerging technologies, management, Next Generation 9-1-1
(NG9-1-1), emergency preparedness, frontline telecommunicator skills and more. The
APCO Institute also co-hosted
a number of classes for those
wishing to get even more training out of their trip to conference.
These sessions are more than an opportunity to earn credits toward training
and recertification programs; they offer
telecommunicators the opportunity to
share a classroom with other like-minded
professionals from across the country.
It’s a chance to hear their stories—their
successes and their failures—and what
they learned along the way. Attending
conferences reminds us that we’re part
of something bigger, and that we’re
all in it for the same
goal: helping save
people’s lives.
MANAGING
ADVERSITY
My career could’ve derailed in 2004 when
the comm center I was working at closed
due to budget cuts. I was offered a job
as a dispatcher (not a supervisor) at the
new regional fire/EMS dispatch center.
Though the position was a step in the
opposite direction from the goals I had
set for myself, I saw the potential of
working at a fairly new center with room
for expansion, so I accepted the job. I
was promoted back to supervisor less
than five months later.
The road to a successful career is long,
my center, he had worked for one of the
phone companies assisting with the installation of 9-1-1 systems and had also been
involved with several 9-1-1 associations,
including some I hadn’t heard of before.
He was very supportive of my career goals
and allowed me to attend dispatch-related
meetings and conferences, a benefit I
would have missed out on if I had never
accepted that position as a dispatcher.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Once I began attending more conferences and industry meetings, I made the exciting
discovery that I could now
get a college degree in public safety telecommunications as well as emergency
management, something I’d
wanted to do 13 years earlier, but the
programs hadn’t existed. During one of
my annual performance evaluations, a
supervisor recommended that I work
toward completing the bachelor’s degree
I’d started years ago.
It was hinted that a degree would
help prepare me for either the operations manager position at my center, or
to fill my boss’s shoes when he retired,
so I began the emergency management
“Years of networking
introduced me to
other opportunities”
and everyone faces challenges and hiccups along the way. Through hard work
and dedication to your profession, you too
can turn these challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.
The manager of this new center had
worked his way up the ranks from dispatcher to supervisor to operations manager to manager at his previous center,
so I knew right away he was someone I
could learn a lot from. Before coming to
38 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
extraordinarily rewarding. The hard work
and long hours studying are well worth
seeing your name on that plaque on the
wall or updating your email signature
to include those credentials after your
name. Having a degree or specialized
training says something about you: that
you’re a hard worker and you take pride
in your work. The programs themselves
are yet another opportunity to interact
with others in your field and make valuable connections.
IT’S ALL ABOUT
THE NETWORK
Management roles aren’t for
everyone. Take pride in your work,
no matter what your position.
degree program at Jacksonville State
University in Alabama. It was during
this time that I learned that APCO was
launching a new leadership certificate
program and was looking for beta participants to complete the course at no
cost. I was accepted and, one year later,
I became one of the very first Registered
Public Safety Leaders (RPL).
Through college and the RPL program,
I was introduced to many other unique
learning and networking opportunities,
many of them free of charge such as
FEMA’s Independent Study Program
(particularly the Professional Development Series).
Attaining a bachelor’s degree and/or
RPL certification is not just for those
wishing to move their resume to the top
of the stack when applying for a new job.
These achievements ensure you won’t be
passed over for a promotion or raise just
because you don’t meet a minimum set
of requirements. Veteran telecommunicators must remember that times have
changed since when they were first hired;
the younger generation of employees will
pass you by if you aren’t continually working to advance your knowledge.
It’s also worth noting that certification and degree programs can be
Attending the national 9-1-1 conferences and serving on various association committees afforded me a benefit
that many people don’t think to plan
for in their careers, especially early on:
Networking.
I have met and worked with so many
people from all over the country—
dispatchers, supervisors, managers
and directors, training officers, quality
assurance/quality improvement (QA/
QI) managers, vendors, technical folks
and others. This benefit really came into
focus when, after 21 years of working in
9-1-1 comm centers, I was ready for a
change. Years of networking introduced
me to so many other career opportunities I may have never known about had
I not become as involved in the industry
as I did. For example, I had no idea that
QA/QI could be a full-time position.
A few years ago, I left my dispatch
career to work for the new ambulance
provider in my county as a deployment supervisor. It was terrific work.
I was responsible for ensuring all of
the ambulances met time compliance
as much as possible, and I still got to
interact regularly with dispatchers at my
old center. I would’ve stayed at that job
much longer, but for personal reasons
I ended up moving clear across the
country to New York. No matter how
much you study, prepare and schedule,
sometimes life has other plans for you.
For the first time in more than two
decades, I found myself without a job,
but with my years of extensive networking, I soon landed a position with a
computer-aided dispatch (CAD) vendor. I was tasked with training the
country’s largest 9-1-1 center on the use
and operations of its new CAD system.
At first I had hoped to stay with the
company as a permanent employee, but,
after 16 months, I missed being part
of the action and accepted the comm
center manager position in Tompkins
County, N.Y.
After I was hired, I learned that the
search committee was impressed with
my resume because it consisted of jobs in
both the public and private sectors, as well
as a substantial amount of training. Much
of that training was free, paid for by scholarships, or offered by the national and
local associations of which I’m a member.
Meetings and conferences are
valuable networking opportunities.
∥
www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 39
CDE #36491
It took me 24 years, but I finally
achieved the goal I had set early in my
career. In hindsight, it was smart that I
received certifications such as RPL, not
only because I learned a lot from them,
but because many agencies are beginning to require them in order to be eligible for management positions. I even
included it as a desired requirement for
the professional development coordinator position overseeing training and quality assurance at my current center.
There are some things I probably
would’ve done differently if given the
chance, but at least I got to where I
wanted to be, even if it took me a few
years longer than I had hoped. Once
you figure out where you want to be,
go to the APCO and APCO Institute
websites to look up the requirements for
positions similar to the one you aspire
to. You may even find some jobs you
never considered before. Many telecommunicators end up working for vendors
of 9-1-1 equipment (CAD, radio, etc.)
Others may become instructors or start
CHRISTINA DRAVIS, RPL, is communications
center manager of Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response in Ithaca, N.Y. She
previously dispatched in the San Francisco Bay
Area for 21 years prior to moving to New York
to help train NYPD personnel on their new CAD
system. Reach her at cdravis@tompkins-co.org.
Emergency Medical Dispatch 5.2
37725
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38829
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APCO Institute | 351 N. Williamson Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114-1112 | 888-272-6911 | 386-322-2500
Fax: 386-322-9766 | institute@apco911.org | www.apcoinstitute.org
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Sep. 16
37485
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Sep. 19
38833
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Oct. 03
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Oct. 17
38452
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Oct. 20
38303
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Nov. 14
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CALEA Public Safety Communications Accreditation Manager
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Communications Center Supervisor, 4th Ed.
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Oct. 06
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Washington, D.C.
Oct. 06
38745
Centreville, Md.
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Worcester, Mass.
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37949
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Minneapolis
Oct. 02
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Customer Service in Today’s Public Safety Communications Center $199
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Sep. 18
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Sep. 23
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Plainfield, Ind.
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Oct. 10
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Oct. 21
Disaster Operations & the Communications Center
37918
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Coffeyville, Kans.
Sep. 18
38454
Ithaca, N.Y.
Oct. 22
40 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
their own training company. Some are
venturing into emergency management
with the federal, state or local governments. The possibilities are endless for
9-1-1 professionals. ∥PSC∥
$199
∥
◀ ▶ september
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Jackson, Mo.
Oct. 07
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Fire Service Communications 2nd Ed., Update
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Illuminations—EMD Track
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Stress in Emergency Communications
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Sep. 17
34778
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$199
• APCO Institute Presents Web Seminars
For a complete list of convenient, affordable seminars on topics vital to your agency,
visit www.apcointl.com/institute/webinars.htm. Current APCO members receive a $20
discount. Dates, locations and prices are subject to change.Students who enroll in Institute Online classes will be assessed a $50 Distance Learning fee. Tuition is in U.S. funds.
2014
∥
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
SAVE
MORE
LIVES
• CDE EXAM
#36491:
MAPPING A CAREER IN PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
1. The path to a successful career in public safety communications is well
defined and the same for all telecommunicators.
a. True
b. False
6. In addition to training and certification, telecommunicators can also
receive college degrees in public safety.
a. True
b. False
2. When planning your career, the goals you set for yourself ought to be:
a. Open-ended
b. General
c. Measurable
d. Lofty
7. Which of these is a free educational opportunity that telecommunicators
should know about?
a. Registered Public Safety Leader (RPL)
b. Attending conference sessions
c. FEMA’s Independent Study Program
d. Jacksonville State University emergency management
department
3. Which is the best place to look for a role model for your career?
a. Trainers and instructors
b. Friends and family
c. The private sector
d. The Internet
4. Once you’ve set your goals, determine which courses you need to take
and stick to only those sessions. Taking new courses you hadn’t heard
of before will only waste your time.
a. True
b. False
5. One of the main benefits provided by industry associations such as
APCO is:
a. It’s a good excuse to travel and be away from the office
b. It looks good on your resume
c. Other people follow industry changes so you don’t have to
d. Conferences and other events provide educational and
networking opportunities for participants
Using the CDE Articles
for Credit
1. Study the CDE article in this issue.
8. Private-sector companies rarely hire former telecommunicators to
work for them.
a. True
b. False
9. What is a key trait of successful public safety leaders?
a. They have outgoing personalities
b. They rarely need help or don’t know what to do
c. They can handle adverse situations and learn from their mistakes
d. They usually come from wealthy families, so they can afford lots
of education
10. Why must public safety professionals periodically take recertification
courses or continuing education classes?
a. To refresh old skills and learn new ones
b. To stay up-to-date with changing technology and issues such as
cybersecurity
c. To incorporate new federal laws and regulations into agency
policies and procedures
d. All of the above
ORDERING INFORMATION: If you are APCO certified and will be using
the CDE tests for recertification, complete this section and return the form when you send
in your request for recertification. Do not send in the tests every month. There is no cost for
APCO-certified personnel to use the CDE article program.
2. Answer the test questions online or
using this form. Photocopies are acceptable, but don’t enlarge them.
APCO Instructor Certificate #
3. Fill out the appropriate information
section(s), and submit the form to:
APCO EMD Basic Certificate #
APCO Institute
351 N. Williamson Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Questions? Call us at 888/APCO-9-1-1.
You can now access the CDE Exam
online! Go to http://apco.remote-learner.
net/login/index.php to create your
username and password. Enter “article”
in the search box. Click on “2014 Public
Safety Communications Magazine Article
Exams,” then click on “Mapping a Career
in Public Safety (36491)” to begin the
test. Once the test is completed with a
passing grade, a certificate is available
by request for $15.
Expiration Date:
Expiration Date:
If you are not APCO certified and would like to use the CDE tests for other certifications, fill out
this section and send in the completed form with payment of $15 for each test. You will receive
an APCO certificate in the mail to verify test completion. (APCO instructors and EMD students
please use section above also.)
Name:
Title:
Organization:
Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:
I am certified by: ❑ MPC
❑ PowerPhone
❑ Other
If other, specify:
❑ My check is enclosed, payable to APCO Institute for $15.
❑ Use the attached purchase order for payment.
∥
www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 41
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥SPOTLIGHT
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TELECOMMUNICATOR
Advice from the Trenches
Rising Star
Jonathan Jones Delivers High
Performance
∼BY CHRISTINA DRAVIS
B
efore Jonathan Jones was elected
as a board member for the Georgia APCO chapter in 2013, he
served as a regional ambassador sharing
communication and facilitating regional
training events. This was an appropriate
assignment, considering Jones has been
an ambassador for public safety since he
was a child.
For as long as he can remember, Jones
was interested in law enforcement and
wanted to be helpful in his community. As a child, his family had a roofing
business and he communicated with his
father, uncle and grandfather via radio,
prompting him to ask Santa for his own
portable radio for Christmas. While in
middle school, he helped re-energize
his local neighborhood watch program.
The local Sheriff recognized potential in
young Jones and would pick him up from
home or school so he could attend various neighborhood watch functions. Jones
visited his local 9-1-1 center when he was
14 and, fascinated by the important and
challenging nature of the job, knew right
away that 9-1-1 was a possible career
choice for him.
Jones joined the Athens-Clarke County
Police Department as a communications
officer in 2006 at the age of 20. Located
65 miles northeast of Atlanta, Clarke
County has a population of just over
120,000. The 9-1-1 center is staffed by
33 personnel and handles more than
135,000 emergency calls annually for the
Athens-Clarke County Police, Sheriff and
Fire departments, as well as the Winterville Police Department. During the
past eight years, Jones has witnessed
his center undergo major changes both
technologically and professionally. Jones
loves his job so much that he encouraged
his own mother to accept a position as a
communications officer at a neighboring
center. “Many people joke that I didn’t
follow in her footsteps; she followed in
mine,” he says.
Jones recommends that those just
starting out in the 9-1-1 profession
take advantage of as many training and
networking opportunities as possible.
“APCO’s Public Safety Communications
magazine is always helpful, as it contains
articles about current issues pertinent
to our profession. APCO’s PSConnect
website is another valuable resource that
allows me to network with colleagues all
over the country and engage in discussions,” he says. “The key is to get involved
and stay involved. Join APCO, attend
local chapter events and always learn as
much as you can.”
At the age of 28, Jones is just getting started and is considered by many
to be one of APCO’s rising stars. Jones
was promoted to 9-1-1 communications
supervisor in January 2014 and received
the Georgia APCO President’s Award two
months later. He describes his promotion
as one of the most gratifying and memorable moments of his career, mostly because
it was a position he’d always wished to
achieve and had spent years preparing
for so that he would be ready when the
opportunity presented itself.
Being promoted offered the challenge
of transitioning from coworker to supervisor, but Jones offers advice for those in
similar situations. “Remember all of those
things you said you would always do if you
got promoted. Help yourself transition by
doing all you can to become comfortable
in your new role. Outline your expectations and stick with them, and constantly
evaluate your own performance to ensure
you meet both your own professional
goals as well as the goals of your center,”
42 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
Jonathan Jones
he says.
Although he stays busy between work
and his APCO activities—he was chosen for his first national committees this
year—Jones understands the need to
take care of himself by setting aside
plenty of down time and participating in
stress-relieving activities such as running,
spending time with family and friends,
and volunteering with the Great Pyrenees
Rescue Atlanta (GPRA). His best friend
is his own 8-year old Great Pyrenees,
D’Artagnan, who was named after a character in The Three Musketeers.
Without even realizing it, Jones exemplifies the Musketeers’ motto of “all for
one and one for all” by helping to develop
and guide those just getting started in
the industry, and by being a positive role
model for young people, similar to his
own mentors who helped him through
the early stages of his career.
One of Jones’ early role models is
APCO International’s Second Vice President and Georgia chapter member Cheryl
Greathouse. “Prior to my serving on the
Executive Committee,” Greathouse says,
“I had the opportunity to get to know
Jonathan and found him to be a dedicated
APCO member who works tirelessly to
further the mission of Georgia APCO. I
found him to be a professional telecommunicator who is committed to improving
emergency communications on a local,
state and national level.” ∥PSC∥
CHRISTINA DRAVIS, RPL, is communications center manager at
Tompkins County Department of
Emergency Response in Ithaca, N.Y.
She previously dispatched in the San
Francisco Bay Area for 21 years prior to moving to New
York to help train NYPD personnel on their new CAD
system. Contact her at cdravis@tompkins-co.org.
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
ADVANCE
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∥∥∥∥∥∥OPS
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TOP
Comm Center & 9-1-1 Issues
Be the Best You Can Be
Preparing to Move Up the Ladder
∼BY CRYSTAL MCDUFFIE
W
hoever you are, whatever
position you hold, you should
always strive to be the best.
As anyone in public safety is aware, there
are several different roles within an emergency communications center. Many roles
carry multiple responsibilities and almost
all of them require working together as a
team while exceling as an individual.
Let’s begin with the role of telecommunicator. Do you know what the minimum
training entails? What core competencies
should you have to be successful? It really
isn’t just being able to answer the phone,
or dispatching a unit; there’s far more to it.
Then there’s the role of the communications training officer (CTO). It’s not
merely passing along what you know or
demonstrating how to complete a task.
There are other questions, especially when
it comes to evaluations: When should you
do them? How often? How do you ensure
you are both fair and consistent?
Does your agency hold initial (basic)
training or in-service topics? Those
instructors need to meet specific training requirements to ensure their delivery
of the course is successful. Does the
instructor understand the adult learning
principles? What method works the best
for training adults?
Moving on to quality assurance evaluators (QAE), that’s another set of training
and competencies necessary to evaluate
a comm center’s quality of service. Does
that person understand how to deliver
constructive feedback and when necessary? What about recommending remedial training?
Supervisors and managers are no longer promoted based on the fact that they
have been there the longest or are a really
good telecommunicator. While it’s great
to be strong operationally, there are other
facets of the job that need to be mastered.
So how does one find the answers
to all these qeustions? APCO International provides members of the emergency communications profession with
core competencies and minimum training
requirements, along with the skills and
knowledge necessary for each of the positions I’ve mentioned. Each of the applicable APCO standards specifies in detail
the information that each of these roles
need to know to successfully perform in
their position.
Let’s look specifically at the standards
for supervisor and manager/director.
Beyond operations, we must ensure that
we follow all applicable state and federal
laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Labor Acts,
just to name a couple. What about that
budget? Money really doesn’t grow on
trees and every dollar spent spent has to
be planned and accounted for.
Another aspect is communicating effectively with other agencies, organizations
or resources that are utilized in ensuring
you deliver a quality service. That quality
of service must then be maintained and
evaluated. Let’s not forget about training:
training of new hires, continuing education, remedial training, and on and on.
The leadership qualities and training
of supervisors and managers affect many
aspects of the communications center.
There are many tasks that must be completed, from budgets to scheduling, from
training to resolving conflicts between
staff. Management plays an important
role in employee hiring and retention. If
the supervisor or manager does not do a
good job as a leader, retention will suffer.
How do you prepare yourself for the
responsibility of being a supervisor or
manager? What classes will you take to
prepare yourself for these roles?
Standards such as APCO ANS (American National Standard) 3.102.1-2012 Core
Competencies and Minimum Training
44 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
Standards for Public Safety Communications Supervisor, and 3.109.2-2014 Core
Competencies and Minimum Training
Standards for Public Safety Communications Manager/Director have established
specific competencies and skills that are
needed for leadership roles in communications. These standards are intended to
provide a consistent foundation of knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to fulfill
the critical leadership function.
In the popular leadership book by John
C. Maxwell, The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, quality number ten is
“Initiative.” Similarly, Conrad Hilton, has
been quoted as saying, “Success seems to
be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes,
but they don’t quit.” To keep moving is
the key, whether you’re enhancing your
readiness for a promotion or simply striving to be the best that you can be in your
current position.
The environment of public safety communications is ever-changing and evolving; technology is moving at a speed that
makes it difficult to keep up. It is imperative that, in any role, we maintain and
improve our own knowledge and skills.
Moving ahead in your career is an
admirable step to consider. APCO International provides a number of standards
and resources to help you prepare.
Becoming familiar with these standards,
and learning the requirements and attributes of successful leaders in this profession will help you answer the fundamental
question we must all ask ourselves as we
advance in our career: Are you ready?
∥PSC∥
CRYSTAL MCDUFFIE, RPL, ENP, is the Communications Center & 9-1-1 Services Manager for
APCO International. She has more than 18 years
of public safety communications experience, in
addition to serving as an EMT-Paramedic.
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥CENTER
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥DESIGN
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CALL
Form, Function & Finance
Let There Be Light
Evidence-Based Lighting Strategies to
Improve Dispatcher Comfort & Effectiveness
∼BY STEVE LOOMIS & NATE MCCLURE
T
he effect of various types of lighting in the operations of a comm
center can be dramatic. If too low,
it can lead to decreased alertness. If too
bright, the resultant glare and eye strain
will cause employee discomfort.
While much research has been completed on various environments, most of
that has focused on healthcare facilities.
Researchers are now turning their attention to lighting effects on shift workers,
particularly those in critical positions that
require alertness and prompt response.
Designing the optimal lighting for everyone is challenging, but understanding the
basics can guide designers in creating the
most appropriate environment to promote overall efficiency and wellbeing.
Lighting levels in the dispatch center
have been the subject of much debate.
We have seen lighting levels from as low
as 6 foot-candles (FC) to as high as 70 FC.
Average office areas measure between
30 FC and 50 FC, and the tendency is
to have higher lighting levels to promote
overall alertness and responsiveness.
Several studies have found that while
there is a decrease in the nocturnal
secretion of melatonin and drowsiness
of employees during the performance
of exciting tasks, there is a corresponding increase in melatonin and drowsiness
during the performance of routine tasks
between the hours of midnight and 2:00
am, thus the need to keep the lighting levels higher. The interruption of the natural
circadian cycle during these hours can be
affected through the introduction of controlled light. This light “dosage” targets
not only the quantity of light, but also the
spectrum and duration of the source.
The American Optometric Association
recommends that the brightness of the
computer screen and the surrounding
room be balanced. Bright lights may cause
a discomforting glare. Older workers may
require more light than younger workers
to perform the same tasks comfortably.
Natural lighting is of course the best
possible source for lighting the comm
center, but this comes with the challenge
of controlling glare and direct sunlight.
One solution is to provide all the natural
lighting from the north so there is no
direct sunlight. Daylight has been found
to produce more alertness and improved
performance because this spectrum of
light suppresses melatonin and stimulates
the production of serotonin. While it is
not always possible to have north-facing
windows, the designer might consider an
exterior sun screen to control the direct
light or an interior sun shade system.
Another way to diffuse natural light into
the operations area is a light shelf that
spans between the outside and inside of
the exterior glass and bounces sunlight up
onto the ceiling. This concept works best
with higher ceilings. The height should be
proportional to the size of the footprint of
the room. For most medium to large centers, this results in a ceiling that’s about
one-and-a-half stories high. This spacious
setting allows for indirect light fixtures
to be used much like the light shelf. The
fixtures are suspended from the ceiling
and direct their light upward, providing a
similar diffused lighting effect.
To reduce negative effects of natural
lighting, dispatch workstations should not
be placed so that the telecommunicators
directly face an un-shaded window. Conversely, operators should not be positioned
so that the un-shaded windows are directly
behind them. Artificial lighting should be
designed to promote this same idea of
indirect or diffused lighting to eliminate
the potential for glare on screens. We
∥
www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
2013
∥
◀ ▶
usually recommend a pendant mounted
fixture that produces mostly indirect lighting with a small amount of down light.
The correlated color temperature (CCT)
for this source should be a full-spectrum
light that simulates natural lighting conditions. A CCT of 4,000 to 5,000 kelvin
(K) is recommended. The lighting should
be adjustable for occupant comfort and
energy savings. Task lights may be used
at workstations to provide additional light.
It is often requested that comm centers
include natural light as well as views to the
outside. While not all exterior views are
desirable, ones that include natural elements can provide a calming effect on the
employees and visual relief on the eyes
as they switch from looking at a screen
to the exterior. In doing so, they change
their focal length, which provides a visual
ergonomic break.
It is clear that lighting plays a major
role in overall health and wellbeing for
dispatchers and is especially important
to those individuals who perform shift
work. Architects and engineers must
effectively design critical public safety
communications facilities that promote
these principles. ∥PSC∥
NATHAN MCCLURE III, MPA, ENP
is a public safety consultant at
AECOM in Lynchburg, Va. He has
more than 45 years of public safety
communications
experience.
Reach him at nathan.mcclure@aecom.com.
STEVEN E. LOOMIS, FAIA, LEED
AP, is the principal at Public
Safety Design Architecture. He is
responsible for the firm’s public
safety projects and has more than
20 years of professional architectural practice.
Reach him at steve.loomis@aecom.com.
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 45
COOL CACHE
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•Technology, Tools & Tips
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ProfessionalGrade Hardware
The next generation of professional-grade
hardware recording servers emerges
with Toshiba’s G6, a recorder that takes
a major step
forward
in
the realization of fully
networked video surveillance. With the
latest Intel processors, dual gigabit Ethernet connections, increased memory
and new video outputs, Toshiba G6
recorders can support the most demanding hybrid and IP camera environments.
By incorporating Intel Haswell processors, G6 recorders provide the ideal platform for increased memory capacities
and a broader range of display outputs,
along with enhanced overall system performance and live video rendering.
∼FYI: www.toshibasecurity.com
Sharper
Surveillance
Ratcheting up the resolution to meet the
increasing demand for sharper video surveillance images, LILIN North America,
the U.S. entity
of IP video
provider Merit
LILIN, introduced its first 4K Ultra HD camera, the
model UHG1182. The 12.0 megapixel
CMOS camera delivers 3840 x 2160 pixel
pictures at 30 frames-per-second, or four
times the resolution of HDTV 1080p,
with razor-sharp detail and brilliant saturated colors. ∼FYI: www.meritlilin.com
Quality
Monitoring
The NICE Contact Center Video
Recording solution helps organizations
deliver an excellent customer experience
by monitoring and enhancing the quality
of service provided via video-enabled contact centers. The solution enables organizations to continuously monitor agent
performance, maintain a single standard
of performance across the operation and
address future compliance needs. The
solution highlights side-by-side playback of agent and customer recorded
video interactions, simultaneous playback
of audio, video and the agent’s screen,
part of the NICE Engage Platform, passive video recording (no need for PBX
resources), support for H.264 video compression standard.
∼FYI: www.nice.com
User Friendly
VuVault reporting and video management software provides a full suite of tools
to fully utilize
data and video
recordings captured with Digital Ally’s video
systems, including customizable reports, searching and
retrieving, playback, annotating, managing and archiving. Some key features
include easy and versatile uploading, the
ability to search and retrieve video, easy
playback, GPS mapping, multi-channel
playback, archive solutions, security and
authenticity. The software can be run
on any Windows-compatible computer
with Windows XP or any newer Windows
operating system.
for production in late 2014.
∼FYI: www.aeroflex.com/LEON
Stay Connected
Stay connected to your team’s smartphones or land mobile
radios with the use
of BeOn, the most
advanced P25 Push-toTalk app. BeOn is actually an app running on
your commercial smartphone or PC, but it
looks like an LMR radio
to your system. This
makes BeOn the perfect
solution for administrators who need to communicate or track
location of team members—without the
added expense of an additional LMR
radio. BeOn provides a direct connection to the network backbone of many
LMR systems and has been designed
to mimic the features of P25 radio
networks including group or individual
call, distress, caller ID, 256-bit AES
Encryption, group scanning, supervisor
override and many other features.
∼FYI: www.pspc.harris.com
∼FYI: www.digitalally.com
The Next
Generation
Direct Connect
The next generation of LEON family products recently hit the market
with the introduction of the UT699E
and UT700 LEON
3FT-based microprocessors
from
Aeroflex Microelectronic Solutions–HiRel. Both devices
have a seven-stage pipelined, high-performance, fault-tolerant SPARC V8/
LEON 3FT CPU and a compliant 2.0
AMBA bus interface that integrates
the CPU with SpaceWire, Ethernet,
memory controller, 32-bit 33MHz pCI,
CANbus and programmable interrupt
peripherals. The UT699E is currently
in production with the UT700 planned
46 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
∥
◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
Seamless integration into ASTRO
25 trunked networks is at the
heart of the MCC
7500 IP Dispatch
Console’s command and control solution, which provides interoperability,
cost savings and security advantages for
mission critical communications. MCC
7500 consoles connect directly to IP
networks without interface boxes, digital voice gateways or backroom electronics. All console activity—including
trunked and conventional audio, auxiliary inputs/outputs and configuration/
fault management—is supported by IP
network.
∼FYI: www.motorolasolutions.com ∥PSC∥
◀ ▶ www.APCOINTL.Org
∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥ ∥LIABILITY
∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥∥
CIVIL
Part 6 in a Series
Negative Retention
Pattern of Complaints Spells Trouble
for Comm Center
∼BY LINDA FORD & T.G. MIEURE
O
ur case study this month is actually a combination of several
incidents that came together
resulting in the loss of life, a disclosure of
major problems in a 9-1-1 center and the
loss of two jobs.
The initial spark that began the firestorm was a call for help from complainant
Kristine Kirk to Denver Police Department 9-1-1, stating that her husband had
eaten marijuana candy, started hallucinating and was asking her to get a gun and
shoot him. The calltaker entered the call
for dispatch at 9:31. The police dispatcher
(a different person) then broadcast over
the police radio the information: “332
Adam. 2112 South St. Paul Street on a
report of a domestic violence in progress. RP versus her husband who’s been
smoking marijuana.”1
Around the same time, the calltaker
who was still speaking with Kristine Kirk
wrote: “Weapon in house—handgun.”
By now the dispatcher has sent an officer on what was believed to be a routine
welfare check. At first there is no sense of
urgency. “Be advised they do have a handgun in the house, but it’s not in anybody’s
possession,” the dispatcher said over the
radio. Five minutes later, at 9:36, the calltaker noted: “Husband talking about end
of world/life.”
It’s clear from the records that the
caller was scared by this time. The calltaker even noted, “The children in room
with door closed.” Then at 9:43, the calltaker wrote that Richard Kirk, the husband and suspect in the shooting, was in
the safe getting the gun. The calltaker also
noted that they heard the wife screaming.
A minute later, at 9:44 p.m., there is
nothing heard and the phone line is open.
The investigation that followed
debated whether proper procedure was
followed—looking at why the dispatcher
never aired over the radio what she was
reading from the calltaker on the call
screen. On one of the radio reports, you
can hear the first officer on-scene at 9:45
learning about what happened by reading
the computer screen in his patrol car.
Officer:
“332
Adam.”
Dispatcher: “332 Adam go ahead.”
Officer: “Yeah, according to the notes
he grabbed the gun and she’s screaming and the line disconnected. Can you
speed up cover?”
By this time the officer was two minutes too late. Police say Richard Kirk had
already shot his wife in the head when
they arrived, and that he admitted to pulling the trigger.
The question remains if officers had
rushed to the scene as the situation escalated, would they have been able to prevent Kristine Kirk’s death? The dispatcher
resigned under threat of being fired for
failing to give verbal updates on the serious remarks from the calltaker and instead
just letting the notes go to the mobile unit,
which had apparently been reported to
have a problem.
As a direct result of this tragic incident,
the investigation revealed that 60 previous complaints had been filed against the
agency on various charges. The one most
germane to this article involved a second
dispatcher and not one but two homicides
in which critical errors were made and
never corrected or punished—thus resulting in negligent retention of an employee
and a massive lawsuit.
ANOTHER SHOOTING DEATH
On April 1, 2012, Denver 9-1-1 telecommunicator Juan Jesus Rodriguez
answered a frantic call from Ran Pal. He
said a group of men driving a Jeep Chero-
∥
www.apcointl.org ◀ ▶ september
2014
∥
◀ ▶
kee threw a beer bottle through the back
window of his car and began yelling racial
slurs. Pal also told Rodriguez he thought
the men had a gun.2
The call transcript details that the victims were scared and in shock, but were
able to get to an apartment complex in
Wheat Ridge, seven blocks outside of
Denver city limits.
“Yeah that’s going to be … outside of
Denver. I need you to come back into
Denver so we can take a report,” Rodriguez told Pal.
Pal asked Rodriguez several times if
an officer could come to the apartment
because he was trying to recover from
the attack, but the calltaker insisted that
Pal go back into Denver to file a police
report. The investigation later revealed
that Rodriguez could have sent a Denver
officer to the apartment location outside
of city limits.
The caller followed instructions,
returned to Denver and waited at the
intersection of West 29th Avenue and
Sheridan Boulevard with his hazard lights
on. The suspects in the Jeep returned
before police could arrive.
After yelling “they’re back, they’re
back,” Pal told Rodriguez that his brother,
Jimma Reat, was down. “They hit Jimma,”
Pal said.
One minute after Reat was shot, Rodriguez dispatched an officer for the first
time, more than 12 minutes after Pal
called 9-1-1.
Rodriguez’s 20-page termination letter said the telecommunicator failed to
“decipher the situation” and despite the
fact that the “caller stated six separate
times that he was injured, in shock and
didn’t want to drive and needed time to
recover,” he still insisted the men return
to Denver. Rodriguez “showed a blatant
pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 47
CIVIL LIABILITY→continued from page 47
disregard for the caller’s health in your
quest to have the caller return to the city
of Denver,” the termination letter states.
His termination also uncovered another
complaint against Rodriguez in which he
handled a call from a teenager who said
he just killed his mother’s boyfriend. That
call took place a little more than a month
before Reat was shot and killed.
CALL ERROR, FEB. 29, 2012
The 9-1-1 call that spurred the first
complaint against Rodriguez started
with a juvenile caller admitting to have
killed a man.3 “He started to get aggressive and he forced my mom on the floor
and I choked him out, but I don’t know
how long I choked him out for; I think
I killed him,” the caller told Rodriguez.
Instead of sending help, Rodriguez
spent more than five minutes trying to
get an exact address for the apartment
building where the incident happened.
The 9-1-1 call recording shows that
within 60 seconds there was enough
information to dispatch help to an area
indicated by the call screen.
Rodriguez asked the teenager to go
outside to find the exact address of the
apartment where he was located. When
the teen followed the instructions, the
door locked behind him. “I have to hop
the fence because I’m locked out,” he
clearly says on the call. After hopping
the fence, the caller is asked to perform
CPR on the man.
“Can you get close to him?” Rodriguez asked. “No, I told you I choked
him out,” the teen responded.
This incident was also detailed in
Rodriguez’s termination letter from
the comm center. “At no point during the conversation did you actively
listen to what the caller had to say or
appear to understand that a homicide had occurred.” It also said he
“harangued” the caller with questions and had no appreciation for the
caller’s environment.
An investigation led by FOX31 Denver found that in the verbal reprimand
for this call, Rodriguez’ supervisor
discussed scene safety, but allowed
Rodriguez to return to work without
any retraining.”
CONCLUSION
These horror stories are real folks, as
sad as it is to say. It makes one stop
and wonder how it happens with all of
the training that is available, both for
dispatchers and for supervisors. Is the
workload too great, the stress too high,
the dedication and basic desire to serve
and help people somehow slipping
away in our busy world? Accidents will
always happen—that is the way of the
world, but with stories like the ones in
this article that are preventable, surely
the extra step of caution and attention is
worth the effort. ∥PSC∥
LINDA “LIN” FORD is an APCO
Life Member and a member of
the North Carolina, Texas and
Mid-Eastern chapters. She is a
retired telecommunicator from
Greensboro, N.C., and has been involved in
public safety communications for more than 30
years. She is a member of the Editorial Advisory
Committee and a past APCO historian.
48 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
T.G. MIEURE is an APCO Life Member and a member of the Illinois
Chapter. He has been involved in
public safety communications for
more than 40 years and is a member
of the Editorial Advisory Committee.
REFERENCES
1. Mitchell D. and Joseph J. (April 17, 2014)
Documents detail how dispatchers handled
call that ended in mother’s murder. FOX31 Denver. Retrieved on July 31, 2014, from http://kdvr.
com/2014/04/17/documents-detail-how-dispatchers-handled-call-that-ended-in-mothers-murder/.
2. USDC Colorado. (Sep. 24, 2012) Case
1:12-cv-02531-REB-MEH Document 1. 911Dispatch.com. Retrieved on July 31, 2014, from
http://pdf.911dispatch.com.s3.amazonaws.com/
pal-reat_lawsuit.pdf.
3. Landrock T. (April 21, 2014) Denver 911
operators under scrutiny: 60 complaints filed in
last 2 years. FOX31 Denver. Retrieved on July
31, 2014, from http://kdvr.com/2014/04/21/denver911-operators-under-scrutiny-60-complaintsfiled-in-last-2-years/.
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pUBlic SaFEtY coMMUnicationS 49
MEMBER SERVICES
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Building Communities
More Ways to Connect
with APCO Members Nationwide
BY ANN RUSSO
A
t APCO’s 80th Annual Conference and Expo in New Orleans,
first time attendees were invited
to gather for a conference orientation.
During this session there was a point
when the group was encouraged to make
a new networking connection, and when
the new attendees started talking to each
other it was like a roar overtook the room.
People were talking to strangers, introducing themselves and sharing public safety
communications challenges with people
they had never met before from different
parts of the country. More importantly,
they found out that they aren’t alone in
this and that they don’t have to reinvent
the wheel in order to find solutions.
The new attendee orientation meeting is just one of the many examples of
networking tools in the APCO tool chest.
Another one that I’d like to draw your
attention to is PSConnect.
If your email is on file at APCO, chances
are you receive Open Forum discussion
posts from PSConnect, APCO’s professional networking platform. PSConnect is
open to all members and non-members,
but members have access to exclusive
content, features and groups within the
system. A few hot topics that I noticed on
PSConnect just today were 24/7 schedules, UHF radio issues, and a thread
started by trainers at dispatch academies
who were discussing lesson planning.
There are specialty e-groups that you may
join, such as “Supervision & Employee
Oversight” and “Telecommunicators: On
the front line.” Each chapter of APCO
has an eGroup, as well as each committee.
There are also numerous member-created communities utilized by local groups.
Groups in PSConnect include several features: a discussion board, library,
blogs, events and display of members.
Some discussion boards are set up to send
real-time emails generated by discussion
board postings (click “my subscriptions”
under the Communities menu item to
make changes to your email subscriptions). Posting documents to the library
is a means of sharing resources that may
be downloaded by others in the e-group.
One great benefit to this community setting is that the discussions and library
postings will always reside on PSConnect,
and so they become a resource for others
who join the group later.
We’ve all got questions about how we
can do our jobs better. We’ve even got
ideas about how to make things more
efficient and, yes, just plain easier. Using
PSConnect is a method of information
exchange. It is a place where you don’t
have to have all the solutions to your
challenges, but if you do, we hope you’ll
upload a post!
Visit www.psconnect.org to get started.
∥PSC∥
ANN RUSSO is the senior manager
of APCO International’s Member
Services department. Reach her at
russoa@apcointl.org.
PAGES FROM THE PAST
50 Years Ago: The cover of the September 1964 edition of the bulletin announced J.R. Bowers, Jr. as APCO’s new president. Bowers
didn’t waste any time outlining a campaign for action so thorough it
delayed the issue’s production and printing. An editorial disclaimer
reads, “The national issues discussed at the Norfolk conference
were of such magnitude and their treatment by a high level wealth of
experience and professional talent so significant that their inclusion in this issue being
the cause of a delay in printing was considered of secondary importance.”
The following pages contained an address by Quinn Tamm, who was at the time
the executive director of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Tamm’s
purpose was to outline the increased opportunity for partnership and cooperation
between the two associations—a relationship that continues today. Hot-button
issues, such as frequency sharing and more efficient utilization of available frequencies, were also contained in that issue, with remarks from various FCC commissioners
and representatives.
∼STAFF
General information: Public Safety Communications (ISSN 1526-1646, USPS 858-060) is published 12 times a year (monthly) by PennWell Corporation, 1421 S. Sheridan
Road, Tulsa, OK 74112; phone 918-835-3161; on behalf of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International Inc. (APCO International). Copyright
2014 APCO International. Postmaster: Send address changes to Public Safety Communications, APCO International, 351 N. Williamson Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 321141112. Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, Okla., and at additional mailing offices. Advertising Information: Rates are available at http://psc.apcointl.org or by request from
Public Safety Communications Advertising Department at 4180 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 260, La Jolla, CA 92037-9142; 800/266-5367. No material may be reproduced or
uploaded on computer network services without the expressed permission of the publisher. Public Safety Communications is printed in the United States. GST No. 1268113153
50 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
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