Peter Schorsch
How modern is Florida’s statewide law enforcement radio system? That is the question a state task force made up of the heads of law enforcement agencies is asking in a recently-commissioned study delivered to Governor Rick Scott, Senate President Andy Gardiner and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli. The study commissioned by the Joint Task Force on State Agency Law Enforcement Communications is the first in a series of steps being taken to upgrade Florida’s law enforcement communications statewide infrastructure.
The study calls for Florida’s new statewide law enforcement radio system to utilize the “Project 25” (P25) standard, which enables federal, state, provincial and local public safety agencies to communicate with each other and to coordinate during emergencies. The state is preparing to upgrade the current system, which was last rebuilt in the 1990s before the P25 standard was mandated for all public safety radio systems. If disaster were to strike in Florida, the state’s coordinated response would be vulnerable to significant communications challenges. For instance, if a Category 5 hurricane were to hit Miami, state emergency responders using the current system would either have to borrow radios from local law enforcement to communicate or remain shut out of the conversions when lives are on the line.
Many of Florida’s 67 counties currently have P25 radio systems. What has the technology meant for local law enforcement? Better coordination among different agencies such as fire, police and paramedics, according to Seminole County Sherriff Don Eslinger.
“P25 has been a gamechanger for our department,” said Eslinger. “Considering that our officers can now communicate with fire and EMTs, I couldn’t imagine doing our jobs without it.”
Other states have learned from disasters to improve existing radio systems for law enforcement, including Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. According to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security case study of Louisiana’s Wireless Information Network, the state built a statewide radio network that grew from a system covering the New Orleans area to what is now the largest statewide radio system in the country. The system was put to the test in 2008 during the evacuation and response to Hurricane Gustav and it performed well by all accounts. According to New Orleans Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Jerry Sneed, “we were able to achieve full interoperability with a multi-jurisdiction and multi-discipline response. In addition, the system was fully stressed and operated as designed.”
Now that the state has studied the issue, the task force is recommending the contract to build the next generation law enforcement radio network to be competitively bid:
“It is recommended that DMS issue a competitive solicitation as an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) for a newly structured Land Mobile Radio (LMR) support contract as outlined by Option 2. This solicitation should identify and incorporate P25 Phase II (TDMA) delivery methodology with integration to MFN for emerging data connection evolutions with microwave ring topology where appropriate throughout the state. The timeframe required to procure a new contract and transition to a new system is expected to last six years. To replace the current system that will be obsolete in 2021, the development of a competitive procurement should begin as soon as possible. Consideration should be given to the recommended procurement components to support the best interest of the state.” (Page 10 of SLERS Business Case)
The current provider of the state’s law enforcement radio system is Harris Corporation, which has had the contract for more than a decade. The study notes even Harris itself plans to “retire” the technology it currently provides, despite the fact that they are signed onto continuing providing it for the state through June of 2021.
Senator Alan Hays, who has been monitoring this process closely, says now is the time for the state to embrace this potentially lifesaving technology.
