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Nedaa Corporation Returns as APCO Global Congress Strategic Partner

Registration for APCO Global Congress, held in Dubai 1-3 May 2012, now open

2 February 2012 Alexandria, VA USA— For a second year, the APCO Global Congress is backed by Dubai-based Nedaa Corporation, as a Strategic Partner. Nedaa is a government-run wireless corporation.

The APCO Global Congress is a premier public safety communications event, bringing the international public safety community together in the Middle East. Nedaa’s continued support of the event validates it as an important pillar of the industry’s professional development.

“We are delighted to work in concert with Nedaa as a Strategic Partner of the 2012 Congress again,” said APCO Global Alliance and APCO Australasia Chair Geoff Spring. “This event is a wonderful opportunity to solidify the network of public safety communications professionals in the Middle East. Nedaa’s endorsement adds credibility and value to it. By working together we can reach a wider audience and bring superior education and cutting-edge technology to practitioners in the Middle East.”

“We are equally excited to continue cooperating with and participating in APCO conferences,” added Rashid Al Khayat, Director of Commercial Affairs for Nedaa Corporation.

On 1-3 May 2012 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Congress will showcase the vast array of technology and education available to public safety professionals in the global arena. It will also offer practitioners a chance to better understand the needs and concerns of diverse geographic and political regions so they can provide the most advanced and efficient technologies.

During the Congress, delegates can add the latest best practices and research to their knowledge base and advance their careers in high-quality educational sessions led by experts from around the world.

APCO Global Congress is organized by APCO Global Alliance, a coalition of APCO International, APCO Canada, British APCO, and APCO Australasia. Delegates from more than 160 countries and 19 nations were represented at the inaugural event in 2011.

Event registration is now open. More information on attending, exhibiting or sponsoring the Congress is available at www.apcoglobalcongress.org.

Tritech Software Systems Receives Impact Award

Decorah, IA (January 30, 2012) – TriTech Software Systems, a leading provider of innovative, comprehensive software solutions for law enforcement, fire and EMS agencies, was awarded the Impact Award which recognizes business that have significant impact on the local economy. With five locations in the United States, TriTech is the largest public safety solutions provider in America with more than 2,600 clients across the United States, and in other countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Decorah, Iowa office has been hiring staff in multiple departments, adding 11 positions in 2011 and additional ones planned for 2012. The two-year increase in employees represents an estimated 50% increase in Decorah office staff. In addition to new software developer, support technician and sales positions, about 15% of the Decorah personnel received promotions in 2011, making TriTech a great place to build a career.

A significant reason for the increasing company growth has been due to the establishment of a TriTech National Support Center in Decorah, an important TriTech corporate initiative aimed at ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction through improving the quality, delivery and support of TriTech products and services. TriTech is acutely aware that customer service is paramount and the Decorah Support Team has consistently demonstrated high levels of customer satisfaction.

“The level of service provided by our Decorah office is unmatched,” said Chris Maloney, President and CEO of TriTech Software Systems. “We are expanding their capabilities to broaden their reach across the company. With this enhanced level of service, we are setting the Gold Standard of service in the public safety industry.”

About TriTech Software Systems

As the industry-leading public safety software company, TriTech Software Systems provides innovative, comprehensive solutions for law enforcement, fire and EMS agencies. Through its extensive suite of products and sole focus on public safety, TriTech offers a solution for every size and segment of the law, fire and EMS market. The company leverages its extensive public safety experience and expertise to consistently deliver successful results and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction. TriTech is the largest public safety solution provider in America with more than 2,500 clients across the United States, and in other countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom and Ireland. For more information on TriTech, please visit www.tritech.com.

Spillman Technologies Receives IJIS Institute Award

Member Appreciation Award to be presented at Winter Industry Briefing

Ashburn, Va., January 24, 2012 – The IJIS Institute—a nonprofit organization that focuses on mission-critical information sharing for justice, public safety, and homeland security—is happy to announce Spillman Technologies as the recipient of the 2012 IJIS Institute Member Appreciation Award.

Spillman Technologies received the award on Thursday, January 19, 2012 at the IJIS Institute Winter Industry Briefing. Spillman Technologies was nominated for the company’s outstanding contributions to the achievements of several IJIS Institute committees this year and since the founding of the Institute.

The central element that makes Spillman Technologies a worthy recipient of the award is their commitment in 2011, as well as in prior years, to participation in, and leadership of, IJIS Institute committee work. Specifically cited is the service of Steve Hoggard, who has served for more than four years as Chair of the IJIS Public Safety Technology Standards Committee (IPSTSC). Above and beyond the many hours (more than 140 in 2011 alone) he has dedicated, Steve has been the “motivating factor” in the tremendous productivity of this committee, including the recent completion of the Data Sharing Between CAD Systems white paper.

Spillman Technologies should also be recognized for its participation in other IJIS Institute committee work. In addition to current membership on the CJIS Program Advisory Committee (CPAC), the firm has made valuable contributions recently to the NIBRS/N-DEx Advisory Committee and the Public Safety Data Interoperability (PSDI) Committee.

IJIS Institute Interim/Acting Executive Director Steve Ambrosini said, “Spillman Technologies’ depth of commitment to the mission of the IJIS Institute is exhibited in the drive and focus with which they approach industry thought leadership and participation in leadership activities, as well as their willingness to volunteer company resources to Institute projects or initiatives. We are happy to be presenting the firm with our 2012 Member Appreciation Award.”

The IJIS Institute Member Appreciation Award is presented annually at the IJIS Institute Winter and Summer Industry Briefings to the Member company who has demonstrated outstanding contribution to the Institute during the previous 12 months. Candidates for the award are nominated by IJIS Institute leadership, staff, committee chairs, Members, and Affiliates, and represent significant contributions to information sharing through their active participation in the work and mission of the IJIS Institute. Previous recipients of the award include URL Integration (Summer 2010), Analysts International Corporation (Winter 2010), VisionAIR (Summer 2009), and MTG Management Consultants, LLC (Winter 2009).

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving more than 950 police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including CAD, RMS, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, JMS, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

NICE Exceeds 1,000 Installations of NICE Inform

NICE multimedia incident information management solution surpasses a significant milestone, a testament to company’s continued global success in the security sector

RA’ANANA, ISRAEL, January 30, 2012 NICE (NASDAQ: NICE) today announced that it has installed more than 1,000 NICE Inform incident information management solutions globally. NICE Inform was the world’s first such solution for the security sector, capturing and fusing diverse multimedia content, thereby enabling authentic and synchronized incident reconstruction and case management for investigations, debriefings and training purposes.

“This milestone is a testament to the success of NICE security solutions, which are installed at customer sites around the globe,” said Guy Yaniv, General Manager, Surveillance Solutions, Security Group at NICE. “NICE Inform is an important element of our comprehensive offering for addressing security, safety and operational risks, which helps organizations connect information silos for greater real-time situational awareness and more thorough investigations after the fact.”

NICE Inform helps Public Safety agencies and security operations in transportation, utilities and other industries capture, consolidate and manage multimedia incident information, including audio, video, text, Geographic Information System (GIS) and other data. NICE Inform fuses these different types of media into a common application and interface. It provides structure to unstructured multimedia data, seamlessly combining the information for a complete, authentic, chronological audio/visual timeline and 360-degree view.

The NICE Security Offering addresses the needs of governments and enterprises with intent-based solutions for fighting crime and terror, by anticipating, managing and mitigating safety, security and operational risks. The offering enables capturing, analysis and correlation of data from multiple sensors and systems, including audio, video, radio, geo-location and web, providing a framework for fusing data silos into a single, holistic operational view. NICE Security solutions empower organizations to act effectively in real time to prevent, manage and investigate incidents, ensuring fast resolution and debriefing, and continuous security improvements. NICE Security solutions are deployed worldwide in transportation systems, critical infrastructures, city centers and enterprise campuses.

About NICE

NICE (NASDAQ: NICE), is the worldwide leader of intent-based solutions that capture and analyze interactions and transactions, realize intent, and extract and leverage insights to deliver impact in real time. Driven by cross-channel and multi-sensor analytics, NICE solutions enable organizations to improve business performance, increase operational efficiency, prevent financial crime, ensure compliance, and enhance safety and security. NICE serves over 25,000 organizations in the enterprise and security sectors, representing a variety of sizes and industries in more than 150 countries, and including over 80 of the Fortune 100 companies. www.nice.com.

APCO International Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Public Safety Grant for Second Year

January 30, 2012 – (DAYTONA BEACH, FL) – APCO International has received a $50,000 grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation to enable qualified association members with continuing education and training opportunities. The donation was made to APCO’s Commercial Advisory Council Scholarship Award Program, which provides a means for commercial members to contribute to APCO’s vision of empowering and educating public safety communications professionals throughout the country.

The Motorola Solutions Foundation’s Public Safety Grants aim to support safety education and training programs for first responders, their families and the general public in the United States and Canada.

“Aligning with Motorola Solutions’ purpose to helps people be their best in the moments that matter, the Motorola Solutions Foundation is honored to support first responders and their families through program funding that bolster safety and education,” said Matt Blakely, director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. “Through the Public Safety Grants, we partner with organizations like APCO International to ensure first responders have access to the necessary tools and resources they need to succeed.”

“APCO International is pleased to receive this grant for the second year in a row. Last year we were able to provide scholarships to 98 people,” said Julie Troutman, director of the APCO Institute. “We look forward to being able to extend those opportunities to deserving individuals again this year.”

The grant from Motorola Solutions Foundation will be used to fund scholarships for qualified APCO members and can be applied to all APCO Institute courses, APCO Virtual College (Jacksonville University) and attendance at an APCO International educational event. Scholarship information and applications can be found at http://apcointl.org/institute/forms_information.htm

Zetron Joins Digital Mobile Radio Association

With its recent entry into the Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) Association, Zetron joins a network of the world’s leading radio-solutions providers who are committed to supporting and promoting the DMR digital open standard. This is a yet another demonstration of Zetron’s active and ongoing involvement in the development and promotion of open standards and interoperability worldwide.

Redmond, WA, U.S.A., January 26, 2012― Zetron, a leading provider of mission-critical communications solutions, has been accepted as a Category 1 member of the Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) Association. The DMR Association is a global network of the world’s leading suppliers of radios, radio consoles, and radio networks. Its purpose is to support the DMR digital radio standard that was developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for professional mobile radio users.

Category 1 membership is the highest membership tier available to manufacturers of DMR equipment. As a Category 1 member, Zetron will play an active role in working groups that are dedicated to enhancing the DMR standard and promoting it to radio systems integrators and end-users worldwide. This is important because, compared to proprietary equipment, open-standards-based equipment supports higher levels of interoperability and compatibility across multiple manufacturers’ platforms. Thus, it frees customers from being tied to any one manufacturer’s proprietary solutions, promotes healthy competition, and gives customers more choice in their selection of radio equipment.

“It is my pleasure to welcome Zetron to the DMR Association,” said Mario Micheli (of SELEX Elsag, Italy), chair of the DMR Association. “Zetron has consistently demonstrated its commitment to open standards. Both PMR [private mobile radio] users and the DMR Association will benefit from Zetron’s involvement in promoting and developing DMR technology.”

“Zetron and the DMR Association are aligned in the support of open standards,” said Zetron’s president and CEO, Ellen O’Hara. ”We are both committed to supporting innovative approaches that foster the adoption of open standards and help remove barriers to interoperability. Zetron is delighted to have the opportunity to work closely with DMR Association members on a shared vision that will help bring interoperability through open standards to customers worldwide.”

About the DMR Association

The DMR Association is dedicated to building upon the success of the DMR standard through a combination of interoperability testing, certification, education, and awareness. The membership of the DMR Association represents a broad cross-section of the professional radio industry, including some of the world’s leading radio systems and network suppliers. For more information visit: www.dmrassociation.org.

About Zetron

For over 30 years, Zetron has been providing mission-critical communications solutions to customers in public safety, transportation, utilities, manufacturing, healthcare and business. With offices in the U.S.A., U.K., Australia and numerous field locations, Zetron supports a worldwide network of resellers, system integrators and distributors. This gives Zetron a global reach as well as a local presence in the regions it

Denise Amber Lee Foundation Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Public Safety Grant

Grant to support public education and promote 9-1-1 telecommunicator training and certification

ENGLEWOOD, FL (January 25th, 2012) – The Denise Amber Lee Foundation today announced it has received a $10,000 grant from public safety communications industry leader Motorola Solutions, as part of the Motorola Solutions Foundation’s Public Safety and Security Institute. Through the grant, the Denise Amber Lee Foundation will continue to raise public awareness of the importance to establish nationwide uniform training and certification standards for all 9-1-1 personnel answering or dispatching a citizen’s plea for help.

“We are ecstatic to have a partner of Motorola’s stature in our mission ‘To promote and support public safety through uniform training, standardized protocols, defined measurable outcomes, and technological advances to the 9-1-1 system,’” said Nathan Lee, President of the Denise Amber Lee Foundation. He adds, “The first person a screaming mother reaches out to, a 9-1-1 call taker, must be highly trained and certified to handle this unique and life saving situation.”

“Aligning with Motorola Solutions’ purpose to help people be their best in the moments that matter, the Motorola Solutions Foundation is honored to support first responders and their families through program funding that bolster safety and education,” said Matt Blakely, director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. “Through the Public Safety Grants, we partner with programs like the Denise Amber Lee Foundation to ensure first responders have access to the necessary tools and resources they need to succeed.”

Through the Public Safety and Security Institute, the Motorola Solutions Foundation serves as an investor, convener and global activator on issues that affect the safety of communities and security of countries worldwide, providing leadership in the sector to drive innovation and grow and engage the network of those interested in these issues.

In 2010, the Motorola Solutions Foundation donated $3.2 million to public safety organizations. In 2011, the company planned to donate $4.5 million.

About the Denise Amber Lee Foundation

The mission of the Denise Amber Lee Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit, is to promote and support public safety through uniform training, standardized protocols, defined measurable outcomes and technological advances in the 9-1-1 system. Established in June 2008, in response to the murder of Denise Amber Lee, the foundation seeks to use the emotional power of this senseless tragedy to promote and encourage the use of technology, training, and procedures to reduce the occurrences of human error. The foundation is determined to channel and focus the public outrage of these tragic events to drive rapid change to public policy and procedures. For more information, please visit www.deniseamberlee.org.

Veterans 9-1-1 Training Initiative

NECI is announcing the Veterans 9-1-1 Training Initiative to help the thousands of veterans returning from active duty. In addition to assist all veterans who “ever” served their country and need employment.

This initiative will provide “those who served” with an advantage when applying for employment at 9-1-1 agencies across America that are always looking for excellent employees.

By hiring America’s veterans, 9-1-1 agencies will be able to select from men and women who:
Are experienced at responding to training; have exceptional organizational skills; have demonstrated the ability to follow orders without question; have demonstrated the ability to work under extreme stress;
are experienced at working shifts, weekends, and holidays; and are typically interested in physical fitness and health maintenance.

Question: How does the Veterans 9-1-1 Training Initiative work?

Answer: NECI will provide the NECI Basic 9-1-1 national certification program to anyone who has ever served in the United States Armed Forces and received an honorable discharge for only $25.00. The $25.00 includes the course manual, certificate of national certification, and the national certification processing fee. This applies to the instructor-led or self-paced version of the course.

Question: What’s required of the veteran?

Answer: All the veteran is required to do is provide a copy of their DD 214.

Question: Are veterans that are already employed eligible for the Veterans 9-1-1 Training Initiative?

Answer: Yes, regardless of how long the veteran has worked for the agency.

Question: Can a veteran apply independently or do they have to go through a 9-1-1 agency?

Answer: Veterans can apply independently or an agency can apply for the new or already-employed veteran.

If you are interested, please contact NECI at 770-485-6304 or email Admin@NECI911.com.

NEXT GENERATION 9-1-1 INSTITUTE ELECTS NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Washington, DC — The Next Generation 9-1-1 Institute (NG9-1-1 Institute) has announced the results of its 2012 election for six seats on the organization’s Board of Directors. The organization, which has more than 1,500 members nationwide, holds an annual election for representatives from public safety, industry, and non-profit representatives.

The NG9-1-1 Institute membership elected the following six individuals to the Board of Directors:

John Chiaramonte of Leesburg, VA, Lead Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton, representing the Member at Large position;

Jerry Eisner of Chicago, IL, Group Director of Public Safety, RedSky Technologies Inc., representing the Vendor/Integrator/Software position;

Woody Glover of Covington, LA, Director, St. Tammany Parish Communications District, representing the Member at Large-Public Safety position;

Todd Piett of Framingham, MA, Chief Product Officer, Rave Mobile Safety / Smart911, representing the Vendor/Integrator/Software position;

Art Prest of Potomac, MD, Managing Director, Art Prest & Associates, representing the Small Telecommunications position; and

Alisa Simmons of Fort Worth, TX, Marketing and Communications Manager, Tarrant County 9-1-1 District, representing the Education Professional position.

The newly elected Board members will join the following Directors of the NG9-1-1 Board:

Angel Arocho of Philadelphia, PA; Director, Emergency Services Program of Comcast, representing the IP-Enabled Representative position;

Jim Bugel of Washington, DC; Assistant Vice President, Public Safety and Homeland Security of AT&T Services, Inc., representing the Large Telecommunications Carrier position;

Brian Fontes of Alexandria, VA; CEO of the National Emergency Number Association;

Jim Nixon of Kissimmee, FL; Director, National 911 Policy of T-Mobile USA, representing the Wireless Carrier position;

Glenn Roach of Austin, TX; Owner and CEO, Emergency Public Safety Communications, representing the Member at Large position;

Gregory Rohde of Washington, DC; Executive Director of the NG9-1-1 Institute;

Jim Shepard of Overland Park, KS; Vice President of Product Evolution, 911 Datamaster, Inc., representing the Member at Large position;

Richard Taylor of New Bern, NC; President of NASNA; and Executive Director North Carolina 911 Board. Chairman of the NG9-1-1 Institute.

Stephen J. Wisely of Daytona Beach, FL; Director, Comm Center & 9-1-1 Services Department, APCO International.

Gregory Rohde, Executive Director of the NG9-1-1 Institute stated, “The NG9-1-1 Institute Board of Directors reflects a broad diversity of stakeholders in the emergency communications sector. This diversity is what strengthens our organization to play an import role to advance emergency communications issues at the national level.”

About the NG9-1-1 Institute.

The NG9-1-1 Institute (www.e911institute.org) is a not-for-profit organization, which supports the mission of the Congressional NG9-1-1 Caucus. The purpose of the NG9-1-1 Institute is to promote public education and awareness of NG9-1-1 and emergency communications issues and serve the Congressional NG9-1-1 Caucus as a clearinghouse of information on NG9-1-1 and emergency communications issues. Gregory L. Rohde, former Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, serves as the NG9-1-1 Institute’s Executive Director. Carla A. Anderson services as the Deputy Executive Director. The Congressional NG9-1-1 Caucus is co-chaired by: Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA), and Representative John Shimkus (R-IL).

Marion County Public Safety Communications Center, FL Consolidates with TriTech Software Systems

Consolidation project to lead to faster response times to emergency calls as cost-effectively as possible

SAN DIEGO, CA (January 24, 2012) – TriTech Software Systems, leading provider of public safety and medical transportation solutions, announces that Marion County Public Safety Communications in Florida has selected TriTech’s VisiCAD computer-aided dispatch solution as the cornerstone of its consolidation efforts. Marion County Public Safety Communications currently utilizes VisiCAD for its Fire-Rescue and EMS dispatch operations, and will expand the system to incorporate law enforcement dispatch operations for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

“We are excitedly moving forward on our consolidation project with the Sheriff’s Office,” says Karl Oltz, Director for Marion County Public Safety Communications. “By consolidating dispatching personnel and operations under the singular VisiCAD computer-aided dispatch system, we are improving the efficiency and technical capabilities of emergency communications to benefit the general welfare of the citizens throughout Marion County.”

In 2010, the Marion County Commissioners took steps to improve efficiency by approving construction of a 16,000 square foot state-of-the-art communications center for its co-located agencies: Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Public Safety Communications and Ocala Fire-Rescue. The new communications center expands on their existing 3,000 square foot center to accommodate future growth and ensures continuity of operations with a center built to withstand Category 5 hurricane strength winds. In 2011, in an effort to further save taxpayer dollars and reduce response times, the Board of Commissioners for Marion County and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office unanimously supported an agreement to consolidate the Sheriff’s Office dispatch staff with the existing Public Safety staff.

“From developing business processes, creating standard protocols and undergoing extensive cross-training, the implementation process for the consolidated dispatch system is very thorough,” says Bill McConnell, Manager for Marion County Public Safety Communications. “TriTech’s project management team has led many consolidation projects, and we are working closely with them to ensure the operational and technical needs of all agencies are being met adequately.”

Currently, Marion County Fire Rescue and Marion County Sheriff’s Office operate their own dispatch systems. When the Sheriff’s Office receives a 9-1-1 call for fire, the call must be transferred to a fire dispatcher to handle the call and re-enter the information into the fire dispatch system, wasting valuable time. With the establishment of the consolidated communications center, all call-takers and dispatchers will be able to operate on the same system. All communication center employees will be cross-trained in fire, law enforcement and medical operations and be able to handle any type of emergency call.

Consolidation will eliminate redundant processes to reduce emergency response times.

Implementation of VisiCAD computer-aided dispatch system is currently underway in Marion County with completion targeted for spring 2012. TriTech’s VisiCAD computer-aided dispatch system, the leading solution for public safety consolidation and regionalization projects, is in use at Austin-Travis County (TX), Alachua County Combined Communications Center (FL), San Antonio-Bexar County (TX), Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Center (SC), and many other leading communication centers.

About TriTech Software Systems

E-9-1-1 Dispatch Center in Rowan County, KY chooses GeoConex and Zetron for Technology Upgrade

GeoConex® Corporation assisted Rowan County, Kentucky’s E-9-1-1, with the replacement of their existing phone system to a Zetron 3300 IP-Capable Emergency Call Taking System. GeoConex is an authorized dealer for Zetron Mission-Critical Emergency Call Taking Communications Systems. By teaming with GeoConex, Rowan County took on the obstacles of becoming Next Generation 911 ready by adding the GeoConex NG911 CAD system, GeoConex Viewer and GeoConex AVL (Automated Vehicle Location) to their E-9-1-1 center.

With Next Generation 9-1-1 standards in mind, Rowan County E-9-1-1 chose the Zetron 3300 IP-Capable Call-Taking System for their phone solution. The dispatchers will now have all the advantages of IP without risking reliability or performance and the center will have the technology in place to ensure compatible upgrades when the time comes.

GeoConex integrated the new CAD software with Rowan County E-9-1-1’s newly installed Zetron 3300 IP-Capable call taking system. With the GeoConex NG911 CAD system, 911 call information and data appear instantly on the dispatcher’s screens so that emergency response units can be quickly routed to the location of the incident. Not only does the GeoConex NG911 CAD system provide all the typical CAD functionality traditional legacy CAD systems offer, the GeoConex NG911 CAD system is ready for the Next Generation of 911 with its ability to accept the various data streams associated with the developing new 911 infrastructure.

Rowan County E-9-1-1 also installed the GeoConex Viewer – a data access and decision support solution for emergency response organizations. Running standalone or integrated with computer-aided dispatch software, the GeoConex Viewer instantaneously displays the mapped location, with or without aerial photographs, along with other mission-critical information. This makes workflow much more efficient and puts information in front of the dispatchers quicker resulting in increased accuracy. With the addition of the GeoConex AVL, Rowan County E-9-1-1 is able to remotely track their first responder vehicles using a wireless communication channel. This allows them to locate the closest first responder to an emergency and help minimize response time throughout the service area. Being able to respond quickly to a disaster, emergency, or a Homeland Security incident saves lives!

GeoConex Corporation (www.geoconex.com) has been serving the public safety industry since 2001. GeoConex is a leading developer and integrator of Public Safety and Homeland Security systems. GeoConex provides comprehensive and integrated services to government agencies in US municipalities, counties, and states.

GeoConex’s 911 integrated technology was planned by a talented team that represents over 200 years of combined experience. To provide comprehensive solutions for Public Safety and Homeland Security entities, GeoConex works with a variety of vendors of software and hardware solutions to provide each customer with the best solution to fit their needs. GeoConex offers a wide range of software solutions including Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Mobile CAD, database management, jail management, records management and mapping.

News Release: Dispatch Center in Perry County, AL chooses GeoConex for Technology Upgrade

GeoConex® Corporation assisted Perry County, Alabama Emergency Communications District with the upgrade of their dispatch center technology. By teaming with GeoConex, Perry County ECD took on the obstacles of becoming Next Generation 911 ready by adding the GeoConex NG911 CAD system. Perry County had already installed the GeoConex Editor, GeoConex Mobile Mapmaker and GeoConex Viewer to their E-9-1-1 center. Perry County, Alabama ECD was the last county in Alabama to become an E-9-1-1 service provider.

With the GeoConex NG911 CAD system, 911 call information and data appear instantly on the dispatcher’s screens so that emergency response units can be quickly routed to the location of the incident. Not only does the GeoConex NG911 CAD system provide all the typical CAD functionality traditional legacy CAD systems offer, the GeoConex NG911 CAD system is ready for the Next Generation of 911 with its ability to accept the various data streams associated with the developing new 911 infrastructure.

Military Police in Paraná, Brazil, chooses Tait P25 radios

19 December, 2011, Houston, TX — The Military Police of the State of Paraná, Brazil, have selected P25 digital radios from Tait Radio Communications to help officers combat organized crime in a state populated by over 10 million people.

Polícia Militar do Paraná selected Tait based on its reputation as a trusted P25-compliant radio supplier to provide digital Tait portable and mobile radios for voice communications over their existing P25 conventional network.

President, Tait Radio Communications Americas, Steve Cragg, says, “The Military Police of Paraná have embarked on a long-term plan to combat the growing threat of organized crime in their state. To help them achieve this they have selected proven Tait P25 digital technology with the advantages of certified interoperability, industry-leading audio clarity and superb build quality.

“Tait is very pleased to be working closely with the state of Paraná in helping the Police to achieve their aims.”

Coronel Emerson Claiton, Information and Telecommunications Director, Polícia Militar do Paraná, says, “We, the 13th Military Police Battalion recently celebrated 43 years of service to the State of Paraná, also marking the successful roll-out of Tait P25 digital equipment onto its network. P25 technology plays a key part in our crime prevention plan.”

Other states to have purchased P25 solutions from Tait include São Paulo – which has one of the largest police forces in the world – Pernambuco, Espírito Santo, Pará, Bahia, Alagoas and Sergipe.

The Military Police, responsible for policing and public order across Paraná’s 77,000 square miles of state territory, will use highly secure encrypted Tait TM9155 mobile radios in their vehicles for policing operations, mainly in the capital of Curitiba.

As a built-in safety feature for officers, the Tait TM9155 utilises a sensitive covert microphone which, when activated, allows the radio to transmit and receive hands-free, even when the handset has been removed.

As part of the solution, equipment installation and training services will be managed by Brazilian Tait partner SGM Telecom.

Sao Paulo Civil Police upgrades to Tait P25 trunked network

19 December, 2011, Houston, TX — The Civil Police of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, have chosen to upgrade to a P25 trunked digital radio network from Tait Radio Communications that will provide greater security and digital communications to more public safety officials within the state.

The Polícia Civil do Estado de São Paulo has selected Tait, in partnership with Alcatel-Lucent and SGM Telecom, Brazil, to upgrade the agency’s existing Tait P25 conventional network to a TaitNet P25 trunked digital network.

The US$4 million upgrade will provide coverage to the municipality of São José do Rio Preto and, for the first time, digital radio communications to neighboring Nova Granada.

“Police forces in São Paulo, and a number of other Brazilian states, have already been able to reap the benefits of genuine open-standards Tait P25 technology by incorporating multiple vendors into their solutions and getting better value,” says Steve Cragg, President, Tait Radio Communications, Americas.

“For organizations requiring secure, easily managed and interoperable communications across mixed-vendor fleets, a TaitNet P25 trunked digital network delivers improved channel efficiency, reliability and scalability.

“TaitNet P25 digital trunked networks have the most robust, reliable base station at their core—the TB9100—delivering P25 CAP-tested interoperability, assured purchasing with grant funds and sophisticated remote diagnostics to reduce tower site visits,” adds Steve.

Other states to have implemented Tait P25 solutions include Paraná, Pernambuco, Espírito Santo, Pará, Bahia, Alagoas and Sergipe.

The Civil Police’s upgrade to a Tait P25 trunked digital network is part of a 10-year crime-prevention plan for the State of São Paulo. In 2008, the state’s police forces installed six TaitNet P25 conventional networks, with the ultimate goal of eventually interconnecting all of the networks using the P25 Inter-Sub System Interface.

“With personnel numbers growing in the Civil Police force, trunking offers better channel resource use, improved communications flexibility, and greater security for police,” says Steve. “Taking advantage of the upgradeability of the Tait P25 digital network, the Civil Police will move to trunking operation across five of São Paulo’s TaitNet P25 conventional networks.”

About Tait Radio Communications

Tait Radio Communications is a global leader in designing and delivering innovative, world-class radio communications solutions for a variety of industries, including public safety, utilities and urban transport providers. Now entering its fifth decade, the company has single-mindedly pursued the vision of its founder, Sir Angus Tait. He knew that people count, experience matters and integrity is paramount.

In over 150 countries and supported by an extensive network of global facilities, thousands of customers benefit from the Tait way of working: commitment to listen, courage to act and integrity to deliver what’s promised.

GeoComm Selected by the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments to complete Feasibility Study for Maintenance and Administration of Regional 9-1-1 System

St. Cloud, MN: Earlier this week GeoComm initiated a comprehensive study reviewing current 9-1-1 operations and systems to assess the feasibility for self-managing the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) Regional 9-1-1 System maintenance and network administration.

The ACOG Regional 9-1-1 System consists of 20 public safety answering points in Central Oklahoma serving a population of more than a million people. The project will assess current 9-1-1 maintenance and network administration operations, systems, and facilities as well as identifying enhancement options, As a result of the project; GeoComm will provide ACOG with options and recommendations for future system maintenance and network administration.

ACOG’s Director of 9-1-1, Steve Willoughby, is excited to begin this important project. Mr. Willoughby explains, “ACOG is charged with utilizing the maximum resources available for our emergency communications system, to the end we are constantly looking for the greatest economies of scale and efficiency of operations so we can continue to provide the best system for the citizens of central Oklahoma at the least cost.”

GeoComm was selected as ACOG’s partner through a competitive procurement process. According to Greg Ballentine, GeoComm’s Director of Consulting Services, “There are numerous and complex issues involved in conducting this analysis. Due to the extensive knowledge and experience of our consultants, GeoComm is uniquely qualified to serve as ACOG’s partner in this project.”

About GeoComm: GeoComm is a public safety consulting, GIS, and software development firm dedicated to public safety. Over the past 16 years, GeoComm has conducted more than 600 public safety consulting projects and has been at the forefront of understanding and implementing public safety communications systems. GeoComm subscribes to the Project Management Institute’s effective practices and Code of Ethics. As an ESRI Platinum business partner, GeoComm uses the latest GIS technologies. www.geo-comm.com

Franklin and Patrick Counties to Deploy Next-Generation 9-1-1 Networks

Two Counties to Join Pittsylvania County as the First in Virginia to Provide Advanced Emergency Communications to Residents and Visitors

ROCKY MOUNT AND STUART, VA, DECEMBER 14, 2011 — Franklin and Patrick counties today announced plans to deploy next-generation 9-1-1 networks in 2012. The two counties’ new emergency communications systems will serve approximately 75,000 residents and join Pittsylvania County as the first next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) networks in the Commonwealth of Virginia .

The announcement today follows the successful completion earlier this year of a 24-month NG9-1-1 pilot program. The pilot project was a public/private partnership between the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA), Franklin County , Patrick County and Colorado-based Intrado, the company under contract to install the new next-generation 9-1-1 networks.

Under the current project schedule, Intrado and Franklin and Patrick County 9-1-1 officials expect to install and activate the NG9-1-1 systems early next year. The upgraded networks will provide the Franklin and Patrick counties emergency communications centers with advanced 9-1-1 capabilities and the foundation to offer future services that include the ability to accept text messages, cell phone pictures, video clips and other data.

“We’re extremely pleased to be among the first 9-1-1 centers in Virginia to offer residents the advanced capabilities that next-generation 9-1-1 technology can deliver,” said Bill Agee, Manager of Emergency Communications for Franklin County. “Our new emergency communications system will enable us to provide a new and better level of 9-1-1 service, while also putting in place the framework that will allow us, emergency responders, county residents and visitors to benefit from new life-saving technology as it becomes available.”

“Patrick County’s new emergency communications network will enhance the capabilities of our 9-1-1 system and help enable improved emergency response,” said Mickie Martin, E911 Coordinator for Patrick County. “The emergency services Internet-protocol (IP) network will also facilitate improved collaboration and information sharing among public safety agencies throughout the state and region as NG9-1-1 becomes more widespread.”

The IP-based NG9-1-1 technology upgrades are being funded by the Virginia Wireless E-911 Services Board’s public safety answering point (PSAP) grant program, administered by VITA. The new NG9-1-1 networks offer improved interoperability and leverage economies of scale, while allowing autonomous local PSAP operation.

“The people of Virginia expect and deserve the best and most advanced 9-1-1 services that our public safety agencies can provide,” said Dorothy Spears-Dean, public safety communications coordinator for VITA. “The installation early next year of NG9-1-1 networks in Franklin and Patrick counties further demonstrates our commitment to implementing Virginia’s statewide comprehensive 9-1-1 plan, an important initiative for improving public safety for all of Virginia’s residents and visitors.”

For more information about the new next-generation 9-1-1 systems, please contact Bill Agee, Manager of Emergency Communications at 540-483-3039 or email at billagee@franklincountyva.org or Mickie Martin, E911 Coordinator, at 276-694-3161 or mmartin@patrick.co.patrick.va.us.

VPI Introduces VPI EMPOWER 911 5.3 to Arm Public Safety First Responders with Robust Recording and Quality Assurance Technologies to Meet Next Generation 9-1-1 Standards

December 14, 2011

VPI (Voice Print International, Inc., http://www.VPI-corp.com), the world’s leading developer of multimedia communications recording and quality assurance solutions for public safety emergency service providers, government agencies and enterprises worldwide, today announced the availability of VPI EMPOWER 911 suite version 5.3. Proven successful in NENA ICE4 interoperability testing in November 2011, VPI EMPOWER 911 5.3 is the most robust, Next Generation 9-1-1 ready, analytics-enhanced solution for communications recording, quality assurance, performance management, and electronic learning. Armed with VPI EMPOWER 911, emergency response and dispatch operations are prepared to meet the needs of the converging public safety network and its responsibility for citizen safety under today’s tougher conditions.

VPI EMPOWER 911 5.3 sets the new standard for recording system capacity and reliability, coupled with convenience and speed of user interface for new-generation emergency response monitoring, case investigation, workflow analysis and embedded quality improvement mechanism. These powerful tools can be implemented in a variety of secure, cost-effective configurations that readily adapt to changing conditions.

“As active participants in NENA’s Next Generation Partner Program and more than 15 years of experience developing solutions for public safety organizations, we understand and strive to resolve the many challenges they face today,” said Mike Mercadante, chief technology officer at VPI. “VPI EMPOWER 911 5.3 simplifies and speeds up incident analysis and reconstruction to facilitate investigations. Our enhanced quality assurance tools with integrated E-learning help dispatch communication centers gain greater confidence in providing outstanding precision and quality of emergency response.”

Most notably, the VPI EMPOWER 911 suite now includes:

Streamlined, unified access to live and most recent communications.
Super-fast and convenient analysis, filtering and playback of multimedia interactions.
Integrated redaction for editing, masking and muting sensitive portions of copies of audio and screen video recordings – while protecting the authenticity of original records – so they can be used for employee training and in public communications.
Tighter integration of Coaching and E-learning interface with Quality Assurance tools for improved management of employee learning progress.
Increased recording channel capacity per server for lower total cost of ownership and other low-cost configuration options.
Support for high-density Blu-ray storage.
Efficient next generation console screen recording for faster processing of captured single or multi-monitor screen video.
Powerful user training support with extensive online help and integrated how-to videos.

VPI EMPOWER 911 5.3 is deliberately designed for fast deployment, customization and training, offering an enviable number of system architecture options to support the latest public safety communication technologies. The system’s fast, highly-customizable interface, powerful Web-based instant recall for playback of current or recent calls, multi-channel player for incident replay, powerful reports and visualizations of current and historical performance and many other easy-to-use tools increase the efficiency, accuracy, and operational effectiveness of emergency response, vital for earning citizen confidence.

About VPI

VPI (Voice Print International, Inc.) is a premier innovator and provider of mission-critical interaction recording and workforce optimization solutions for government agencies, first responders, emergency service providers, security companies, and enterprises worldwide. More than 1,500 customers in 50 countries rely on VPI’s award-winning suite of communications center solutions to capture, analyze, evaluate, and share their recorded communications. In addition to secure records management for evidentiary purposes, VPI solutions enable federal, state, local, and private agencies to ensure compliance with policies and regulations, improve the quality of their mission-critical voice and data interactions, maximize the performance and retention of their staff, and deliver first-rate customer service. For more information, contact us at 1-800-200-5430 or visit http://www.VPI-corp.com.

Public Safety Alliance Welcomes House D Block Allocation & Funding; Gravely Concerned With Narrowband Giveback & Governance Provisions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 14, 1011 – The Public Safety Alliance (PSA) today expressed its appreciation for the full House’s vote of support for D Block spectrum allocation to public safety and funding for the Public Safety Broadband Network, but warned of an ominous storm cloud on the horizon as our nation’s first responders, who put their lives on the line everyday, learn more about the full extent of the other provisions in the bill that gives with one hand and takes away with the other to make H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011, disastrous for public safety’s goal for nationwide interoperable emergency communications.

“Today is filled with strong and mixed emotions for our nation’s first responders and public safety officials. While we welcome the widespread bipartisan and bicameral support increasingly shown for allocation of D Block spectrum to public safety, and $5 to $6.5 billion or more in funding to finally realize the nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, we are bitterly disappointed that our nation’s first responders concerns over the public safety spectrum giveback provision in H.R. 3630 remain unaddressed. It is our expectation that the negotiations between the House and Senate will ultimately yield a solution that fixes our concerns with the bill,” stated Charles Dowd, PSA spokesperson and Deputy Chief of the New York City Police Department. “We have waited long enough and any further delay is not acceptable. Congress must work together to pass a bill that works for our first responders and works for America.”

“While this House bill takes two steps forward by allocating D Block spectrum and providing some of the funding needed to build out the public safety network,” added Gregory Frederick, immediate past president of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association and Chief of the Louisville, Kentucky Fire Department, “it takes three steps back by yanking 14 MHz of narrowband spectrum that public safety is currently using for interoperable mission-critical voice communications. The bill also straps public safety and state and local governments with an unproven, unaccountable and unworkable “administrator” governance model, and to top it off it does not provide sufficient funding to assure expedited build out of the public safety broadband network in rural America. As currently written, this bill cannot stand. We urge the Senate to do the right thing for America’s first responders and insert S.911; Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act of 2011 in place of the Walden JOBS Act upon receiving H.R.3630 from the House, and send this bill back to the House with this bipartisan legislation instead for final passage.

Additionally, the PSA urges Congress to allow states and localities maximum flexibility in utilizing enhanced “secondary use” beyond current law, and in developing and entering into private and public partnerships that best meet their specific needs to assure sustainment of their mission-critical public safety broadband systems for the future security of all Americans.

For more information about public safety’s concerns over the House passed H.R. 3630; the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011, go to www.psafirst.org/take-action. For more information on a Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, visit www.psafirst.org.

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About Public Safety Alliance

The Public Safety Alliance is a partnership of the nation’s leading public safety associations, which includes the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Major County Sheriffs’ Association, the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, the National Emergency Management Association and the National Association of State EMS Officials. The partnership is operated as a program of APCO International. For more information on the Public Safety Alliance, visit www.psafirst.org.

Nation’s Public Safety Leadership Reiterates Support for S.911; Assures Congress of their Unity for This Top Legislative Priority

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 8, 2011 –As Congress continues to move forward with legislation to allocate D block spectrum to public safety and provide sufficient funding to realize a nationwide, interoperable Public Safety Broadband Network, the Public Safety Alliance (PSA) today sought to assure all Members of Congress that America’s public safety community is unified in their support, along with the nation’s state and local government officials, in enactment of legislation to finally implement one of the last remaining unmet recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission.

“Like all Americans, we recognize and appreciate our nation’s current fiscal and economic realities. That is why it is so important that Congress complete action on comprehensive spectrum legislation this year to spur the economy, create jobs, ensure competitiveness in the marketplace, and provide public safety and first responders with the mission-critical broadband capabilities desperately needed to efficiently and effectively protect, mitigate and respond to emergencies each and every day, everywhere in the country, whether in the most rural outposts or the most urban, congested settings,” stated Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald, President of the National Sheriffs’ Association, “Let me assure you that there is no distance between the position of Sheriffs, Chiefs of Police, Fire Chiefs, Emergency Medical Technicians, fire fighters, law enforcement officers, Emergency Managers, Governors, Mayors, County Executives and public technologists. There has never been such a level of shared priority and unity as we have today.”

“We welcome the actions taken in recent weeks by the House leadership – particularly the yeoman’s work of Chairman Upton, subcommittee Chairman Walden, and all the Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, in moving a bill forward that includes D block allocation and public safety broadband funding,” added Assistant Sheriff Ray Flynn, PSA Representative for the Major County Sheriffs’ Association, “we continue to work closely with House and Senate leadership on both sides of the aisle to realize a final bill that addresses concerns and interests of all parties, but at the end of the day, best meets the immediate, short and long term operational needs, capabilities and requirements that public safety must have in order to protect public safety officers and first responders, while protecting the public we all serve.”

“Make no mistake. Public safety continues to have serious concerns with some aspects of the legislation being proposed, especially with respect to the proposed giveback of critical existing narrowband spectrum, and a troubling governance model. However, we are united like never before in our shared commitment to work constructively with all Members of Congress and their collective leadership in both Houses of Congress to finally advance a workable solution that meets both the political realities in Washington DC, and the mission-critical operational realities throughout the nation. This is a critical time for all of us in this process, and none of us can afford to accept any attempts to minimize or politicize the level of unity that our nation’s first responders, state and local officials, and other stakeholders have on these issues at this important time,” stated former police chief and former FBI Deputy Assistant Director Harlin McEwen, PSA representative for the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

“Public safety continues to strongly support S.911,” declared Charlottesville Fire Chief Charles Werner, a representative of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Immediate Past President of the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association.

About Public Safety Alliance

The Public Safety Alliance (www.psafirst.org) is a partnership of the nation’s leading public safety associations, which includes the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Major County Sheriffs’ Association, the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, the National Emergency Management Association and the National Association of State EMS Officials. The partnership is operated as a program of APCO International. For more information on the Public Safety Alliance, visit www.psafirst.org.

State of New Jersey Signs with TriTech Software Systems for State-Wide Installation of Imc CAD, Mobile and RMS

North Grafton, MA (December 12, 2011) – TriTech Software Systems, a leading provider of Public Safety and Medical Transportation software solutions, signed a contract with the State of New Jersey to provide a software system that shares data electronically with more than 80 officers across 54 state parks, recreational centers and historic sites covering 422,000 acres.

The Imc software installation will replace a predominately manual operation and cut back the number of hours spent in administrative work.

“Our current policy/procedure for submitting reports includes a hierarchy of report submission from officers to supervisors to lieutenants to me from each of our 24 stations throughout New Jersey, said Rick Arroyo, Director of New Jersey State Park Police. “Since copies of the reports with signatures must go to the courts, and those reports are due within five days, this system requires a lot of staff hours and physical transportation of the reports. In some cases, the process of getting the reports from the field station to Trenton involves a five-hour round trip on a weekly basis. With the new Imc system, this will change dramatically.”

Imc CAD enables the dispatchers to identify active officers in the field, and then send them the dispatch information electronically via the Imc Mobile units. Field officers not only receive the automated dispatch information, but can then complete their reports on the mobile units in the field and submit the reports electronically to the Records Management System (RMS). Through the use of Case Management functionality in the Law RMS module, the reports can be passed from officer to supervisor to lieutenant to director all with a click of a button in place of a five-hour round trip and many additional staff hours.

About TriTech Software Systems

Public Safety Applauds Boehner’s Inclusion Of D Block Spectrum, Broadband Funding In House Payroll Tax Reduction Extension Bill

PSA Reiterates Serious Concerns for Other House JOBS Act Public Safety Provisions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 14, 2011 – The Public Safety Alliance (PSA) today applauded the inclusion of public safety spectrum allocation and funding for a nationwide public safety broadband network in H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011. While the public safety and state and local government communities are appreciative of the recent movement in the House on public safety spectrum as part of comprehensive year-end legislation, the PSA outlined the following prioritized concerns with Title IV of H. R. 3630:

• 700 MHz Narrowband Giveback – It is not reasonable to mandate that public safety vacate spectrum that is essential for mission critical voice communications, especially after hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have been invested to build these networks. The Walden Jumpstarting Opportunity with Broadband Spectrum (JOBS) Act language would require public safety to give back 14 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band, which is currently used for mission-critical narrowband voice and guard bands. Public safety has only had access to this spectrum since 2009 when broadcasters finally cleared it, and now hundreds of systems across 35 states are using it to improve the interoperability of voice communications. Under the JOBS Act language, public safety would have to vacate this spectrum five years after the proposed legislatively created Administrator certifies “the availability of standards for public safety voice over broadband.” However, this language does not require that “voice over broadband” meet “mission-critical” requirements, nor does it require that there be “public safety voice over broadband” technology commercially available at a reasonable price for public safety to purchase. In short, it would require public safety to give up critical interoperable communications capabilities without assurance that sufficient standards and technology are available to meet mission-critical first responder needs. In addition, auctioning off the guard bands likely will lead to dangerous interference on the public safety broadband network. States and localities have spent hundreds of millions of federal, state and local tax dollars to plan and build 700 MHz narrowband networks in the past five years, and cannot justify abandoning them without a proven, field tested and commercially available alternative, something that has not yet been shown to even be achievable. This legislative proposal not only threatens the existence of hundreds of current systems using 700 MHz narrowband voice channels but will stifle any further development of urgently needed new mission critical voice systems currently being planned for this band.

• “Administrator” Governance model – The PSA strongly objects to provisions of the Walden JOBS bill that would set up a third-party Administrator at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration within the United States Department of Commerce. This “Administrator” looks much too similar to the administrator process that has been used in the 800 MHz rebanding process, which continues to be burdensome, costly and contentious. The Walden JOBS bill would establish a Public Safety Communications Planning Board, but it is not clear that the Administrator would be accountable to the Board, public safety end-users or anybody else. Public safety supports the not-for-profit corporation envisioned in the bipartisan Rockefeller-Hutchison spectrum bill (S. 911), which would oversee construction and operation of the network. Under the S. 911 model, public safety and state and local governments would be represented on the board, which ensures better accountability. Both industry and public safety have experienced very costly processes and other negative results with the administrator model being utilized for the current 800 MHz rebanding initiative and neither group wishes to repeat those experiences.

• Funding of the Public Safety Broadband Network – The Walden JOBS bill proposes funding the build-out of the public safety broadband network with $5 billion dollars derived from incentive and other spectrum auctions. An additional $1.5 billion could go toward building the network, based on a formula whereby public safety would be awarded an additional 10% of any revenue generated from auctions above the CBO estimate of $24.5 billion, for a total of up to $6.5 billion. S.1040; the Broadband for First Responders Act of 2011, as introduced by Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman, proposes $10 billion for the network build-out, and S.911; the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act of 2011 proposes $11 billion. The PSA believes funding must be higher than the Walden JOBS bill provides to ensure expedited build out, especially in rural America.

The Public Safety Alliance has reiterated its support for S.911, a bipartisan bill that was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee in June. The PSA urges the House to pass legislation that includes D block allocation to public safety along with sufficient funding, and that does not include damaging provisions related to 700 MHz narrowband give-back or an unworkable, unaccountable private entity “administrator” governance model. Additionally, the PSA urges Congress to continue to allow states and localities maximum flexibility in utilizing “secondary use” and private and public partnerships that best meet their specific needs to assure sustainment of their mission-critical public safety broadband systems.

For more information on a Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, visit www.psafirst.org.

Cassidian Communications CORP25 LMR System Acceptance Declared by the City of Richardson

Open standards CORP25 LMR radio solution provides the City of Richardson with true choice and significant cost savings
CORP25 makes the City the first municipality in Texas to integrate best-in-class network components from multiple vendors
Citywide simulcast network features OTAR and OTAP packet data services
IP-based CORP25 network sets the stage for advanced public safety communications

Frisco, Texas, December 12, 2011 – Today Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, announced full system acceptance of its CORP25 digital, trunked, P25 Land Mobile Radio (LMR) network by the City of Richardson, Texas. System acceptance confirms delivery and full compliance of the turnkey, simulcast, Project 25 (P25)-based radio network according to the City’s operational requirements. The CORP25 solution includes hardware, software, system engineering, installation and optimization, as well as long-term Managed Services, and 7/24 maintenance and support. Already, the City has migrated all general government users onto the network and is preparing to cutover the public safety users next.

Selected to replace the City’s aging analog radio system, the new digital CORP25 solution is the industry’s only true non-proprietary P25 solution. One hundred percent standards-compliant, the interoperable CORP25 radio solution enabled the City of Richardson to fully utilize competitive procurements for its mobile and portable radios as well as other key network elements, allowing the City to choose best-in-class equipment from multiple vendors. This “unbundled” approach benefited the City in terms of both reduced costs and improved quality of all equipment—further reducing the total cost of ownership and increasing the overall economic value of the new network.

“Open standards enabled us to use new strategies in purchasing, which saved substantial amounts of money in comparison to the old fashioned, one vendor approach to purchasing,” said Steve Graves, chief information officer for the City of Richardson. “The CORP25 system is based on the purely open-standards model we were looking for, and the gear is compact, well-suited to our data-centric environment and of the highest quality.”

Graves goes on to say, “The proven cost-savings success of the Cassidian Communications solution and our procurement process definitely raises the bar on the flexibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of public safety communications systems, and, we believe, clears the way for all public safety agencies and organizations to demand interoperable, standards-based—and truly customer-focused—vendor solutions.”

Additionally, the CORP25 system is based on advanced IP technology, which allowed the City to easily integrate it into existing data networks and data centers without problem. Flexible and scalable, the Cassidian Communications radio solution offered the City of Richardson the power of true choice, simple and efficient network management and cost-effective migration to future applications and services.

“We are delighted to be technology partners with the City of Richardson as it leads the industry in this evolution of radio network procurement,” said Chuck Sackley, vice president and general manager for Cassidian Communications Land Mobile Radio. “The City of Richardson has demonstrated the true value of open and standard procurements, and has proven what responsible government can achieve on behalf of its taxpayers. It obtained a best-in-class solution for a fraction of the original cost estimates and was able to put those cost savings back into the community.”

A customer of Cassidian Communications since 1992, the City of Richardson already uses the company’s VESTA® emergency call processing solution, the MagIC™ management information solution, the ORION™ MapStar™ mapping solution and the REVERSE 911® emergency notification system. With the final acceptance of the CORP25 solution, Richardson’s public safety communications network is now ready to handle more than 7,000 calls in an average day.

About the City of Richardson (www.cor.net)

The City of Richardson is home to the Telecom Corridor® area, one of the largest concentrations of communications technology companies in the nation. The community hosts the University of Texas at Dallas – home of the Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. The school is known globally for its innovations in a vast array of technological advancement including nanotechnology and bioengineering, and the campus provides a valuable resource for the high-tech companies located in Richardson. The City of Richardson is widely recognized for its commitment to excellence, its rich history, and its access to quality education and its business friendly environment. Richardson offers a high quality of life and provides a convenient location in the Metroplex for access to regional destinations.

About Cassidian Communications (www.CassidianCommunications.com)

As the largest and most trusted source of mission critical communications solutions, Cassidian Communications, an EADS North America company, is leading the way in standards-ba sed NG9-1-1 call center applications, notification solutions and services and P25 land mobile radio systems. Headquartered in Temecula, California.

About EADS North America (www.eadsnorthamerica.com)

EADS North America is the North American operation of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. As a leader in all sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America and its parent company, EADS, contribute over $11 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more than 200,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers and services. Operating in 17 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security, aerospace and defense markets.

Spillman interface gives users enhanced planning, surveillance capabilities

Pictometry Interface allows agencies to view images from multiple angles, measure dimensions

Salt Lake City – Dec. 13, 2011 – A new Spillman interface will help agencies conduct surveillance, plan raids and searches, and determine what type of equipment is needed to better respond to emergencies.

Spillman’s Pictometry Interface allows users to view a structure from multiple angles and measure its dimensions on an electronic map. The images are captured using high-resolution aerial photography and can be viewed from five different perspectives: north, south, east, west, and from above. Personnel can also see all sides of a structure as well as measure its height, area, pitch, and distance from other objects.

“The Pictometry Interface will give agencies the critical information they need to respond to incidents safely and efficiently,” said Spillman’s Research and Design Manager, Larry Morris. “The ability to measure the dimensions of an image and view a structure from multiple angles will allow responders to make faster, more informed decisions.”

Pictometry can be used to quickly determine the size of a structure, identify potential barriers or hazards, and view entrances or exits. The interface also gives agencies the information they need to arrive at the scene with the proper tools. For example, firefighters can use Pictometry to measure the distance from a water source to a fire, allowing them to know what length of hose is needed.

The Pictometry Interface works in conjunction with Spillman’s CAD Mapping, Pin Mapping, Mobile AVL Mapping, and Fire Mobile AVL Mapping modules. The interface integrates seamlessly with Spillman’s mapping software, enabling users to decide which area to view in Pictometry from their Spillman maps.

Some agencies may already have access to Pictometry imagery for their jurisdictions and will only require the Spillman interface, which allows them to integrate their existing Pictometry images with Spillman’s mapping software, take measurements, and view objects on the map from multiple perspectives.

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving more than 950 police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

Zetron’s RoIP Gateways Offer Flexible, Reliable Radio-over-IP Communications

Zetron’s new Series 6300 Radio-over-IP (RoIP) gateways offer flexible, cost-effective IP connections between wireline radios and a variety of Zetron and non-Zetron radio control equipment.

Redmond, WA, U.S.A., December 1, 2011― Zetron’s Series 6300 Radio-over-IP (RoIP) gateways are now shipping. The RoIP gateways provide more flexible, cost-effective, IP-based connections between a variety radio dispatch backroom equipment and remote wireline radio resources. The gateways ease the migration of circuits between radios and their control equipment from expensive legacy leased lines to cost-effective, modern IP networks.

According to Randy Richmond, Zetron’s Product Manager, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) networks are increasingly coming under the purview of IT departments, who strive to unify all communications under an IP umbrella. Many LMR users have a significant investment in legacy analog wireline radios and control equipment such as dispatch consoles. IT departments want to migrate these LMR systems away from the expensive leased lines to more affordable IP networks. The Series 6300 allows users to do this migration without replacing their large installed base of LMR wireline equipment.

Additional features and benefits of Zetron’s Series 6300 Radio-over-IP (RoIP) include the following.

Easy to adjust

Any audio, serial and I/O settings can easily be adjusted through a Web browser without requiring any physical adjustments at the hardware.

Supports Common 4, 6 and 8 Wire Radio/Control Equipment Circuits

The Series 6300 supports common 4 wire circuits employing Tone Remote Control (TRC) of radios, as well as 6 and 8 wire circuits employing Local and/or E&M control. This makes it compatible with a wide variety of radio control equipment, such as desktop remotes and radio dispatch consoles, made by Zetron and many other manufacturers.

Supports Voice, I/O and Data

The Series 6300 RoIP gateways support the delivery of serial data (RS-232 and TTL options) and digital I/O, as well as voice. This eases the migration of systems that incorporate both voice and low-bandwidth serial data, such as voted receivers.

Uses Common IP Protocols

The Series 6300 uses TCP, and Unicast UDP IP packets, rather than Multicast UDP packets. This helps avoid the need for special IT infrastructure and special IT personnel skills. The IT bandwidth and latency requirements for the Series 6300 are published, allowing IT personnel to verify compatibility with their network.

Single-channel and dual-channel versions

The Series 6300 comes in two versions, the Model 6301 and Model 6302. The Model 6301 single radio-channel version provides a cost-effective connection to a single radio resource. The Model 6302 dual radio-channel version is useful in places like the back room, where using two connections can help save valuable space.

About Zetron

For over 30 years, Zetron has provided mission-critical communications solutions for customers in public safety, transportation, utilities, manufacturing, healthcare and business. With offices in the U.S.A., UK, Australia and numerous field locations, Zetron supports a worldwide network of resellers, system integrators and distributors. This gives Zetron a global reach as well as a local presence in the regions it serves. Zetron is a wholly owned subsidiary of JVC Kenwood Corporation. For more information, visit www.zetron.com.

TriTech Software Systems Strengthens Customer Support with Center of Excellence

Best-in-Class National Support Center provides expanded resources to establish the Gold Standard for mission critical support for public safety and medical transportation software systems

SAN DIEGO, CA (November 30, 2011) – TriTech Software Systems, a leading provider of Public Safety and Medical Transportation software solutions, announced the establishment of a Center of Excellence to strengthen its level of service and support offerings for TriTech customers. Located at TriTech’s office in Decorah, Iowa, the TriTech National Support Center supplements the existing support infrastructure with additional resources and increased availability of support services. The specialized team is dedicated to providing exceptional and timely customer support. The Center is an important TriTech corporate initiative aimed at ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction through improving the quality, delivery and support of TriTech products and services.

TriTech is acutely aware that in public safety, customer service is paramount. The Decorah Center demonstrates the company’s commitment to achieving the best possible results for its customers by building upon its consistently high level of customer satisfaction. Support levels will be enhanced through expanded business hours and additional staffing resources to ensure quicker call processing and more timely communications. The support staff in Decorah is being cross-trained, allowing them to support any product in the diverse TriTech product suite. With the additional resources available, hold times and response times will be reduced. The Center will be held to strict performance benchmarks, such as average hold times, call processing and issue response times to ensure that premium levels of customer service are delivered to our customers.

“Our customers expect immediate response so that they can, in turn, deliver the highest level of availability,” says Chris Maloney, President and CEO of TriTech Software Systems. “Recognizing that customer service is our highest priority, we have established a central, nationwide support center. The level of service provided by our Decorah office is unmatched, and we are expanding their capabilities to broaden their reach across the company. With this enhanced level of service, we are setting the Gold Standard of service in the public safety industry.”

Initially, the newly expanded service and support team will provide technical support for TriTech’s EMS and Imc customers, as well as providing additional resources for overflow of issues for VisiNet Solutions customers. TriTech’s subsidiary offices will increasingly focus on product delivery and development – further strengthening the quality of products the company provides. With the establishment of the TriTech National Support Center and its public safety experience and knowledge, TriTech continues to deliver on its commitment to excellence.

About TriTech Software Systems

Ten agencies purchase Spillman, 40 expand systems in Q3

Spillman enables agencies to manage jail operations, gather data from driver license scans

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Nov. 22, 2011 – Ten public safety agencies purchased software from Spillman Technologies for the first time during the third quarter of 2011, bringing the total number of Spillman customers to more than 950 public safety agencies in 35 states nationwide. In addition to the new agencies, forty agencies expanded their existing Spillman systems.

In Alabama, the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office can use Spillman to analyze crime trends and patterns. Using the CompStat Dashboard module, agencies can calculate and monitor changes in crime, quality-of-life factors, and traffic accidents. Spillman’s Pin Mapping module will allow the sheriff’s office to strategically develop methods for reducing crime by plotting incidents on a pin map. The agency can also use Spillman InSight to share law enforcement data with other Spillman and non-Spillman agencies.

Officers at the Plainsboro Police Department in New Jersey can use Spillman’s Mobile solution to access critical information from their laptop computers. With Spillman’s Mobile Driver License Scanning module, officers can quickly scan a license and automatically query local, state, and national databases for information about the driver. The Mobile Premises & HazMat module allows officers to retrieve information about a location, including chemicals stored on site and their reactivity dangers.

The E-Com dispatch center in Illinois adopted Spillman’s Fire Mobile solution, which will be used by six fire departments in the community. Using Spillman’s Fire Mobile AVL Mapping module, firefighters will be able to view the location of calls and responding units from a single screen. The agencies can also use Spillman’s Fire Mobile CAD module to access additional information about a call, including contacts, occupancy information, address information, and dispatch comments.

PSA ENCOURAGED BY CONGRESSIONAL MEETINGS ON D BLOCK ALLOCATION

PSA Receives Guarded Optimism for Inclusion of Spectrum Allocation, Auction Revenue for Broadband Network if There Is a “Super Committee” Plan

Washington, DC, November 18, 2011 – Following extensive Congressional meetings with members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (JSCDR or Super Committee) this week, the Public Safety Alliance (PSA) today said they were encouraged by the direction and level of attention Super Committee members are giving to legislative issues critical to the creation of a Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN).

“Members and staff of the Super Committee expressed guarded optimism for the inclusion of the allocation of the D Block and funding for the PSBN derived from auction of other spectrum if and when the committee delivers a plan,” said Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald of Story County, Iowa who is also the National Sheriffs’ Association representative to the PSA. “Indications have suggested that the committee will need to include revenue if it is to come to a workable final package, and individual Republican and Democratic Members have increasingly announced support for raising revenue as well as identifying spending cuts to reduce the nation’s deficit.”

The meetings took place during a Public Safety fly-in on Monday and Tuesday in Washington, DC. Over the two days, Public Safety officials met with Members and staff of the JSCDR and select House and Senate Commerce Committee Members to reiterate the strong bicameral and bipartisan support in Congress for the allocation of D Block – public safety’s top legislative priority. Many other groups and associations representing public safety, state and local government, and industry sent letters to Super Committee members recently urging them to include this critical issue in their final package due this Wednesday, November 23rd.

As part of the fly-in, PSA joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for a press conference on Tuesday reinforcing the need for the Super Committee to include spectrum auctions, D block allocation and funding for the nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. During the press conference, Senator Gillibrand urged Congress to pass S. 911, the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act of 2011.

The fly-in and press conference were scheduled in follow-up to various supporters’ call for JSCDR to include it, including the National Governors Association, the National League of Cities and US Conference of Mayors, as well as the support indicated by the Chairs (Senator John Rockefeller, IV, Congressman Peter King and Senator Joseph Lieberman) and Ranking Members (Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Senator Susan Collins, Congressman Henry Waxman and Congressman Bennie Thompson) of the four Senate and House committees with jurisdiction over public safety spectrum and emergency communications (although Congressman Upton did not issue letter as he is a member of the Super Committee).

microDATA Participates in NENA ICE 4 to Test Call Routing Functionality

St. Johnsbury, Vt., November 17, 2011. — As acronyms go, “LoST” would not seem to be the optimal choice to describe a mapping function, since the whole purpose of using a map is to avoid getting lost. In this situation, however, LoST stands for Location-to-Service Translation, a protocol that allows IP-based 9-1-1 calls to be routed to the correct PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point), from which emergency services such as police, fire or medical personnel are dispatched. As more entities transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 and its i3 standard, the ability to accurately locate a VoIP caller is more important than ever.

NENA, the national organization that helps regulate the technology behind the entire emergency response process, recently invited a number of prominent industry leaders to the AT&T Center for Learning in Irving, Texas, to test the interoperability of their respective technology systems as it relates to the LoST hierarchy and emergency call routing. Known as ICE 4, the gathering that ran from November 14–17 highlighted the technological strides being made by companies that provide IP-based call-handling systems. One of the key participants was microDATA GIS Inc., a prominent supplier of interoperable IP-based, call-routing solutions.

NENA established Industry Collaborative Events (ICE) to create an environment whereby technology developed by one vendor works smoothly with elements supplied by another provider. This concept of standardization is common in many industries where technology is a prime component. For example, vending machines are built so that each brand handles coins and bills in a similar manner. In the 9-1-1 industry, where call handling may be supplied by one company, location data by another and computer-aided dispatch by a third, a high level of interoperability is vital—especially where people’s lives are at stake.

microDATA’s representative on the ICE 4 planning committee was Matt Clark, the company’s director of development. “Having participated in previous Industry Collaborative Events, microDATA has continued to enhance its capabilities in intuitive call routing,” he said. “As the 9-1-1 network evolves, broad participation is important to ensure interoperability with all of the functional elements.”

Larry Short is microDATA’s director of technical sales, overseeing the company’s sales engineering group. With his 30-plus years in telecommunications, most of which have involved Short and his teams creating the advancements that have led up to Next-Generation 9-1-1, he has gained a reputation as one of the more innovative public safety professionals in the industry. “microDATA continues to support, invest in, and find value with these NENA ICE events,” he said, adding that the company will gladly participate in all future ICE events that address moving the public safety network forward.

At ICE 1 (November 2009), microDATA successfully tested its core NG9-1-1 call-locating, call-routing and call-answering elements—among them xT911™, xSwitch™ and xLoST™—while ICE 2 (May 2010) saw the company test transitional elements designed to migrate legacy 9-1-1 systems toward the processing and delivery of IP-based calls and pertinent packet information. ICE 3 (November 2010) focused on emergency call-routing functions and location information servers. Although there is no firm date yet established for ICE 5, the topic under consideration is reportedly emergency services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

About microDATA

In business since 1983, microDATA has built a number of innovative solutions designed to improve the process of handling 9-1-1 emergency calling services, including the impending use of text and video. By combining GIS (Geographic Information Services) technology with Internet Protocol capabilities, the company’s core services—and its dedication to i3-compliant NG9-1-1 solutions—offer to the public safety industry a new generation of map-centric solutions that reduce response times, lower infrastructure costs, and ultimately save more lives. For additional information, please contact microDATA at (802) 748-5503, x890, or visit the company’s Web site at www.md-911.com.

ProPhoenix is the Next Generation Public Safety Software for the largest single jurisdiction in New Jersey—Vineland

Vineland, New Jersey -November 11, 2011 – Vineland New Jersey is now utilizing ProPhoenix Public Safety Software. With a population of over 60,000 people, this large jurisdiction needed public safety software that could help them achieve their maximum public safety potential.

Sgt Chris Fulchur at Vineland – “We consider ProPhoenix modern, state of the art technology. They were open and willing to listen to our suggestions and incorporate improvements at no-charge, so we never felt nickel and dimed”.

Vineland is composed of 160 Sworn Officers, 30 Civilian and 3 Dispatch Call takers with the ability to grow to 4. With such a large population in that area, Phoenix CAD, WDA, RMS, Mobile, as well as report writing was the answer this jurisdiction had been looking for.

Sgt Chris Fulchur at Vineland – “We love the ease of use in installing, deploying and maintaining the applications, especially CAD and WDA with the thin client that updates automatically after initial installation. Workflow is superior vs. the separation of CAD/RMS/Mobile/Report Writing (especially the merge process no longer being needed with ProPhoenix ) “

Vineland was very impressed with all Prophoenix interfaces: NCIS, Pictometry, and Sagem Morpho , as well as ProPhoenix’s all- inclusive module philosophy. With KGIS- Huge already with Gloucester County and Buena (Atlantic County) , Vineland was ready to experience all of this software for itself.

Sgt Chris Fulchur at Vineland- “Data Conversion we are very happy, very impressed,. It was timely and complete, no waiting 3 years like last time with New World (converting their own applications!) “ . We also find the Single point of data entry, especially with DL Reader to be quiet useful (in theory, they never have to type a name)! “

Vineland was an 8 month project total for ProPhoenix , although delayed 3 months for summer, The net result was a 5 month project. ProPhoenix is thrilled to have Vineland aboard!

Successful Global Public Safety Event Announces 2nd Annual Congress

APCO Global Congress will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 1-3 May 2012

November 15, 2011 Alexandria, VA USA— The APCO Global Congress is back in 2012 after a successful first year.

Hosted by APCO Global Alliance, a coalition of APCO International, APCO Canada, British APCO, and APCO Australasia, the 2nd annual event will take place from 1-3 May 2012 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Geoff Spring, APCO Global Alliance chair said, “Strengthening our partner relationships and growing our network of public safety partners in the Middle East is an understatement. This event and public safety professionals worldwide are molding our industry to fit a universal, unmatched standard of public safety, so we can all live safer and better prepared. This is a major advancement for our industry.”

The Congress seeks to showcase all types of technology and education in public safety communications and create a venue for global counterparts to network and learn by providing education sessions and interactive exhibits. This opportunity helps to better understand the needs of diverse geographic and political regions so equipment developers can provide high-quality products to fit their needs.

“This is an opportunity to share knowledge and technology, what works and what they did; it’s a transfer of knowledge,” said Col. Zied Al-Zobo, public safety directorate, Jordan and 2011 Congress attendee.

Delegates from more than 160 countries and 19 nations were represented at the inaugural event, which received support from corporate partners and sponsors and endorsements from strategic partners including Dubai Civil Defence, Nedaa Corporation, Dubai Convention Bureau, Dubai Chamber and Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services.

Event registration will open 1 December 2011. For more information on exhibiting or sponsoring, visit www.apcoglobalcongress.org.

Three San Juan County agencies use Spillman to stretch resources, share data

Software will allow public safety agencies to efficiently serve nearly 8,000 square miles

Monticello, UTAH. – Nov. 15, 2011 – Three public safety agencies in San Juan County are utilizing a shared Spillman software system in an effort to better patrol Utah’s biggest county.

Last month, the Monticello and Blanding police departments began sharing Spillman data on a server hosted by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. The system enables all three agencies to exchange instant messages, images, and name, vehicle, and property records.

San Juan County Sheriff Rick Eldredge said that the software will help the agencies target crimes that happen throughout the county. Oftentimes, he said, a criminal who lives in one city will commit crimes in another. Without a shared system, it can be difficult to track suspects and determine crime patterns.

“Now, we can share this information and exchange data so that we can help solve these crimes,” Eldredge said.

Using Spillman also allows the agencies to operate more efficiently, he said. After an officer or deputy arrests someone for drunk driving, they can enter all of the suspect’s information into an electronic Spillman record. By the time the suspect arrives at the San Juan County Jail, the jail personnel already have much of the data they need to book the suspect.

“Having all of that information in the system speeds things up tremendously,” Eldredge said.

Monticello Police Chief Kent Adair said that Spillman’s Mobile solution helps his agency to maximize manpower. The software will allow the agency’s three sworn officers to spend more time patrolling the streets and less time completing paperwork at the station.

“Mobile allows the guys to be on the road more, and they can enter their information and reports [directly from a laptop computer].”

Spillman’s reporting options and the affordability of a shared system were major selling points for Blanding Police Chief Lyle Bayles. A shared system allows agencies to split the costs of purchasing and maintaining equipment.

Bayles said the system also increases officer safety. Using Spillman’s Mobile solution, officers can quickly update other jurisdictions about critical information like armed suspects or stolen vehicles.

“Everybody is aware of what is going on in my jurisdiction, and I’m aware of what is going on in theirs,” Bayles said.

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office has been a Spillman customer since 2003, and the Blanding and Monticello Police Departments went live with their Spillman system in September 2011. The departments are among 102 agencies in Utah and more than 950 agencies around the country using Spillman software.

Spillman Technologies is a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, serving police departments, sheriff’s offices, communications centers, fire departments, and correctional facilities nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated software solutions, including Computer Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Crime Analysis & CompStat, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, and Personnel & Resources. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.

GeoComm Selected by the State of Utah to complete Salt Lake Metro 9-1-1 Assessment and Feasibility Study

St. Cloud, MN: On November 15, GeoComm will initiate a comprehensive study reviewing five Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in Salt Lake County, Utah. The project will assess the operations, systems, and facilities of the five Salt Lake County PSAPs which service the Salt Lake City Police Department, Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, University of Utah Police Department, and the Utah Department of Public Safety Salt Lake Communications Center.

According to Greg Ballentine, GeoComm’s Director of Consulting Services, “GeoComm is pleased to have been selected by the State of Utah for this important project. We have assigned a stellar team to conduct this assessment on behalf of the participating agencies.”

The project will consist of multiple phases examining the current call delivery systems, governance, operations, technology, organizational structure, and facilities supporting public safety communications in Salt Lake County. GeoComm will use the results of the assessment to provide a comprehensive report and recommendations that will serve as a resource for the participating agencies as they consider options to enhance public safety services.

The agreement between the State of Utah and GeoComm is for five years and will provide the Utah 9-1-1 Committee guidance for studying other portions of the 9-1-1 system within the state.

St. Johnsbury, Vt., November 10, 2011 — On Wednesday, November 16, more than 500 high school students in and around Fort Smith, Arkansas, will have a chance to learn more about Geographic Information Systems (GIS), especially as it relates to future career opportunities in such fields as engineering, biology, information technology, earth science, and so on. And for the second year in a row, microDATA will demonstrate several aspects of its Next Generation 9-1-1 call-handling equipment, allowing attendees to see how GIS technology plays a critical role in routing and responding to 9-1-1 calls.

The sponsor of this annual event is the River Valley GIS Users group, a collection of mapping professionals situated in five counties along the Arkansas River valley who promote the use of GIS-based technology in land surveying and aerial photography, as well as for consumer applications that rely on location to deliver specific services. For example, having your smart phone show you the nearest coffee shop or gas station is now a popular GIS-driven feature.

A vital part of Next Generation 9-1-1 also involves the element of “location,” where emergency responders are given as much information as possible to aid their public safety efforts. “What is the closest major intersection to the caller’s address?” “How many patrol cars are in the vicinity, and which officer can get there the quickest?” “Is there an archived aerial photo of the building that’s on fire?”

But these are challenges that microDATA solved quite some time ago. Moving forward, the company has become heavily invested in the process of Spatial Routing™. This is a GIS-intelligent method that, along with other applications, can be used to decide who is responsible for answering a particular 9-1-1 call. Sam Bard, microDATA’s director of sales and an industry veteran in both the public and private sectors, explained one such situation the company is currently using GIS to address. “A 9-1-1 call comes in from a part of town where people predominantly speak a particular foreign language in their homes. Our system can intuitively route the call to an emergency operator fluent in that language.”

David Gleason, the microDATA regional account manager for Arkansas, is slated to represent the company at GIS Day. In addition to his 25-plus years in telecommunications and 9-1-1 technologies, he is also a certified instructor with NENA, the national organization charged with ensuring that all newly designed 9-1-1 systems are compliant with the i3 standard. Gleason plans to highlight some of the feature-rich GIS elements contained within xTrakker™ and other microDATA solutions, including how geographic information is updated and the ways in which discrepancy reporting is handled. This latter element involves using information contained in a reliable GIS database to identify incomplete addresses or other errors that can negatively impact the ability of an emergency responder to answer a 9-1-1 call.

“This event is a perfect fit for microDATA,” said Vice President Christine Heinrich. “Our roots in GIS go back more than 25 years. That technology is built into the core of our solution, which provides the most extensive Next Generation 9-1-1 call handling and ESInet call routing systems in the industry. Because we’re a company driven by such exciting technologies, microDATA is strongly in favor of any effort we can engage in that will help high school students learn more about careers in technology. There are plenty of opportunities in our industry for tech-savvy individuals.”

For additional information on GIS Day, or to help sponsor the event, please visit the organization’s Web site at http://www.rivervalleygis.com.

About microDATA

In business since 1983, microDATA has built an extensive suite of innovative solutions designed with one primary purpose in mind—allow emergency personnel to improve the speed and accuracy with which they respond to 9-1-1 calls. This includes state-of-the-art technologies such as the impending use of text and video, plus other rich-data formats, that can be sent from various endpoints for the purpose of contacting 9-1-1 call takers. By combining GIS (Geographic Information Services) technology with Internet Protocol capabilities, the company’s core services—and its dedication to i3-compliant NG9-1-1 solutions—offer to the public safety industry a new generation of map-centric solutions that reduce response times, lower infrastructure costs, and ultimately save more lives. For additional information, please contact microDATA at (802) 748-5503 x890, or visit the company’s Web site at www.md-911.com.

APCO Appeals To Super Committee To Consider D Block Allocation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 10, 2011 – Public Safety officials sent a formal letter to the co-chairs of the U.S. Congress’ Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (“super committee”) urging them to include S.911, the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act of 2011, in deficit reduction legislation under consideration by the supercommittee, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International announced today. The complete letter can be read at www.apcointl.org.

In the two-page letter, APCO International said that S.911 would reduce the federal deficit by at least $6.5 billion, while also implementing a major outstanding recommendation of the 9-11 Commission: the creation and funding of a nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network.

“On September 11, 2001, the U.S. experienced an unprecedented attack on our soil, and lives were lost due to the inability of first responders to effectively communicate with each other. The 9-11 Commission called on Congress to act, but more than 10 years later this major recommendation continues to languish,” said APCO President Gregory T. Riddle in the written letter. “With S. 911, we have an opportunity to enact a deficit-reducing bipartisan solution that is supported by nearly every major public safety organization (police, sheriff, fire and emergency medical), as well as the overwhelming majority of governors, mayors and public technologists throughout the U.S.”

S. 911 provides first responders with 10 MHz of broadband spectrum, commonly known as the D-block, in order to construct a nationwide interoperable broadband communications network. To pay for the creation of this network, the legislation authorizes the Federal Communications Commission to conduct voluntary incentive auctions of a variety of spectrum. These voluntary auctions are projected by the Congressional Budget Office to raise at least $24.5 billion, of which at least $6.5 billion will go directly to deficit reduction.

Riddle continued in the letter, “This legislation is a win-win-win; it provides public safety and other first responders with life-saving communications tools, significantly reduces the deficit, and allows current spectrum license holders to auction off spectrum that they no longer need.”

The Public Safety community has consistently addressed the need for Congress to swiftly enact S.911 and allocate the D block spectrum to public safety to create a reliable public safety network so America’s first responders can better protect our nation. S.911 is just one of five bills that has been introduced since January 2011, which allocates the D block to public safety (the other bills are HR607, HR2482, S.28 and S.1040). All five bills address public safety’s top priorities – allocating the D Block to public safety, providing $10-12 billion in funding to build out the broadband network, establishing the necessary governance to manage the build out, maintenance and operations of the network and to include sufficient state and local government and public safety representation, and offsetting the deficit by auctioning other spectrum bands.

The super committee is charged with issuing a recommendation by November 23, 2011 for at least $1.5 trillion in additional deficit reduction steps to be undertaken over a 10‐year period.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Selects Panasonic Toughbook Mobile Computers For Countywide Patrol Vehicle Deployment

Nation’s Largest Sheriff’s Department Deploys Thousands of Toughbook® 31and Toughbook CF-19 Mobile Computers with Wireless Access Technology to Improve On-the-Road Access to Critical Law Enforcement Applications

Secaucus, New Jersey – Nov. 10, 2011 – Panasonic Solutions Company, a provider of rugged mobile technology solutions for the Public Sector, today announced that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) in Los Angeles, California, the largest Sheriff’s department in the United States, has selected its Toughbook® 31 and Toughbook CF-19 fully-rugged mobile computers for countywide vehicle deployment, as part of the LASD Mobile Digital Computer (MDC) project. More than 2,600 patrol vehicles and 100 motor units will be outfitted with the in-vehicle computing solutions, which will serve as mobile command centers for Sheriffs in the field. The deployment is expected to be completed by mid-2013.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Mobile Digital Computer Solution is the result of a competitive bid process in which the Raytheon Company proposed the Panasonic laptops to meet the Sheriff’s requirements. As a result of this bid and ultimate win, thousands of vehicles will receive the new Mobile Digital Computers (MDCs) with embedded commercial wireless access. These new and upgraded devices will provide deputies with faster access to information, report writing, email and intranet, and automated routing to calls via GPS.

“The Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers met our requirements because of the computer’s specifications, proven quality, durability and reliability, and, so far, Panasonic has exceeded our expectations,” said Captain Scott Edson of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “This extensive deployment of a best-in-class mobile computer is representative of our commitment to investing in the future of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as we continuously look for ways to provide our deputies with the best communications tools to enhance our knowledge in the field and help us better serve the public.”

The MDC project represents the largest deployment of mobile digital computers to a Sheriff’s department in the country. Raytheon Company serves as the prime contractor responsible for managing the project and integrating all units and systems, while Panasonic Solutions Company is responsible for providing its Toughbook 31 and Toughbook CF-19 mobile computers and wireless access technologies. The wireless system provides access to the AT&T 4G network through Qualcomm Gobi Mobile.

“We are honored that our Toughbook mobile computers have been chosen by such a large and well-respected law enforcement department as the Los Angeles County Sheriffs’,” said Scott French, vice president of public sector sales for Panasonic Solutions Company. “By deploying the Toughbook mobile computers, the Department has taken an important step to empower its deputies with mobile computing technologies that will dramatically improve productivity and efficiency.”

The LASD Mobile Digital Computer project was officially announced to the public at a launch event in Los Angeles on November 2nd, 2011.

As the largest sheriff’s department in the United States, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department includes 18,000 total sworn and professional staff members who patrol over 4,000-plus square miles and serve a population of over 10 million people.

About Panasonic Solutions Company

Panasonic Solutions Company empowers people whose jobs depend on reliable technology. The company delivers collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for customers in government, healthcare, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises. Products and services within the company’s portfolio include Panasonic Toughbook mobile computing solutions, projectors, professional displays (including both plasma and LCD), and HD and 3D video acquisition and production solutions. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic is known for the reliability and longevity of its products. Panasonic Solutions Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, which is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC).

Panasonic Unveils Toughpad™ Family Of Professional-Grade Android-Powered Tablets

World’s most reliable 10” and 7” tablets deliver the enhanced security, advanced device management and application eco-system required by business and government users

Secaucus, NJ, November 7, 2011 – Panasonic, an industry leader in rugged, reliable handheld and tablet computers since 1996, today unveiled the Toughpad™ family of professional-grade Android™-powered tablets (#Toughpad), which includes a 10” and 7” device. The devices—targeting mission-critical and highly mobile workers—will be supported by an eco-system that includes an enterprise focused app store, peripherals, developer tools, deployment support and more.

The 10” Toughpad A1, available first, is ideal for highly mobile outdoor workers in markets like aviation, construction, field sales and the public sector, where exposure to extreme environments is a constant challenge and the consequence of a failure is significant. The device can also be used as a tool to optimize business processes as a cost effective pen / paper replacement. The 7” Toughpad B1 targets similar markets, but in applications where screen real estate is not as critical and where device mobility and portability are critical.

“Panasonic has been a leading force in the government and enterprise mobile computing space—including tablet, convertible tablet, and handheld devices—for over fifteen years,” said Rance M. Poehler, President, Panasonic Solutions Company. “For many manufacturers this is new territory, but it’s currently one of Panasonic’s growing product categories. Because of this, we have the unique ability to apply our market knowledge, intellectual property, engineering and R&D resources to deliver an Android-powered tablet that is radically different from the largely consumer-based devices on the market today. The Toughpad tablets are developed from the inside out to address the needs of the business users. As a result, our customers will get the most rugged, reliable and enterprise-appropriate tablets in the world – helping to drive efficiency and productivity in ways that were never possible. The Toughpad tablets will be backed by our world class service and support infrastructure, including our U.S. dedicated hot-line support, 2 day or less service turn-time, and our customer facing field engineering staff.”

Panasonic has created a purpose-built line of Android-powered tablets, designed with enhanced security, long product life, and advanced device management in mind. The Panasonic Toughpad family will allow government and commercial enterprises, as well as SMBs, to realize the true potential of tablet computing without sacrificing security and while delivering a high return on investment.

Enterprise-class Security

Enterprise-class mobile computing requires an enhanced level of device security that is not available in today’s tablet market. To address this need, the new Toughpad family is designed with security in mind. The Toughpad A1 incorporates security embedded at the hardware level and offer technologies like hardware and software encryption, enhanced VPN, dual factor authentication, trusted boot and device management. This enhanced level of device security means the Toughpad A1 will be compliant with FIPS 140-2 for Federal government use and HIPAA ready for healthcare environments.

The Toughpad™ family can be managed with a custom set of low level controls that provide IT Administrators with unprecedented power over their Android-powered devices. This level of mobile device management (MDM) is essential for successfully deploying and managing Android-powered tablets in the field. These controls allow IT managers to distribute applications in a one-to-many environment, secure devices from unauthorized use and many other granular features not found in consumer-grade Android-powered tablets.

A Rich Application Environment for Government and Enterprise Mobility

Besides having access to the existing selection of Android Market™ applications, the Toughpad is supported by the Business AppPortal™, an enterprise-focused app store offering best-of-breed vertical market specific solutions as well as applications addressing broad enterprise concerns, including Mobile Device Management, security and virtualization.

This highly secure, cloud-based user storefront allows IT Managers and developers to store, download and test applications for use on their Toughpad devices. Panasonic will also offer private application stores within the Business AppPortal, which businesses can customize to meet their specific needs.

Purpose-built for Real-world Mobility

The Toughpad A1 has a high brightness, 10.1” XGA capacitive, multi-touch, daylight-viewable screen so mobile workers, in markets like supply chain logistics, utilities and the military, can easily see critical data and operate the device regardless of lighting conditions.

The Toughpad A1 offers a stylus and active digitizer, enabling flexible data entry in the field, as well as signature capture and handwriting recognition functionalities—ideal for sales, customer service and mobile point-of-service environments. Other features include integrated cameras, a serviceable battery, multiple options for peripheral connectivity and battery life that will accommodate a full day of work.

The new Toughpad family is designed to meet many of the same durability standards as Panasonic’s Toughbook PC product line. The devices have MIL-STD-810G ratings for drops as well as ingress protection ratings for resistance to dust and water. The Toughpad A1 is also rated for use in a wide range of temperatures. This elevated level of durability results in tablets that deliver reliability in almost any environment, assuring maximum mobile worker productivity.

The Toughpad A1 offers optional 4G (LTE or WiMAX) mobile broadband as well as Bluetooth® v2.1 + EDR, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and satellite GPS.

Pricing and Availability

The Toughpad™ A1 will be available in the Spring of 2012 starting at $1299. The Toughpad B1 will be released later in 2012, with more details coming closer to availability. Both devices can be purchased through authorized Panasonic resellers.

Sales inquiries for Panasonic’s Toughpad family of Android-powered tablets should be directed to sales.psc@us.panasonic.com or 877-803-8492.

The Toughpad family comes standard with the industry’s most comprehensive 3-year warranty.

Panasonic will offer a full set of professional-grade accessories to support the Toughpad line, including cases, mounts, printers, keyboards, magnetic stripe readers, Smart Card Readers and multi-unit storage and charging solutions.

More information on the Toughpad tablets can be found at http://www.PanasonicToughpad.com

Images of the Toughpad can be found on the brand’s Flickr page; various Toughpad videos can be found on the brand’s YouTube page and an article discussing enterprise tablet computer deployment considerations can be found on the brand’s blog – Toughbloggers.com.

Follow the Toughpad™ Brand (#Toughpad):

The Panasonic Toughpad brand can be followed on various social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Toughbloggers.com.

About Panasonic Solutions Company

Panasonic Solutions Company empowers people whose jobs depend on reliable technology. The company delivers collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for customers in government, healthcare, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises. Products and services within the company’s portfolio include Panasonic Toughbook and Toughpad mobile computing solutions, projectors, professional displays (including both plasma and LCD), and HD and 3D video acquisition and production solutions. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic is known for the reliability and longevity of its products. Panasonic Solutions Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, which is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC).

All brand and company/product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Information on Panasonic Solutions Company’s full line of products can be obtained by calling 877-803-8492 or at www.panasonic.com/business-solutions.

News Release: Dispatch Center in Coles County, Illinois gets Stand Alone ALI from GeoConex®

GeoConex® Corporation and Coles County, Illinois 9-1-1, announce the county’s successful deployment of the GeoConex Stand Alone ALI (SALI) system. With the GeoConex SALI system, Coles County 9-1-1 will be able to maintain the integrity of their 911 data and data processes while interfacing with any CAD and phone controller. The GeoConex SALI system provides one location for all ALI data management, works with any service provider and can be used in full automatic or manual mode. GeoConex worked with local radio dealer, Global Technical Systems, who installed two Zetron phone systems, one in the main dispatch center and one in the emergency back-up center. The GeoConex SALI system is split with one SALI server in each center to achieve maximum redundancy.

Zetron System Equips Queensland’s New Emergency Comm Center

A 46-position installation of Zetron’s Advanced Communication (Acom) system is due to go live in December of 2011 at the Queensland Emergency Operations Centre near Brisbane, Australia. The system is being praised for its high levels of integration, customization and flexibility, and its ability to meet the customer’s complex requirements.

Redmond, WA, U.S.A., November 1, 2011― A 46-position installation of Zetron’s Advanced Communication (Acom) system is in its final stages of deployment and testing at the new Queensland Emergency Operations Centre (QEOC) near Brisbane, Australia. The Acom system installed in the facility’s communications center is scheduled to go live in December of 2011. It is already being praised for its high levels of integration, customization, flexibility, and the effectiveness with which it is meeting the customer’s complex requirements.

Emergency command-and-control point

Two main operations are housed at QEOC: the communications center and the State Disaster Operations Centre. The Zetron Acom system installed at the communications center will serve as the command-and-control point for the Queensland Ambulance Service, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, Queensland Corrective Services, and Emergency Management Queensland.

Why Acom?

There were a number of reasons why Acom was chosen for the project. Chief among them were the customer’s past positive experiences with both Zetron Australasia and an earlier version of the Acom system. In addition, the new Acom system could be customized to accommodate the site’s requirements. The customer also preferred to work with a local vendor who understood their operations thoroughly and would be able to provide ongoing support.

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