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The Law Enforcement Take: Spring 2021
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The Law Enforcement Take with Harry Markley
Location-based services keep officers safe
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In law enforcement, situational awareness is everything. The information officers have about the surrounding environment helps them make better decisions that keep everyone safe and complete the mission. That’s why z-axis capability is a welcome addition to public safety’s network. Z-axis capability gives a 3D location for personnel, not just vehicles, so officer location can be pinpointed to the exact height in buildings.
Beyond traditional GPS
Imagine a call for disturbance from inside a multistory building, and two officers respond. The officer who arrives first on scene enters the building and reports shots fired. Both dispatch and the arriving second officer is able to see the exact location of the first officer including the height, where the second officer goes immediately for backup.
This scenario can now be a reality, thanks to new vertical location services available only to FirstNet subscribers. Having vertical location capability brings the next level in location accuracy, going beyond what has been traditionally offered by GPS. Before now, agencies used mapping technologies to track an agency’s assets or provide travel directions. Vertical location capability extends those location-based services to pinpoint the exact coordinates of officers.
Knowing where officers are
Eddie Reyes is Director of the Department of Public Safety Communications in Prince William County, Virginia. Before his current role, he retired as the Senior Deputy Chief from the Alexandria Police Department in Virginia after over 25 years of service. He has deep experience in public safety communications, technology, and interoperability. Chief Reyes understands the importance of z-axis location capabilities to law enforcement.
“Just like we need to know where law enforcement vehicles are in an emergency, the next step is knowing where law enforcement officers are. Because oftentimes, if the officer separates from the vehicle like in a foot chase through a multilevel structure, you need to know where that officer is,” he said. “So z-axis capability is always going to be very important because it extends location accuracy to the person and not just the vehicle.”
More benefits for law enforcement
Location-based services, including the z-axis or vertical location, has many potential benefits for law enforcement:
- Officer safety. An officer’s exact location, including how high in a high-rise building, is available to team members and dispatch—without verbal cues.
- Coordination. When responding to an incident, officers can see the location of other officers during the call for service and coordinate their response.
- Effective search operations. Incident command can track officers in a building search and can locate all officers when establishing a perimeter.
- Insight into past events. In a post-incident review, an officer’s movement and path can be examined to recreate the scene.
Meeting public safety’s needs
The public safety community has long advocated for location accuracy and location-based services. The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) has heard from the public safety community that they need to be able to track individual personnel in a three-dimensional environment.
As a result, integrating 3D mapping solutions into existing technology platforms was a priority for FirstNet. Now, we will continue to work with experts from industry, researchers in academia, and our partners at AT&T to improve location-based services for public safety.
Validating z-axis capability
As with any emerging technology, z-axis capability is an evolutionary service that will continue to grow to meet public safety’s needs. The public safety community will validate z-axis capability in everyday real-world settings. The challenges and opportunities for z-axis capability include performance, the operating environment, the generation of 3D maps, device types and capabilities, and integration with other tracking systems.
“Z-axis capability has been well thought out,” said Chief Reyes. “But like any capability in technology, it takes time to mature especially to the level of public safety grade. That's why it requires so much research and development with active public safety personnel across police, fire, and 9-1-1 disciplines.”
The FirstNet Authority continues to work hand-in-hand with first responders to understand their situational awareness needs and to drive innovations in public safety technology.
Your experience
What is your experience with location-based services? What are your questions about z-axis capabilities? Send me an email and let me know your thoughts.
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FirstNet is helping communities respond to COVID-19, by supporting vaccination efforts, enabling remote 9-1-1 operations, connecting healthcare workers, and supporting social distancing. The network allows responders to maintain reliable communications when and where they need it most – in the field, at work, and at home.
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Tech, Innovations, and Hot Topics in Law Enforcement
Read what we’ve been hearing from public safety in the field about trends and drivers for law enforcement and emergency communications.*
The Chicago Police Department is testing a pilot project that uses data to proactively address the mental health of police officers. The program’s goal is to provide early intervention by using data to identify officers who need support and by creating a process to provide services to those officers. One of the tools available to officers is a new 24-hour telehealth service that connects them via a mobile app to therapists or other professionals who specialize in working with police.
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Learn how location-based services make public safety operations more safe and effective. This video gives an overview of how location-based services work through three use cases: in-building Incidents, planned events, and active assailant incidents. In consultation with public safety, the FirstNet Authority promotes an ecosystem of products and services that serve the unique needs of first responders. Location services are a priority within our Situational Awareness Roadmap domain.
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Harry Markley is a Senior Public Safety Advisor and the First Responder Network Authority Law Enforcement Subject Matter Expert. Learn more about Harry or email him with your questions. |
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*FirstNet Authority may provide hyperlinks for third-party, non-governmental websites in order to offer additional context and added value for our users. FirstNet Authority does not endorse any product or service and is not responsible, nor can it guarantee the validity or timeliness of the content on hyperlinks outside of the federal government. In addition, users may wish to review privacy notices on non-government sites since their information collection practices may differ from ours.
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